Burundi Describes Regional Sanctions as Economic Aggression,
Calls for Council Reversal of Sanctions, Reconsideration of Arms Embargo
All the contending parties and factions involved in the Burundian conflict
were urged this morning to call for an immediate cease-fire and begin political
dialogue that would lead to a comprehensive political settlement, as the Security
Council considered the situation in that country.
Various speakers condemned the 25 July coup d'etat, calling it an obstacle
to the progress that was being made in a regional search for a comprehensive
solution. Others supported the sanctions that had been imposed on Burundi by its
neighbours after the 31 July summit meeting of their leaders at Arusha, United
Republic of Tanzania. Support was also expressed for the peace efforts of the
Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the former President of Tanzania,
Julius Nyerere.
History would show that Pierre Buyoya had not only ousted the legitimate
government but had also derailed a promising peace process, the representative
of Botswana said. The coup was a political illegality that must not be tolerated
under any circumstances irrespective of the credentials of the leader of the
military regime.
The representative of United Republic of Tanzania said the political
maturity displayed during and after the last general elections in Burundi by Mr.
Buyoya, who had gracefully handed over power to the victor, had been
unceremoniously shattered, giving way to a recalcitrant situation which had left
the country fragmented.
The representative of Ireland (on behalf of the European Union) said that
political mechanisms must be found to ensure power-sharing that would allay fears
and build the confidence to enable the people to live in harmony. The statement
was also made on behalf of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Iceland,
Liechtenstein and Norway.
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According to Chile's representative, an arms embargo should be established
and applied to all factions to save the lives of innocent civilians. The Council
must act decisively to influence events in a positive direction.
The representative of Belgium said his country would make substantial
financial contributions towards reconstruction after the establishment of peace.
Burundi's representative said that the United Nations Charter had been
violated by the imposition of sanctions, which he described as economic
aggression. The Council must reverse the sanctions imposed on his country by
others in the region and reconsider its planned arms embargo. The new regime had
begun talks with armed factions within the country. Dialogue had begun on
establishing a transitional national assembly composed of the former assembly
members and representatives of civil society.
Statements on the situation in Burundi were also made by the
representatives of France, Indonesia, Italy, Republic of Korea, Poland, United
States, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Egypt, United Kingdom, China, Russian Federation
and Germany. Also addressing the Council were the representatives of Canada,
Australia, South Africa, Uganda, Japan and Ethiopia.
The meeting, called to order at 10:50 a.m., was adjourned at 2:15 p.m.
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Report of Secretary-General
The Secretary-General states, in his report on the situation in Burundi
(document S/1996/660), that the international community must brace itself for
the possibility of an attempt at genocide in that country. He appeals to
States with the necessary military and logistic means to undertake contingency
planning for an intervention force to save lives.
Member States' response to the Secretariat's efforts to seek support for
intervention in Burundi has not matched the urgency and seriousness of the
situation, according to the Secretary-General. Some States have suggested
that, with the unwillingness of any of them to lead in deploying a
multinational humanitarian intervention force under Chapter VII of the
Charter, the Secretariat should examine whether such a force could be deployed
by the United Nations itself and financed through assessed contributions.
With signs that 50,000 troops would be needed for such a force, the Secretary-
General expresses doubts that Member States will provide the troops for and
fund such a large operation and whether the Secretariat could manage it.
However, the Secretariat has written to about 30 potential troop contributors
to assess their reactions and has received five replies, all but one of which
are negative.
On the coup d'賡t of 25 July, the Secretary-General states that it has
not made the peace process easier. It will reinforce one side's fears,
strengthen extremists on both sides and increase violence. The coup returned
Major Pierre Buyoya, a Tutsi, to power, replacing President Sylvestre
Ntibantunganya. Major Buyoya has declared that he intends to establish a
transitional government and to consider setting up a parliament of transition
to allow Burundians to take part in forming new institutions. He urged the
international community not to intervene militarily in Burundi. Having
announced his search for a Hutu with whom to implement his plans, he named
Pascal Firmin Ndimira prime minister on
31 July.
On that day, the second Arusha Summit of regional leaders condemned the
coup and imposed economic sanctions on Burundi. In a joint communique
contained in an appendix to a 2 August letter from the Permanent
Representative of the United Republic of Tanzania addressed to the Secretary-
General (document S/1996/620), the leaders asked the new regime to start
immediate talks with all parties, return to constitutional order, restore the
National Assembly and legalize all political parties. The Secretary-General
comments that the leaders' forceful reaction shows their concern at the coup's
implications for peace and security in the region. He appeals for the
sanctions not to be used as an instrument of punishment of opening
negotiations on a political settlement. Attending the Regional Summit were the
Presidents of the United Republic of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda; the
Prime Ministers of Ethiopia and Zaire; as well as Minister of External
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Relations of Cameroon, the Secretary-General of the Organization of African
Unity and the Facilitator of the Burundi peace talks, former President Julius
K. Nyerere of Tanzania.
The sanctions are a cause of concern for the humanitarian community in
Burundi, the Secretary-General adds in a review of the humanitarian, economic
and human rights situation. He states that the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have one
month worth of supplies for about 300,000 people. If a humanitarian corridor
cannot be opened within that one-month period, United Nations humanitarian
work might be jeopardized. The Organization is trying to pursue humanitarian
programmes while respecting the Summit decisions. According to the Secretary-
General fears have been expressed that sanctions will further devastate a
country where three years of civil wars have not only claimed tens of
thousands of lives but also ruined the economy.
