Government explains policy

The Burundian government said it had adopted the measures to group residents of Bujumbura Rural in protection sites to ensure their safety. In an information note, received by IRIN on Wednesday, the government explained the move was aimed at "isolating the enemy". It said "terrorists" in Bujumbura Rural province had developed systems to "hold the population to ransom" and "bleed them dry". "With the assistance of humanitarian organisations, the government will spare nothing to respond to the needs generated by this new situation," the note said. Measures had been taken to provide the sites as soon as possible with drinking water, medical care and proper sanitation, as well as ensuring that citizens will be able to plant and cultivate their fields. "Therefore it would be completely cynical to look for political gain in exploiting the suffering inflicted by armed groups on innocent people," the note added. Regional experts told IRIN there were tensions among the authorities over the decision to regroup, with some top-level commanders pressurising the political leadership to carry out the policy. One analyst cautioned that violence in the country was being "reactivated" by extremists on both sides. "If massive violence erupts, we are back to square one," the analyst warned. Meanwhile, the defence ministry said the security situation throughout the country had improved, with the exception of Bujumbura Rural, Makamba and Rutana provinces, the private Netpress news agency reported. By grouping people into sites, the rebels were now deprived of shelter and were committing "acts of suicide" such as the repeated attacks against Bujumbura city.