President supports foreign participation in protection force

Despite criticism from some politicians, President Pierre Buyoya said Tuesday he would welcome the participation of four African countries as members of a special protection force that will guard state establishments and returning political exiles, AFP reported.

Members of the force are likely to come from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa which on 5 October forced were in the technical Military Committee that visited Burundi to review the security situation and the possibility of sending a small peacekeeping force to that country. However, the pro-Tutsi PARENA party has objected to the idea, saying the presence of these troops would be tantamount to a invasion of Burundi.

"The troops may be coming under the flag of cooperation but they will be treated as invaders," Net Press reported the leader of PARENA, former Burundi president Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, as saying.

Foreign participation in the special protection force is being contemplated because details such as the total strength of an all-Burundi unit, personnel recruitment and training have not been decided. The only agreement so far is that half the force would be Tutsi and half Hutu.