Meanwhile, the Secretary-General adds, the Secretariat has been
following developments in relation to the Arusha agreement of 25 June and has
held meetings with the three African Governments which are ready to commit
troops to a force provided for by the agreement: Ethiopia, Uganda and the
United Republic of Tanzania. The agreement was reached at the Regional Summit
of Heads of State and Government in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania,
during which regional leaders welcomed Burundi's request for security
assistance and expressed their readiness to respond positively to it. In
endorsing the agreement, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) appealed to
the Council to provide financial, logistical and other material help to the
countries which will be providing the security assistance. With opposition
being expressed towards the deployment of such a force, there seems to be
strong support in the OAU for more forceful military action if the new Burundi
authorities refuse to invite the regional force to deploy. While it seems
unlikely that the United Nations could finance a regional force it did not
directly control, the Secretariat is ready to accede to any request from
regional Governments to pool its planning efforts and resources with theirs.
Reviewing the overall situation, the Secretary-General states that the
conflict of attacks by armed Hutu bands and reprisals by the Burundi Army and
Tutsi militias is exacerbated by the deeply rooted perception among the two
sides that their survival will be threatened by the loss of power. As a
result, the dominant Tutsi minority refuses to relinquish effective control,
whereas the Hutu majority is set on recovering the power it won in a
democratic election in 1993. As the conflict is not susceptible to military
solution, political means must be found to share power, allay both sides'
fears and build up the confidence to enable them to live in harmony. The 1994
Convention on Governance was such a mechanism but it did not work. Since the
two sides cannot presently establish effective political mechanisms
themselves, they need outside help. In recent months, outsiders have united
in support of the work of former President Nyerere of the United Republic of
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Tanzania, to get all Burundian factions to find ways to create a new political
mechanism to succeed the Convention.
The Security Council also had before it a letter from the Secretary-
General to the Council President, transmitting the report of the International
Commission of Inquiry on the 21 October 1993 assassination of the President of
Burundi, Melchior Ndadaye, and the massacres that followed (document
S/1996/682). The Commission was established by resolution 1012 (1995) on 28
August 1995 to determine the facts relating to the assassination and the
massacres that followed. It was also mandated to recommend measures to bring
those responsible to trial, prevent a repetition of such acts, eradicate
impunity and promote national reconciliation. Made up of five international
jurists, the Commission worked for two periods: 25 October to 20 December 1995
and 7 January to 22 July 1996.
According to its report, the Commission concluded that the murder of Mr.
Ndadaye and the National Assembly President had been planned in advance as
part of a coup d'etat. The coup had been planned and executed by officers
highly placed in the Burundian Army command. But, based on the circumstantial
evidence it had received, it could not identify those who should be tried.
On the massacres following the President's murder, the Commission said
it had received enough evidence to establish that acts of genocide had been
committed against the Tutsi minority for some days starting on 21 October at
the instigation and participation of some Hutu Front for Democracy in Burundi
(FRODEBU) functionaries and leaders up to the commune level. While it had
lacked evidence to determine whether those acts had been planned or ordered by
leaders at a higher level, the Commission stated that some highly placed
members of the FRODEBU had planned in advance a response to the eventuality of
a coup. The responses, which had included the arming of Hutus, the taking of
Tutsi adults and youth as hostages, had been communicated in advance to some
FRODEBU members in leadership positions down to the level of the communes.
The Commission also found evidence that showed members of the Burundian
Army, Gendarmerie and Tutsi civilians had indiscriminately killed Hutu men,
women and children. While there was no evidence to show that the repression
had been centrally planned or ordered, it was clear that no effort was made by
the military at any level of command to prevent, stop or punish such acts.
However, it stated that, with the evidence it had gathered, it could not name
those who should be tried for those acts.
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Statements
NSANZE TERENCE (Burundi) said that the main reason for convening the
Council meeting at his country's request was the economic sanctions imposed
against Burundi by the countries of the Great Lakes region.
He outlined efforts of the Council, the Secretary-General, OAU and
others to help prevent the Rwanda disaster from being repeated in Burundi.
Despite the international crusade to prevent the apocalypse the government
then in power was unable to deal with the tragedy which was unfolding. A
question that had arisen was whether to support a government that was unable
to deal with the decimation of the population. The new regime had stepped in
to arrest the situation and move the country towards democracy.
He said the regime should have been given time. The new leader had
visited President Julius Nyerere, the former President of the United Republic
of Tanzania, to encourage him to continue his mediation efforts. He had begun
talks with armed factions within the country. Talks were under way to
establish a transitional national assembly composed of the former assembly
members and civil society. The new assembly would be convened next October.
