Benjamin Mkapa dismisses talk of Burundi-Rwanda conflict

 
The new facilitator of the Burundi peace process, former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa (pictured), has dismissed concerns that growing tensions between Burundi and Rwanda risked an all-out war between the two neighbouring east African countries.

 

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated after Bujumbura accused Kigali of sending spies to its borders, a charge Rwanda has denied.

 

Mkapa has been on a whirlwind shuttle diplomacy across the region over the past week and has already held talks with chief mediator President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Rwandan president Paul Kagame and President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi.

 

The ex-Tanzanian president said after talks with Nkurunziza in Bujumbura on Friday that he hoped the peace and stability that has characterized the first 10 years of the Arusha peace process will continue.

 

“I had an in-depth briefing with the Burundian president ... I hope there will be an end to violence that took place in Burundi during the last couple of months,” said Mkapa.

 

He also indicated that he wanted to assure the Burundi president that there should be an end to any “silly speculations” about possible confrontations or war between members of the East Africa Community (EAC) on developments in Burundi and Rwanda.

 

 “We are a community -- neighbours -- and we really must live in peace together, cooperate and develop together,” said Mkapa.

There have also been allegations that Kagame’s government is providing support, including training, to armed Burundian rebels trying to topple Nkurunziza.

 

During the briefing in the Burundi capital, President Nkurunziza told reporters that he had informed Mkapa about Rwanda’s interference in the Burundi crisis.

 

Mkapa was appointed co-facilitator in the Burundian crisis by a summit of EAC heads of state and government that took place in Arusha on March 2.

 

The former Tanzanian president said that a venue for the resumption of peace talks to end an almost year-long crisis in Burundi had not yet been agreed on.

 

“I have to reflect on what the Burundi president has told me,” he said. 

 

The issue of a venue for the talks is critical because opposition leaders in exile want the talks to be held outside Burundi as they fear for their safety inside the country. Nkurunziza would prefer the talks to be held inside the country. He has in any case made it clear he will not talk to anyone who has been involved in violent opposition to his government.

 

His critics say he is using that condition to exclude many legitimate political opponents who have not been implicated in any violence.

Mkapa said he has held talks with regional leaders to get their understanding of what the function of the Burundi dialogue should be and who should be involved in the facilitation.

 

The Arusha peace talks to resolve the civil war between what was then a Tutsi minority government and armed Hutu rebels culminated in democratic elections in 2005 which brought Nkurunziza to power.

 

Mkapa is part of a larger regional and international effort to try to end the crisis. On February 23 United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited Burundi and on February 25 South African President Jacob Zuma arrived at the head of a delegation of five African presidents appointed by the African Union to resolve the crisis.