Details bedevil agreement, rebel attack reported

Without a ceasefire agreement, Burundi’s current President Pierre Buyoya - who has angered hardline Tutsis by participating in the talks - will face severe problems back home. He has indicated he wants the talks to be put on ice until two Hutu armed factions join the process and agree to stop fighting. His argument appeared to gain some validity after unconfirmed reports from Burundi overnight said rebels had moved closer to the capital Bujumbura and killed five people in an ambush. IRIN was told that the Group of 10 largely Tutsi political parties had informed Mandela they would not sign the accord on Monday.

“Everything is at a standstill,” Mathias Hitimana, spokesperson of the monarchist People’s Reconciliation Party (PRP) told IRIN. He added that they wanted more details settled, such as an amnesty and greater clarification of an electoral act set to put in place after an agreement. Mandela, meanwhile, has told delegates that time is running out and they must resolve their differences. He has indicated a failure of the talks will lead to him giving up his peace mission.