Rebel group's proposals on power-sharing

The largest rebel group in Burundi, the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Force pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD) led by Pierre Nkurunziza, wants the post of parliamentary Speaker should the transitional government agree to its proposals on power-sharing, according to the group's spokesman, Gelase Daniel Ndabirabe.

Referring to talks between the government and the CNDD-FDD faction that have been going on in the Tanzanian commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, Ndabirabe told IRIN on Friday that there must be parity in power-sharing should the two parties reach agreement.

"Conclusions have not yet been reached, but a system of parity must be agreed upon," he said. "If, for instance, the government keeps the defence ministry, the post of army chief of staff should go to CNDD-FDD and vice versa."

He added that the post of parliamentary Speaker should not be filled by a member of the Front pour la democratie au Burundi (Frodebu), because President Domitien Ndayizeye is a Frodebu member.

"CNDD-FDD wants the position, because two people from the same party cannot rule two key institutions," Ndabirabe said. The current Speaker of parliament, Jean Minani, is a Frodebu member.

Another proposal the CNDD-FDD favoured, the spokesman said, was the creation of the position of second vice-president, to be held by a Hutu. This, he said, would help create a balance of power between the Hutu and Tutsi communities. Current Vice-President Alphonse-Marie Kadege is a Tutsi from the predominantly Tutsi Union pour le progres national (Uprona) party.

"It would be important for us to have the post of second vice-president, always in the framework of respecting this principle of parity and, in any case, the CNDD-FDD must play a key role in ruling the country," Ndabirabe said.

The government and Nkurunziza's CNDD-FDD faction have both expressed the wish to end negotiations and implement the ceasefire agreement they signed in December 2002, an agreement that has been violated several times by both parties.

Ndayizeye is optimistic that a cessation of hostilities will be achieved in the country soon. He is currently on a visit to Mozambique and Ethiopia to seek a quick deployment of African Union peacekeepers. The two countries agreed to provide troops to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

The Dar es Salaam talks between the government and the CNDD-FDD are expected to have been concluded before a regional summit, scheduled for 15 August, is held.