Tutsi ‘G8’ says Buyoya destabilising the state

The so-called ‘G8’ group of pro-Tutsi political parties supporting the candidacy of Colonel Epitace Bayaganakandi has written to Nelson Mandela, the facilitator in the Burundi peace process, asking him to “prevail upon the current regime to stop perpetuating tactics that destabilise and impoverish the state and the people”, the Net Press news agency reported on Friday. The ‘G8’ argued that the “tactics used by Major Pierre Buyoya contribute to destabilising Burundi and confuse Burundians on the Arusha [peace] agreement”, since he was [allegedly] rejecting implementation of the agreement. The ‘G8’ said there was a widespread belief in the region that the regime in Bujumbura was behind the financing of meetings by groups that were meant to ensure the failure of the Arusha agreements.