Minister regrets linkage of genocide tribunal and Arusha

Justice Minister Terence Sinunguruza said on Thursday that while Burundi repeatedly raised the issue of establishing an international criminal tribunal for the country, others had regrettably linked it continually to progress at the Arusha peace talks. “Unfortunately it happens that some people want to link it to the Arusha process,” which was why the UN was not ready to give attention to such a tribunal before finalisation of an Arusha accord, Sinunguruza said on Burundi radio. Each time Burundi raised the issue, “the reasons given to them are reasons showing that the UN is not ready to take any action before the successful end of the Arusha process,” he added.

In the same interview, Sinunguruza said that while there had been problems with Burundi’s adoption of a domestic law on genocide, a legal commission was close to concluding a draft law for the Council of Ministers. “One has to say that it is regrettable that the law has not been promulgated quickly enough but we must not lose hope, and the commission is still working on it. Probably tomorrow or the day after tomorrow it will come up with a suitable draft,” he said.