Ndayizeye pleads for support in bringing peace

Burundi's newly-inaugurated president, Domitien Ndayizeye, thanked Tanzania on Monday for its support in the country's peace process but asked its neighbour to help implement a 3 December 2002 agreement signed between the government and rebel groups to stop fighting. "We need help to convince the Conseil national pour defence de la democratie-Forces pour la defence de la democratie [CNDD-FDD] group led by Peter Nkurunziza to join our institutions, the National Assembly, the Senate and not forgetting the defence forces," he said during an official visit to Tanzania. Late in 2002, the transitional government of Burundi signed a ceasefire agreement with the CNDD-FDD but both parties have largely ignored the ceasefire and fighting has continued. Ndayizeye, who will lead Burundi for the second phase of the country's three-year transition to democracy, called on CNDD-FDD to come into line so that in 18 months time, when elections are due to take place, they can establish themselves. "We are telling FDD, who claim to have the support of all the people of Burundi, to take part in the future elections, but first, we must stop fighting," he said. "We do not understand the reasons behind the fighting. It is unacceptable for the people of Burundi to continue fighting when all doors have been opened to enable the FDD to join our institutions," Ndayizeye said. President Benjamin Mkapa responded by saying that Tanzania would assist "in any way possible" to ensure that peace was brought to the people of Burundi. Despite the successful 30 April transfer of power from former president Pierre Buyoya, a Tutsi, to his Hutu vice-president, Ndayizeye, fighting has continued throughout Burundi. In a joint communiqué issued in the Tanzanian commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, Mkapa and Ndayizeye "expressed concern at the precarious security situation" due to the fighting between the Burundi army and the CNDD-FDD.