Given the measures taken by the new government to halt the massacres and
establish democracy, he wondered about the haste with which sanctions had been
imposed.
He also said the Security Council should reconsider its planned arms
embargo against his country. Urging the Council to consider a more
constructive alternative, he proposed a mission to the area which could help
the Council make realistic decisions.
The new regime had called for national dialogue and an end to the
killings in the country. No embargo had been imposed on the former government
which had refused national dialogue.
Even if countries had had doubts about the new regime negotiations
required time, he stressed. The real reason for the punishment had nothing to
do with the well being of the people of Burundi. No State had the legal right
to stop the movement of merchandise from one State to another. The embargo
was "politically laughable" and an intervention in Burundi's internal affairs
he quoted a legal expert as saying.
The United Nations Charter had been gravely violated by the imposition
of the sanctions, he continued. By the provisions of Article 41 the sanctions
against his country could not be justified as Burundi had not committed acts
specified in the Article. Article 53 also provided for authorization for
sanctions by regional arrangements. Such authorization had not been given
against Burundi.
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Burundi's neighbours should have been the first to show brotherly love
for its new member. He described the sanctions as economic aggression. The
Security Council must exercise its responsibilities in the preservation of
international peace and security and ensure the reversal of the measures. The
Convention of the Law of the Sea which provided for access to sea by
landlocked countries had also been violated.
He said an imminent health crisis was looming because of the shortages
of hospital equipment, drugs, etc. The sanctions ran counter to humanitarian
principles. Even if international treaties had been violated, the Security
Council would have had to institute mechanisms to resolve the problem.
The path chosen by Burundi in welcoming the change of government was not
only a means of restoring democracy. Burundi had refrained from interfering
in affairs of its neighbours, he concluded.
CONOR MURPHY (Ireland), delivered a statement on behalf of the European
Union as well as the following associated countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovak
Republic, Slovenia, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. He said that the Union
supported the efforts of the African regional leaders, the OAU and the former
President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere, to help Burundi
overcome peacefully its grave crisis. They should continue their search for a
political solution to the crisis. The Union had appointed a special envoy for
the Great Lakes region, Aldo Ajello, to help in that search.
He said that all steps should be taken to prevent a further loss of
lives in the serious situation highlighted by the report of the Secretary-
General. It was essential for dialogue to be organized, without delay,
bringing together all of the country's political forces. The Union endorsed
the Secretary-General's view that the problem in Burundi was not susceptible
to a military solution and political mechanisms must be found to ensure the
sharing of power in a way that would allay the fears of both sides and build
up the confidence needed to enable them to live in harmony. All sides should
call for an immediate cease-fire to allow a process of reconciliation to
begin. A new relationship, based on trust and confidence, must be
established, and the prevailing culture of impunity must be addressed. Each
side must find the confidence to compromise enough to reconcile its often
conflicting interests.
The Union was ready to support Burundi's recovery efforts, once
reconciliation was embarked upon with all the resolve required, he continued.
It also attached the utmost importance to a prompt and satisfactory resolution
of the situation of those who had sought protection in European Union and
other foreign missions in Bujumbura.
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DIRK WOUTERS (Belgium) expressed support for the efforts being made in
Africa to seek peace in Burundi and appealed to all parties in the country to
cooperate with such efforts. Belgium called for an immediate end to all
violence in Burundi. All sides should declare an immediate cease-fire as a
first stage for national reconciliation and reconstruction. There should be
dialogue between all sides in the country in which the National Assembly and
the parties should play a role.
He said that Belgium was committed to a process that would lead to
peace. It had made financial and material contributions to the OAU
initiatives and those of President Nyerere, and it would make substantial
financial contributions towards reconstruction after the establishment of
peace.
GEOFFREY M. NKURLU (United Republic of Tanzania) said that sharing a
common border with Burundi, his country had, over the years, witnessed the
endemic problem there simmer to a cruel and destructive ethnic violence
claiming the lives of thousands of innocent men, women and children, coupled
with the destruction of property and massive numbers of refugees and displaced
people. The situation had not only brought misery, insecurity, instability
and a sense of pessimism in the subregion, but also caused ecological and
environmental damage. His country had been adversely affected by the
conflict, both socially and economically. Thus, the positive developments of
July 1993, when Burundi, under a multi-party democracy elected Melchior
Ndadaye President, were followed with keen interest, optimism and relief in
Tanzania. The Government, and indeed the people of Tanzania, were delighted
that at long last there was a permanent solution in the neighbourhood.
With the 1993 brutal assassination of President Ndadaye and the
subsequent massacres, only a few months after taking power, he said, the
political maturity displayed during and after the general elections by Pierre
Buyoya, who gracefully handed over power to the victor, had been
unceremoniously shattered once again, giving way to a recalcitrant situation
which has left the country fragmented and compounded the problem of mistrust
among conflicting parties.
