Rebels attack civilians as ceasefire talks continue

The Forces nationales de libération (FNL), Burundi's remaining active rebel group, has continued to attack civilians even as it continues ceasefire negotiations with the government in Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania. The attacks, mostly in Burundi's north-western province of Bubanza and the western province of Bujumbura Rural, have resulted in deaths and the internal displacement of civilians. The latest attack, in which three people died and seven were wounded, occurred on Monday in Rugeyo village in Bubanza's Musigati Commune. The administrator of Musigati, Isaï Niragira, told IRIN on Wednesday that two of those wounded were still in hospital in Bubanza. The rebels also burnt six homes in the village, he added. The frequent attacks, Niragira said, had forced some 75 households in Rugeyo to flee. "They attend to their activities during the day but they leave their homes in the evening and seek refuge in households neighbouring military positions at the Musigati parish," he said. The deputy army spokesman, Maj Raymond Cimana, said on Wednesday the FNL was responsible for the Rugeyo attack. "They always avoid direct confrontations with the army, but leave their hideout of Kibira reserve at night and target families in the nearby villages to get supplies," he said. Musigati Commune borders the Kibira forest, an FNL stronghold. These attacks have occurred as talks between the FNL, led by Agathon Rwasa, and the government continue in Dar es Salaam, with South African mediation. Another FNL faction, led by Jean Bosco Sindayigaya, announced in January it had suspended hostilities as most of its demands had been met with the democratic elections in August 2005. The FNL-government talks resumed on Monday after a break of more than a week, with both parties sticking to their positions. Reforming the army remains the most contentious issue: while the FNL demands it be disbanded and reconstituted to reflect the country's ethnic balance, the government wants FNL fighters integrated into the army as it is. Under the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Accord of August 2000, the army was to share power equally between Hutus and Tutsis. With a peace deal reached in November 2003, combatants from former rebel movements - the majority Hutus - were integrated in the army, breaking the tradition of a Tutsi-dominated army. jb/js/os/mw