NET PRESS
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Bujumbura-Burundi.
 
BURUNDI - NEGOTIATIONS.
 
RUKINGAMA'S WING OF UPRONA PARTY  REJECTED THE ARUSHA DRAFT AGREEMENT.
 
BUJUMBURA, JULY 28, 2000 (NET PRESS). YESTERDAY JULY 27, 2000 RUKINGAMA'S WING OF UPRONA PARTY RELEASED A COMMUNIQUE WARNING THAT A DRAFT ACCORD WHICH "WOULD LEAD TO PANICK HERE AND FRENZY THERE WILL FOREVER REMAIN JUST A DRAFT".  THE SAME PARTY  IS  NOTING WITH REGRET THAT THE FOREIGNERS WILL FROM NOW REPLACE BARUNDI NATIONALS SINCE  SEVERAL PROVISIONS OF  THE DRAFT HAVE NEVER BEEN SUBJECTED TO DEBATES AMONG BARUNDI NEGOTIATORS AND THEREFORE  ARE NOT THE RESULT OF ANY COMPROMISE. THIS IS THE CASE, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD : "BARUNDI PEOPLE HAVE NEVER AGREED THAT THE LEADERS OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD WOULD BE NOMINATED FROM OVERSEAS", SAYS THE COMMUNIQUE.
 
FURTHERMORE, RUKINGAMA'S WING OF UPRONA PARTY WONDERS IF SUCH THE  ACCORD WOULD BE A DURABLE OR SEASONAL ONE  SINCE "THE DRAFT TAKES CARE  OF SHORT TERM ARRANGEMENTS INSTEAD OF LASTING SOLUTIONS". ACCORDING TO UPRONA WING, THE STABILIZING MECHANISMS MUST LAST LONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW REFLEXES OF ETHNIC DIVISIONS, RACISM AND GENOCIDAL TEMPTATIONS TO DISAPPEAR.
 
RUKINGAMA'S UPRONA REGRETS ALSO THAT THE DRAFT "IS IGNORING THE 1996 UN REPORT WHICH UNEQUIVOCALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE GENOCIDE OF TUTSI AND MODERATE HUTU. YET, THE DRAFT IS PROPOSING THE OVERALL AMNESTY FOR THE "FIGHTERS" FROM THE ARMED GROUPS WHICH ARE INVOLVED ON A DAILY BLOODSHED OF BARUNDI PEOPLE IN ORDER TO COMPLETELY TERMINATE THEIR 1993 PLAN". THE COMMUNIQUE SAYS THAT THE DRAFT ACCORD IS OPENING THE WAY TO A TOTAL SEIZURE OF POWER BY THE MAJORITY OF THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE FOR A 10-YEAR PERIOD . "SHOULD SUCH A DRAFT BE ENDORSED BY AN  ACCORD, OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD, HUTU EXTREMISTS ARE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A TOTAL ETHNIC DICTATORSHIP LIKE THE HABYALIMANA RWANDESE REGIME WHICH COULD BE FOLLOWED WITH BY  EXTERMINATION OF TUTSI AND MODERATE HUTU WHO ACCEPT ETHNIC COEXISTENCE". FINALLY, THE COMMUNIQUE  NOTES THAT THE DRAFT IS AIMING AT TAKING AWAY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BARUNDI PEOPLE AND INTENDS  TO PUT BURUNDI AND ITS INSTITUTIONS UNDER FOREIGN RULE : "IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT THE MEDIATION TEAMS ARE IMPOSING PROVISIONS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN DISCUSSED, THE DRAFT IS PROVIDING FOR PEACE-KEEPING FORCES, THE POSITIONING OF THE NATIONAL ARMY IN BARRACKS AND AN INTERNATIONAL IMPLEMENTING COMMITTEE TO WHICH THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD REPORT TO NO MATTER WHAT IMPORTANT DECISION, IN SHORT A KIND OF POWER MANDATE". IT CONCLUDES BY GIVING TO THE MEDIATION SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS AIMED AT RAPIDLY A WELL-BALANCED ACCORD. (SEE "RUGAMBA" WEBSITE , "AGORA" RUBRIC ).
 
BURUNDI - CIVIL SOCIETY.
 
THE IDENTITY OF THE GANWA SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE PEACE ACCORDS ...
 
BUJUMBURA, JULY 28, 2000 (NET PRESS). BARUNDI STUDENTS CLAIMING TO BE "BORN GANWA" (FROM THE ROYAL DYNASTY) ISSUED ON 26 JULY, 2000 A STATEMENT IN WHICH THEY DENOUNCE "THE TREND TO ETHNIZATION OF INSTITUTIONS AND OF THE BURUNDI NATION". THOSE STUDENTS WONDER IF "SUCH ARE THE RULES OF THE GAME, WHAT IS THE LAW GUIDING THE LEADERS INSTITUTIONALIZING ETHNICITY WHEN  EXCLUDING THE TWO OTHER ETHNIC COMPONENTS, THE GANWA AND THE TWA (PYGMEAS)?" THEY  CALL UPON BOTH THE MEDIATOR AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO WITNESS THE  "EXCLUSION WHICH HAS LASTED TOO LONG".  THEY ADD THAT THEY ARE DETERMINED TO USE ALL THEIR POTENTIALS TO VOICE THEIR CONCERN. THEY FINALLY ASK THE MEDIATOR AND THE NEGOTIATING PARTIES TO REACH THE CEASE-FIRE WITHOUT DELAY AND ESPECIALLY "BEAR IN  MIND THAT BURUNDIAN SOCIAL COMPONENTS ARE NOT LIMITED TO TUTSI AND HUTU ONLY".
 