All were aware of the concerted efforts made by former Tanzania
President Julius Nyerere to engage the Burundi political parties in dialogue
in an endeavour to finding a lasting solution to the problems in the country,
he continued. The report of the Secretary-General aptly pointed out that
President Nyerere's efforts had been undermined by some factions inside and
outside Burundi in spite of the support he enjoyed from President
Ntibantunganya, the OAU and the international community at large. It was
against this backdrop that the coup d'etat of 25 July had to be condemned in
the strongest terms as it had deliberately reversed the democratic process in
the country, basically returning Burundi to the state prior to the 1993
elections. Any attempt to condone the coup would send the wrong signal to the
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current regime in Burundi and the international community in general. The
international community should send a clear message that, whatever the
circumstances, any coup was illegal and, in any case, it was an outmoded and
obsolete way of assuming political power.
His delegation expressed its satisfaction and total support of all the
decisions taken during the Arusha Regional Summit on 31 July which, among
other things, had decided to impose economic sanctions on Burundi and had
appealed to the international community to support their decisions. The
objectives of the sanctions were aimed at restoring constitutional order and
creating conditions for genuine negotiations encompassing all parties to the
conflict in accordance with principles and objectives enshrined in the Arusha
I Regional Summit.
Underscoring some of the salient decisions of the Arusha Summit, he said
the Bujumbura regime should immediately undertake specific measures to return
to a constitutional order, including immediate restoration of the National
Assembly, and immediate unbanning of political parties. The regime should
undertake immediate and unconditional negotiations with all the parties to the
conflict, including parties and armed factions inside and outside the country.
The framework of those negotiations should be the Mwanza Process reinforced by
the Arusha Peace Initiative under the auspices of Mwalimu Nyerere which sought
to guarantee security and democracy for all the Burundi people.
He said Tanzania believed that those decisions were the only viable
means to assist the people of Burundi to settle their differences amicably.
He called upon the Buyoya regime to make a deliberate and genuine move to
implement the demands of the Arusha II Summit in total in order to pave the
way for peace negotiations to commence. Tanzania also appealed to the
international community, especially to the members of the Security Council, to
support the regional efforts on sanctions on Burundi which were meant to shape
the future prosperity of the people of Burundi.
DAVID KARSGAARD (Canada) said his country deplored the military take
over that had contravened the constitution and legal institutions of Burundi.
He expressed support for the efforts to bring about dialogue in Burundi by the
regional leaders, the OAU and Mr. Nyerere. Canada had asked them to do all
they could to solve the problems in the region. Canada supported the views
expressed by the Arusha Summit and was pleased that the Council might take
further action to ensure the success of their efforts. The killing of
civilians by both sides must stop. Sectarian interests must give way to the
legitimate interests and concerns of all Burundians.
As part of collective and unanimous support for the efforts of Mr.
Nyerere, he said, Canada's Minister for International Cooperation and Minister
responsible for La Francophonie had chaired a meeting last June in Geneva
involving interested contributors and the Burundian authorities. The purpose
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of the meeting was to help develop the outlines of a transitional economic
assistance plan for Burundi to be implemented once peace was restored. The
entire international community must join in the firmly expressed will of the
leaders of the region to say: "Enough is enough."
RICHARD ROWE (Australia) said his country was seriously concerned about
recent developments in Burundi. It feared that unless the parties to the
conflict, with the support of the international community, reached a
negotiated settlement, the cycle of violence would escalate, causing bloodshed
on a horrific scale and further upheaval and human misery throughout Burundi
and the Great Lakes region.
He urged all sectors of Burundi's population to engage in constructive
dialogue to bring about a peaceful, durable solution to the conflict in
Burundi and to achieve, without delay, the restoration of democratic
institutions and processes. In particular Australia called upon all sides to
exercise restraint to create an environment which allowed for their fears to
be put aside, and for the restoration of confidence throughout the community.
It commended the efforts of countries in the region to find ways to restore
peace and democracy in Burundi.
Unimpeded provision of and access to humanitarian assistance was
imperative if the situation in Burundi was to be stabilized, he said. Further
human displacement would have serious ramifications for peace and security
throughout the Great Lakes region and its prevention must be regarded as a
priority by the international community. Should further upheaval lead to an
exodus of refugees from Burundi, the international community must be prepared
to come to their assistance.
Australia continued to support the Mwanza peace process, facilitated by
former Tanzanian President Nyerere, and urged the parties involved to resume
negotiations under that process. "While the hurdles are significant, the
mediation efforts of Mr. Nyerere must be given every chance to succeed,
representing as they do the most realistic opportunity for pursuing dialogue
amongst the key players." The momentum towards peace established during the
early stages of the Mwanza peace process must not be lost.
If intervention by outside parties was left as the only means to prevent
a slide into anarchy and genocide, he said there was an obligation upon
members of the United Nations to see that the objectives of such action were
clearly defined, and that the means of achieving them sufficient and well-
prepared. With that contingency in mind, the Secretary-General must continue,
in conjunction with the OAU, to plan for the prevention of another
humanitarian disaster, an outcome which the international community was not
prepared to countenance.
