Internal FRODEBU faction “not” opposed to Arusha

The internal Front pour la democratie au Burandi(FRODEBU) faction led by Augustine Nzojibwami on Wednesday reiterated that it was not opposed to the recent signing of the peace agreement but said it does not recognise “the people who signed the peace agreement on behalf of Frodebu”.

In an interview with a local journalist in Bujumbura, the faction’s secretary-general, Thomas Bukuru, said that his faction would oppose the “implementation” of the agreement in a “non-violent” manner in parliament. “We shall peacefully oppose those people,” he said. “We are able, we have many followers...Despite the signing of the agreement, the parliament will remain as it is and we have many of our people in it,” he added.

Bukuru also said the government emanating from the agreement would not “succeed” as it would be “fragile”. His faction was in favour of the signing of a ceasefire agreement on 20 September, because “what was signed in Arusha cannot be implemented as long as killings are continuing”.

“The agreement would fail if there was no end to hostilities,” he said. As concerned an interim leader, he added: “Our position is that the person who is the president [Pierre Buyoya] now should be allowed to remain in his position.”