Gov't to neutralise rebel group in 2 months, President says

The Burundian government will take measures to curb activities of the country's remaining rebel group, the Forces nationales de liberation (FNL), a government official said on Monday, now that the deadline has expired for the rebels to start peace talks with the government. President Pierre Nkurunziza had on 5 October directed the FNL to begin peace talks with the government by 31 October or face "serious consequences". The minister for communication and government spokesman, Ramadhan Karenga, said on Monday on national radio that the government would "empower its security forces, the defence forces and even the population, to curb the FNL activism". Although this seemed to allude to the government's use of military power against the FNL, Karenga said the government was still willing to negotiate an end to the rebellion. He added that the rebellion was now a regional issue. "The regional initiative [led by leaders of Africa's Great Lakes region] is taking measures to ensure the FNL comes to the negotiation table, otherwise those measures will be implemented," he said. On Saturday, Nkurunziza - himself a former rebel leader - announced that the FNL issue would be resolved within two months. During a visit to Mubimbi, in the FNL stronghold of Bujumbura Rural Province, Nkurunziza said all measures would be been taken to stop the FNL attacks. "We will start implementing them one by one until the FNL is defeated within two months," he said. However, he did not specify the measures. Yet, Karenga said the measures would include the banning of the wearing of military uniforms by civilians, recovery of illegally-held guns and ammunitions as well as the arrest of armed robbers said to be stealing and carrying out killings under the cover of the FNL. Since September, the government has increased pressure on the FNL, with arrests of many people suspected of being FNL fighters. Some 100 of those arrested are detained by police in the capital, Bujumbura. These suspects were paraded before reporters on Friday. The government's pledge to take action against the FNL comes as a split was reported within the leadership of the rebel group. A faction opposed to FNL leader Agathon Rwasa announced recently that Rwasa had been replaced by his deputy, Jean Bosco Sindayigaya. The FNL has so far rejected direct negotiations with the Burundian government. Soon after he took power in August, Nkurunziza urged the FNL to engage in negotiations as soon as possible. He then appointed an eight-member team to negotiate with the group.