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He said the Council must not become complacent over Burundi. It was
imperative that it not only monitored the situation there but continued its
efforts to examine how best to encourage all sides in Burundi to work together
for an enduring political settlement.
K.J. JELE (South Africa) said the international community could no
longer allow acts of unbridled violence to continue with impunity. Those who
committed serious violations of international humanitarian law should be made
to realize that they were individually responsible for such violations and
would be held accountable.
His Government also agreed with the observation in the Secretary-
General's report that the complexities of the Burundian conflict required, in
the first instance, political dialogue and solutions, he said. Military
intervention should only be considered as a last resort if the situation
deteriorated drastically. In that regard, his delegation supported fully the
Arusha initiative and the Mwanza peace process of former Tanzanian President
Nyerere, which included the imposition of sanctions against the Buyoya regime.
It saw sanctions as a means to achieve the political resolution of the
conflict and not as an instrument of punishment. Sanctions were the most
effective and appropriate means of pressing for a speedy end to the strife in
Burundi. Those initiative could only help to save Burundi from further
carnage and create conditions conducive to the restoration of legal
constitutional institutions. South Africa believed that the resumption of
all-inclusive negotiations without preconditions would serve to ensure peace
and security for all the people of Burundi.
The momentum gained by sanctions and other efforts of the countries in
the Great Lakes region should not be lost, he stressed. The international
community must act in unison with the region, by supporting efforts already in
place and by ensuring that a process of dialogue aimed at establishing a
comprehensive political settlement was achieved. South Africa hoped that the
sanctions being applied to Burundi would lead the parties to the negotiating
table and that the deployment of a peace-keeping operation or an intervention
force under Chapter VII of the Charter would not become a necessity. The
international community must act now to end the cycle of violence in Burundi,
he added.
PAUL MUKASA-SSALI (Uganda) said Uganda, as well as its sister states in
the subregion, unequivocally condemned the "putschist" in Burundi and demanded
a speedy return to constitutional governance. Sanctions imposed by them were
not meant to punish but rather to encourage the leadership in Bujumbura to
urgently undertake measures aimed at restoring constitutional order in the
country. The sanctions were also aimed at encouraging all parties to the
conflict in Burundi to hold unconditional negotiations within the framework of
the Mwanza peace process, reinforced by the Arusha peace initiative under the
auspices of former Tanzanian President Nyerere, as a first step towards
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guaranteeing security and democracy for all the people of Burundi. The
leadership in Burundi must restore and work with the National Parliament, and
lift the ban on, and work with, the various political parties.
He said the unfortunate victims of the conflict in Burundi had often
been innocent civilians caught in the middle of the situation. Uganda
condemned in the strongest terms the killing of innocent and unarmed civilians
and demanded that both parties to the conflict halt immediately the killings
and massacres of innocent civilians.
The regional leaders had declared their readiness to cooperate fully
with the United Nations to make appropriate contributions towards the adoption
of measures aimed at avoiding a catastrophe in Burundi in the event of further
deterioration of the situation and to redress tendencies that would aggravate
the conflict there. He underscored the importance of closer cooperation and
better coordination between the United Nations and the OAU, as well as with
countries of the region.
MASAKI KONISHI (Japan) said his country had extended $54 million in the
previous fiscal year to mitigate the sufferings of the refugees from Burundi
and Rwanda who were in countries such as Zaire. That was implemented through
United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations. It had contributed
another $10 million this year to the UNHCR to help those refugees. He
expressed support for the African efforts to solve the crisis in Burundi.
The representative said that the Burundian parties should be given
incentives to negotiate. The international community should make it clear
that a comprehensive political settlement would open the way for cooperation
in rebuilding and developing Burundi. Japan supported the holding of a
international conference after such a settlement. Its Government would host a
symposium next month in Tokyo on the problems of African countries in the wake
of political settlements and on how to promote reconstruction and development
despite their difficulties. As for the Secretary-General's appeal for a
multinational force, Japan could not provide personnel or logistical support.
However, it would consider providing funds once the details on such a force
were clear.
DURI MOHAMMED (Ethiopia) said the situation in Burundi had continued to
deteriorate reaching its present extremely alarming and worrisome stage.
Today, more than ever, it had become a matter of serious concern to the
international community in general and to Africa in particular. The efforts
made at the international, regional and subregional levels to assist the
parties to the conflict in Burundi to find a political solution to the problem
in their country had not produced the desired result.
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The OAU had been working actively to assist the people of Burundi to
regain peace and security. The diplomatic efforts by the OAU and the presence
of its military observer mission in Burundi had demonstrated Africa's concern
at the escalation and turn of events in that country in the past three years.
He said the laudable peace initiative and mediation launched by the
former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Mwalimu Juluis Nyerere,
followed and enforced by the Arusha Regional Summit of 25 June had given rise
to a new hope and optimism in the search for political settlement of the
crisis in Burundi. The hope and optimism created by the Arusha regional peace
initiative and by the efforts of Mr. Nyerere had regrettably been slowed as a
result of the military takeover in Burundi. The coup had not only posed a
serious challenge to constitutional order and legality in Burundi, but also
threatened the peace and security of the country as a whole.
