Civilians must hand over weapons, says president

The Burundian government has given civilians in possession of weapons three weeks to register the arms or risk being arrested for illegal ownership. "They have until 5 May to register the arms they are holding," President Pierre Nkurunziza said in the northwestern province of Cibitoke. The president and his two deputies travelled on Friday to various parts of the country to meet civilians over the weapons issue. He commended some 3,000 people who had already handed in their weapons, saying the law on illegal ownership of arms would apply to those who did not register. First Vice-President Martin Nduwimana visited the Buyengero commune in the southern Bururi province, while Second Vice-President Alice Nzomukunda went to Butaganzwa in Kayanza province. "Anyone who does not hand in their weapons will have to give their reasons in writing," Nzomukunda said. Nduwimana added that the government would organise talks with civilians who claimed they still needed arms for self-defence. Armed robberies are common in the country, particularly in the northern province of Ngozi, where at least 21 people have been killed since September 2005, according to the government news agency. However, the government says the overall security situation has improved, and recently lifted a countrywide curfew. Nzomukunda acknowledged that disarmament was still a sensitive issue requiring "careful restraint". The previous government had given arms to the paramilitary youth group, Jeunes Guardiens de la Paix, to support the army. She urged teachers and parents to prevent youths from using arms to destabilise the country. She also warned recently demobilised combatants, returning refugees and released political prisoners to keep their distance from members of the only remaining active rebel force in Burundi, the Front National de Liberation (FNL) led by Agathon Rwasa. The government is set to begin negotiations with the FNL in Tanzania.