Adopt post-transition documents, monitoring team urges

The chairman of the Implementation and Monitoring Commission (IMC) of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Accord, Berhanu Dinka, appealed on Tuesday to Burundi's political leaders to adopt immediately draft texts of the post-transitional period - the constitution, electoral and local government codes. Opening the 18th session of the IMC in the capital, Bujumbura, Dinka said that although the recent holding of a forum of parties that signed the 2000 Arusha accord had marked the beginning of a political culture of debate, dialogue and compromise, the delaying tactics witnessed during the forum were cause for concern. "Those who use delaying tactics must be aware that history will hold them responsible for the setbacks suffered in the peace process by needlessly risking disorder and chaos," he said. The forum of parties that signed the Arusha accord ended a three-week session last week without reaching agreement on the adoption of the post-transition texts. The IMC also appealed to the Forces nationales de liberation (FNL) faction led by Agathon Rwasa to begin serious negotiations with the transitional government. Dinka said he hoped that a meeting of Rwasa's faction, currently in progress in the Tanzanian town of Kigoma, would provide "an opportunity for him [Rwasa] to take a bold decision that has been awaited by the people of Burundi and the international community". Rwasa's FNL is the only rebel group that has not signed a ceasefire agreement with the transitional government. It continues to stage sporadic attacks against the army in and around Bujumbura. The other former rebel movements are preparing to register as political parties once they finalise the assembling and disarmament of their former combatants. Dinka called on all former rebel movements to comply with this requirement by 15 May, so as to begin the process of registration as political parties that would enable them to participate in general elections due later this year. Among the issues due for discussion during this IMC session that is scheduled to close on Friday are a report on the transformation of the African Union Mission in Burundi into a UN mission, the follow-up of the repatriation process, the release of political prisoners and the follow-up of the various implementation stages of the Arusha accord.