The second Arusha Regional Summit, held on 31 July 1996, had recognized,
among other things, that the immediate problem of the current political
situation in Burundi was that of illegality, which would lead to the
culmination of the peace process and deepen the conflict in the country. In
that connection, he said the Summit had called upon the military regime to
undertake measures aimed at returning the constitutional order, immediate
restoration of the National Assembly and immediate unbanning of political
parties in Burundi. To ensure implementation of those demands, the Regional
Summit had decided to exert maximum pressure on the military government,
including through imposition of economic sanction. The Summit had also called
upon the international community to support the efforts and measures taken by
the countries of the region. The parties to the conflict had been urged to
desist from any further act of violence, and to assume responsibility to
return their country to normalcy and peace through a negotiated political
settlement.
He said immediate resumption of an all-inclusive and unconditional
negotiation and political dialogue among the parties to the conflict in
Burundi, in the framework of the Mwanza peace process, was indispensable. The
international community should take practical measures to assist in creating
the necessary conditions for such a political dialogue and negotiation. He
stressed that much remained to be done. Efforts at the international and
regional levels should be coordinated and strengthened to achieve the desired
common objective of assisting the people of Burundi. In particular, Ethiopia
stressed the importance of closer cooperation and coordination between the
United Nations and the OAU, as well as with the countries of the region.
MOTHUSI NKGOWE (Botswana) said that the recent coup had completed what
the Burundian army had intended since October 1993, and should not be
supported. He expressed regret that the coup had not been condemned by all
members of the United Nations. History would show that Pierre Buyoya had not
only ousted the government but had also derailed a promising peace process.
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The coup had ridiculed the efforts of African leaders to bring about a
comprehensive political settlement. The regime should not be given the time
to consolidate its power and give itself a mandate.
Botswana supported the States that had taken actions to bring about a
political settlement, he continued. "A coup d'etat is an illegal assumption
of state power and political illegality must not be tolerated under any
circumstances irrespective of the credentials of the leader of the military
regime. ... The time of coups and army rule in Africa must be relegated to the
dump heap of history and military leaders must not be encouraged to assume
power illegally because they are considered benevolent or moderate democrats.
They have ample time to practise those attributes in the barracks."
The real reasons why a coup had been staged lay in the composition and
structure of the Burundi army and not in the reasons cited in the statement of
Burundi's representative, he went on. The army seemed to become paranoid
whenever any leader proposed to change that composition or structure. The
culture of fear in the army was tearing the country apart. As a result, the
people of Burundi were engaged in a brutal tug-of-war in which one section
lived in perpetual fear of extermination while the other lived in fear of
subjection. And the army had the trust of only one side. Since the people of
Burundi could not solve the problem alone, the Mwanza peace process and the
Arusha initiative should be given the chance to find an amicable way to allay
both sides' fears. The coup had reversed the gains of those efforts. The
Burundi army should be aware that it would not have a perpetual monopoly of
firepower.
He said that the Security Council should focus on the objective of the
regional boycott, which was intended to modify the conduct of those who had
seized power. While it had been a difficult decision, it was the only option
that had been left to the regional leaders. The Council should act
immediately and its meeting should end with a clear statement of principle
which should include the following elements: strong support for the
neighbouring States' efforts; a demand that all Burundian parties engage in
dialogue; an arms embargo on all factions; and the declaration of readiness to
impose further measures targeted at those who blocked the peace process.
JUAN SOMAVIA (Chile) expressed concern that the international community
had not yet found it time to affirm that genocide was taking place in Burundi,
where over 150,000 had died since 1993. Representing some 3 per cent of the
population, that would proportionately be about 7.5 million people being
killed in the United States. An arms embargo should be established and
applied to all factions to save the lives of innocent civilians. Actions
were not being sought for moral reasons but out of humanitarian concerns. No
one was trying to "cast the first stone"; the world was approaching the
problem out of humanitarian concerns. The will to solve the crisis should be
shown in the Council.
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He said that the Council must act decisively to influence events in a
positive direction. It was a difficult situation with no obvious solutions.
But inaction was the worst course that could be taken. The international
community should support actions to alleviate the sufferings in the country
and to encourage stability in the region. The Council must rise to that
challenge.
He condemned the coup and all incitements to violence and expressed
complete support for the efforts of the OAU, Mr. Nyerere and for the Arusha
decisions of last July. The parties, beginning with the military regime,
should show some good faith through unilateral cessation of hostilities and
guarantees of humanitarian support. The culture of impunity should be ended
and a humanitarian corridor should be established to allow supplies to reach
those in need.
