Ndayizeye speaks on transitional government

Hutu leader, Domitien Ndayizeye, who will deputise President Pierre Buyoya in the first 18 months of Burundi’s transition government told journalists on Friday that “some measures” should be taken to ensure the effective setting up of transitional institutions. To begin with, some texts of the law should be rearranged, notably the removal of clauses which hinder the exercise of political freedom and adoption of laws on the provision of amnesty and genocide, Burundi news agency, ABP quoted him as saying.

“There is also need for a special protection unit so as to reassure everybody, particularly people from outside the country,” Ndayizeye said. He said the government to be set on 1 November will be “one for national unity” made of parties which signed the Arusha agreement. He said the establishment of a lasting ceasefire still remained the main concern for the transitional period. Ndayizeye said that the first step had been made but noted that there was a lot of mistrust among Burundians and that “no Burundian would create another Burundi outside Burundi”.

He said he was “a man who kept his word” and was cooperating with Buyoya.