PRESS CONFERENCE on burundi

 

With the United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) coming to a close at the end of this year, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Burundi, Nureddin Satti, reviewed its accomplishments and the situation in the country at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon.

Speaking to correspondents, Mr. Satti said that he had a deep sense of satisfaction, now that the Mission had accomplished its very important task.  Deployed in June 2004, the Mission had completed its mandate, which included the tasks of helping Burundi organize free and fair elections; cooperating with national security forces to create secure conditions; protecting civilians; implementing security sector reform and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes; providing support for the implementation of the ceasefire agreement; reporting on the human rights situation in Burundi; and providing support for humanitarian operations.

As of 1 January 2007, the Operation would be succeeded by a follow-on mission to be called the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB), he continued, which had been mandated to achieve the residual tasks, mainly in the field of governance, support for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, including demobilization and reorganization of the elements of the Forces for National Liberation (FNL).  Its other tasks would include continuing the negotiations with the Government for the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission, monitoring the human rights situation, and undertaking peacebuilding activities, in cooperation with the Peacebuilding Commission and its Support Office.

Responding to a question about the role of the Peacebuilding Commission, he said that, at its meeting on Burundi last week, the Commission had decided to provide a $25 million package to Burundi, in order to help it to implement a priority peacebuilding plan that had been elaborated by the Government, in cooperation with the United Nations system and other partners.  Those priorities included capacity-building, support for national institutions, financial and economic support, and ensuring accountability.

On disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, he stressed the importance of disarming and demobilizing some 3,000 FNL combatants.  Although the FNL was contesting that figure now, the planning had been accomplished on the basis of that number.  There was also a task of integrating the army and the police and reforming the security organs.

Asked to comment on a report that there was virtually no progress on the ceasefire, Mr. Satti said that the agreement of 7 September had not been fully implemented.  Structures had been put in place to facilitate its implementation, but some outstanding political issues remained, including the so called “provisional immunity” for the combatants and leaders of the FNL.  That was the concept that the Arusha peace process was based on:  immunity would be afforded to the members of rebel groups participating in the political process until a truth and reconciliation commission and a special court chamber were put in place.  Crimes committed during the conflict would then be handled by those two institutions.  He feared that, if the agreement was not implemented, the situation would revert back to violence.  That was what the operation was trying to avoid.

To a question about the trial of the former President for “a supposed coup”, he said that the matter was now in the hands of the justice system, and he would like to trust the Government to abide by due process.  A public tribunal had been established, whose proceedings were made public for everybody to follow.

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For information media • not an official record