The Council should take action on the issue and seek a way of
cooperating to support political settlements, he went on. If the parties
agreed, a conventional peace-keeping operation might be sent to Burundi to
keep a cease-fire and allow dialogue. If the parties do not start dialogue in
say 60 days, the United Nations must consider measures against those who
frustrated efforts towards a peace process. The regional solution being
pursued should be supported. The international community should speak in
unison to send only one message to Burundi so that an agreement could be
reached. Any Security Council action should support the efforts of
Mr. Nyerere.
HERVE LADSOUS (France) said that the Council had condemned the coup in
Burundi and asked for the commencement of a dialogue leading to a
comprehensive settlement. France supported the efforts of the regional
leaders, the OAU and Mr. Nyerere to address the problems in Burundi. It was
concerned about the impact of the sanctions on powerless groups; humanitarian
agencies should be allowed to help them. A conference on the situation in the
region should be held under the aegis of the United Nations and with the
concurrence of the OAU.
NUGROHO WISNUMURTI (Indonesia) said the international community was
faced with a serious challenge to legitimacy and rule of law as a result of a
coup d'etat in Burundi. Indonesia believed that a peaceful solution to the
conflict in Burundi could only be attained through negotiations and dialogue
among all parties. In view of the danger of the potential for the conflict to
spill over to the neighbouring countries, it believed that any further
procrastination and ambivalence on the part of the Security Council would
encourage the spread of instability in the Great Lakes region. It therefore
welcomed the regional and international peace initiatives, particularly the
efforts of former President Nyerere, which Indonesia supported.
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The only viable solution was a mechanism for power-sharing, he said. To
reach that goal, the international community should send a strong message to
those now in control in Bujumbura and take the necessary measure to ensure
that they undertook the following: Immediate and unconditional negotiations
with all parties inside and outside the country; a return to constitutional
order and legality; restoration of the National Assembly; and the end of a ban
on all political parties and assure the protection of their members. It was
imperative for the international community to assist in the effective
organization of all-inclusive negotiations towards reaching a political
settlement. The recent visit to New York of the four Burundian
Parliamentarians from different political parties underscored the desire of
many Burundians to break with the political traditions of the past and begin a
dialogue conducive to national reconciliation. Failure to do so would permit
the present situation of prevailing insecurity and impunity of violent acts to
continue.
Indonesia commended the swift and unified response of the countries of
the region against those in power in Burundi. It was essential for the
international community to lend their support to those regional initiatives,
he said, adding that failure to do so would send the wrong signal to
Bujumbura.
He said the international community had a definite role to play in
alleviating the risk of a humanitarian catastrophe in Burundi. His delegation
supported the establishment of humanitarian corridors which would not only
alleviate the economic difficulties due to the sanctions, but might also
reduce the risk of further escalation of tensions due to the shortage of basic
humanitarian needs. It also supported the development of contingency planning
for a rapid humanitarian response in the event of widespread violence or a
serious deterioration of the situation in Burundi.
Another role the Security Council could play was to promote transparency
and inform the international community of the events in Burundi both past and
present. In that regard, it was pleased to note the publication of the
results of the international commission of inquiry that investigated the
assassination in 1993 of Burundi's first elected President and massacres that
followed in which both Tutsi and Hutu were killed. He said those who
committed or authorized the commission of serious violations of international
humanitarian law were individually responsible for such violations and should
be held accountable. Those responsible for crimes against humanity should be
brought to justice. The United Nations could also contribute to the
edification of an impartial and independent judicial system as it would solve
and correct one of the fundamental inequalities and causes of conflict in
Burundi, he concluded.
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FRANCESCO PAOLO FULCI (Italy) said the international community was
following the developments in Burundi with growing anxiety. Diplomatic
activity was intense, involving the direct commitment of special envoys and
prominent figures from the African countries -- notably former Tanzanian
President Nyerere. It was encouraging that the main facilitators of the
process were united in their assessments and objectives. Even as he spoke
former President Nyerere was in Rome, where he would receive an award from
non-governmental organizations. That attested to the great appreciation with
which his work was followed in Italy.
Recent indications on the situation in Burundi, particularly the
Secretary-General's report, stressed the extreme fragility of the country's
internal situation, he said. Intense fighting along with attacks on the
civilian population throughout the country had made the humanitarian situation
there highly precarious. An immediate cease-fire must be reached as a matter
of priority to fend off the threat of more death, suffering and destruction.
A climate of greater mutual confidence must be established. If political
dialogue could begin, then Burundi could lay the basis for reconstructing its
democratic institutions and re-entering the road towards economic development,
without which, in the end, there could be no lasting peace.
Italy was aware of the close ties between the various political,
economic and humanitarian problems that characterized the region and of the
continued risks of destabilization. In the search for a lasting solution to
the crisis, it underlined the need for an approach that was global and had a
regional dimension. The presence of more than one-and-a-half million refugees
in the region represented a highly destabilizing factor. Their return to
their countries of origin in conditions of security and dignity was essential
to the restoration of peace.
