President issues decree to disarm civilians

Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye signed a decree on Wednesday creating a new programme to disarm civilians. The decree states that a commission is to be set up to disarm "all persons residing in Burundi other than police and defence forces in possession of weapons and ammunition". The commission is also charged with disarming thousands of youth in the country known as the "guardians de la paix" (the Guardians of Peace) who had previously been armed with guns by the government to support the security forces to protect civilians. The nine-member disarmament commission is to be chaired by the minister of public security. Other members include the ministers of defence, interior and justice, as well as senior police and intelligence officers. The commission is to organise the collection of weapons. Civilians will be issued with a receipt as proof that they no longer have them. Burundi is said to have some 250,000 small arms in circulation. In December 2004, the UN Mission in Burundi started disarming ex-combatants and government soldiers. By April, 7,282 former combatants had been disarmed and demobilised, the mission's military spokesman, Adama Diop, said. In another decree signed on Wednesday, Ndayizeye banned all strikes and other public gatherings, besides political rallies. Effective immediately, the ban is to continue at least until 4 July when legislative elections are scheduled. The measure was taken to create a "favourable environment", according to the decree.