BURUNDI - CONFERENCE.
 
BURUNDI TRADE UNION ORGANIZATIONS TO HOLD A  CONFERENCE.
 
BUJUMBURA, JULY 28, 2000 (NET PRESS). BURUNDI TRADE UNION ORGANIZATIONS ARE ORGANIZING  THIS SATURDAY 29 JULY, 2000 FROM 9 O'CLOCK A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE 'CARREFOUR DE LA JRR' (NGAGARA 'RWAGASORE REVOLUTIONARY YOUTH' HEADQUARTERS). THE TOPICS ARE AS FOLLOWS : "THE OPERATION OF AUCTION OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND ITS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS ", "A DRAFT OF A FORCEFUL EARLY RETIREMENT FOR EMPLOYEES" AND "BURUNDI TRADE UNION ORGANIZATIONS TODAY : OBSTACLES AND PROSPECTS".   EVERYBODY IS WELCOME.
 
BURUNDI - VIOLENCES.
 
AN EMPLOYEE OF THE "ARCHIPEL" NIGHT BAR VICTIMIZED BY POLICEMEN.
 
BUJUMBURA, JULY 28, 2000 (NET PRESS). HIS NAME IS GEORGES-PHILIPPE SIMBANANIYE.  WHEN HE WAS TAKING HOME YESTERDAY JULY 27, 2000 AT APPROXIMATELY 22 O'CLOCK,  ONE LADY WHO IS A COLLEAGUE OF HIS, HE HAS BEEN ARRESTED BY POLICEMEN DRESSED IN PLAIN CLOTHES WHO BIT HIM AND STOLE HIS MONEY AMOUNTING TO BIF (BURUNDI FRANCS) 121,400. ACCORDING TO MR. SIMBANANIYE, HE WAS NOT TOLD BY THE POLICEMEN THE REASON WHY THEY WERE BITING HIM. THEY THEN CONFINED HIM IN A CELL  IN THE OFFICE OF THE ZONE ROHERO AND HIS CAR TOO. HE THINKS THAT HE WAS SALVAGED BY THE TELEPHONE CALLS SENT BY HIS FRIENDS TO SOME LEADERS OF ROHERO ZONE. HE AFFIRMS THAT UP TO NOW HE DOES NOT KNOW YET THE REASON WHY HE HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO SUCH VIOLENCE.  HOWEVER, HE THINKS THAT THE POLICEMEN DRESSED IN PLAIN CLOTHES WERE DRUNK. HE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO THE COMMANDER OF PUBLIC SECURITY  POLICE WHO HAS UNDERTAKEN INVESTIGATIONS. THE VICTIM INTENDS TO SUE THE TWO POLICEMEN  AND HE WOULD LIKE ALSO TO RECOVER HIS MONEY.
 
BURUNDI - CIVIL SOCIETY.
 
THE UNDP WOULD LIKE THE INSTITUTION OF UBUSHINGANTAHE (TRADITIONAL SYMBOL OF JUSTICE AND WISDOM) RESTORED.
 
BUJUMBURA, JULY 28, 2000 (NET PRESS). IN UNDP PROGRAMME OF SUPPORT TO GOOD GOVERNANCE, IT HAS INITIATED A PROCESS OF RESTORING THE INSTITUTION OF UBUSHINGANTAHE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL LIFE. WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK, THE FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, MR. FREDERIC BAMVUGINYUMVIRA, AND UNDP ACTING REPRESENTATIVE RESIDENT, MR. BERNARD BOKAM, PROCEEDED TODAY JULY 28, 2000 TO THE OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF THAT PROJECT IN THE COMMUNE OF BUSIGA, PROVINCE OF NGOZI "THANKS TO THE BASHINGANTAHE (ALL- RESPECTED PEOPLE FOR THEIR SENSE OF JUSTICE AND WISDOM) WHO HAVE SHOWN MORAL INTEGRITY .  THE COMMUNE OF BUSIGA AVOIDED BLOODY MADNESS OCCURRED IN THE  NEIGHBOURING COMMUNES  WHILE OTHERS WERE AT WAR ".
 
THE FIRST STAGE OF THAT PROJECT LAUNCHED BY UNDP BEGAN  IN JANUARY TILL JUNE 2000 WITH THE IDENTIFICATION OF BASHINGANTAHE PEOPLE. TRADITIONNALLY SWORN IN, THEY WERE TO BE THE CORNERSTONE OF THAT PROJECT OF RESTORING THE SAID INSTITUTION.  HOWEVER, THE PROJECT IS INITIATED AT THE MOMENT WHEN THE BASHINGANTAHE PEOPLE TRADITIONNALLY SWORN IN HAD BEEN REPLACED BY WITH THE EMERGING OF BASHINGANTAHE APPOINTED REGARDLESS OF THE OBJECTIVE CRITERIA OF A GENUINE MUSHINGANTAHE . IT MAY BE POINTED OUT THAT SELF-DEFENCE ORGANIZATION 'PA-AMASEKANYA' CHAIRMAN, MR. DIOMEDE RUTAMUCERO,  SENT A LETTER TO UNDP REPRESENTATIVE TO PROTEST OVER THE LAUNCHING OF THAT PROJECT OF RESTORATION OF THE INSTITUTION OF UBUSHINGANTAHE BY MR. FREDERIC BAMVUGINYUMVIRA WHOM HE CONSIDERS AS THE FRODEBU  REPRESENTATIVE IN THE CURRENT CABINET, A PARTY RESPONSIBLE  OF THE GENOCIDE OF TUTSI PEOPLE STARTED IN OCTOBER 1993. (SEE "RUGAMBA" NET PRESS WEBSITE ,  "AGORA" RUBRIC).

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