He went on to say that the international community's support was
essential to relaunching the democratic process in Burundi. If the Security
Council wished to activate a credible process of national reconciliation, it
must express itself clearly on the objectives to be pursued. It was extremely
important that a resolution on such a delicate and complex matter be the fruit
of a full consensus within the Security Council. Two principles must guide
the action of the Council: it should move in such a way as to encourage the
parties to proceed in good faith and in good will to the negotiating table,
avoiding confrontation; and to alleviate the great suffering of the
population.
In the past two years Italy had reserved for Burundi a major share of
its bilateral and multilateral aid to the region, he went on. It was the
Italian Government's intention to relaunch to the greatest extent possible its
humanitarian activities there, and to consider new initiatives aimed at
revamping its action towards the African countries.
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PARK SOO GIL (Republic of Korea) said his delegation was disappointed at
the inability of Burundian parties to seize the opportunity created through
the efforts of Mr. Nyerere and the Arusha I process.
The Republic of Korea supported the decisions of the regional countries
at the Arusha II Summit. It also shared their security and political concerns
about the region-wide implications of the developments in Burundi. The
regional initiative was a manifestation of the division of labour between the
United Nations and regional communities. It also marked an historical
milestone in the furtherance of the region's commitment to democracy by
standing against the unconstitutional overthrow of a government. Now that the
regional community had come up with its own action, he said the Security
Council had to resume its primary responsibility for maintaining international
peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.
He suggested two overriding guidelines for contemplating future actions
on the part of the Council. The Council should bear in mind the importance of
taking seriously the gravity and volatility of the situation in Burundi. Its
action should be oriented to minimize the risk of triggering a chain reaction
that may inadvertently lead the situation into a major crisis. At the same
time, however, it could not afford to sit idle. It should do its best to make
the Burundian parties to refrain from violence and to commit themselves to a
negotiated resolution of the conflict. All efforts should be directed to
encouraging them to resume, without delay, a process of political dialogue
without exception and without any preconditions.
In parallel with those efforts, preparations had to be made for the
worst case of contingencies which might come abruptly. His delegation
commended the Secretariat's finalization of an emergency operations plan for
Burundi aimed at providing the maximum level of emergency humanitarian
assistance in the event of a serious escalation of the conflict.
He said the time was ripe for an initiative for the better management of
the situation in Burundi, and his delegation wished that today's debate would
lead to a package of actions which would best serve the interests of the
Burundian people and the international community.
ZBIGNIEW MATUSZEWSKI (Poland) said the time had come for the Burundi
leaders to find their way to peace, democracy and security, and urged them to
immediately start a meaningful political dialogue. Such a dialogue must
address the very roots of the conflict which, as the Secretary-General had
rightly observed in his report, was not susceptible to a military solution.
All political forces in Burundi and all segments of the society had to be
given a seat at the negotiating table. Poland supported the regional leaders,
the OAU and former Tanzanian President Nyerere, who had already displayed
patience and skills in their efforts to facilitate the search for a political
solution in Burundi. It also supported the work of the special representative
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of the United States President and that of the representative of the European
Union, and hoped that the parties in Burundi would profit from their
assistance.
He urged the leaders in Burundi to declare an immediate cease-fire and
to put an end to the continuing violence in the country. Noting that the
humanitarian situation in Burundi continued to cause considerable concern, he
said the parties to the conflict should be aware of their responsibility for
the peoples' lives and well-being.
KARL F. INDERFUTH (United States) said that the leaders of Burundi had
not responded positively to the Security Council's call to restore
constitutional government, the National Assembly and democracy. The
indiscriminate killings on both sides had continued. The United States would
support the Arusha objectives of the States in the region in calling on the
new regime to undertake immediate and unconditional negotiations with all
parties, to return the country to constitutional order and to unban all
political parties. It strongly supported the economic sanctions imposed by
the Arusha States to achieve those goals. If the sanctions did not work, the
Council would consider further action such as an arms embargo or targeted
sanctions against faction leaders. All sanctions must be carefully
implemented to permit continued humanitarian relief. The Council should be
ready to support any genuine opening to peace and dialogue.
Further measures both at the United Nations and in the region must be
carefully calibrated to events in Burundi, whose fate was in the hands of its
citizens. "We are sending a very strong message to both the present regime and
insurgents inside and outside Burundi that the international community will
not tolerate genocide and the threat this poses to the peace and security of
the Great Lakes region as a whole. All parties must commit themselves to a
cessation of hostilities and a dialogue aimed at establishing a lasting cease-
fire, an end to killing, and a comprehensive political settlement", he said.
While the United States would continue to place its highest priority to
promoting a peaceful solution based on political dialogue, the representative
said his Government welcomed the finalization of an emergency operations plan
for Burundi which ensured that United Nations agencies could work together to
provide a maximum level of assistance should the conflict escalate. The
United States had worked closely with the United Nations Secretariat in its
two-track approach to military contingency planning, and continued to urge
that other Governments should support that effort. The international
community must avoid a replay of the horrors that befell Rwanda and be ready
to act when the need arose. The Security Council must therefore take further
action. To that end the United States would work on a resolution that sends a
clear message to the leaders of the Burundian factions: stop the killing now
and initiate an immediate dialogue.
