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DE RUEHJB #0550/01 2131625
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011625Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0463
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000550 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BY
SUBJECT: CNDD PARTY LEADER NYANGOMA SPEAKS CRITICALLY OF 
BURUNDI'S GOVERNMENT 
 
 
¶1. (SBU)  Summary:  The National Council for the Defense of 
Democracy (CNDD) Party leader and former Burundi National 
Assembly member, Leonard Nyangoma met with Ambassador Moller 
on July 31 to share his impressions of Burundi's democratic 
progress and his opinions concerning President Pierre 
Nkurunziza's administration.  In his view, Burundi is in 
danger of tumbling into an 'institutional crisis' due to 
corruption, poverty and the persistent political stalemate 
within the government and insists that the solution to the 
impending crisis is the formation of a 'national unity' 
government.  Nyangoma asked the U.S. to exert pressure on 
Nkurunziza's government to restore his position in the 
National Assembly, and to encourage actions that will put 
Burundi back on the track to peace and stability.  In 
response, the Ambassador asked that Nyangoma, as a Burundian 
committed to justice and democratic principles, use his 
experience as a past participant in the Arusha discussions, 
to lead the major political players to the negotiating table 
and work together in good faith towards solutions that will 
benefit the country and its people.  As the leader of a major 
opposition party, Nyangoma expressed concerns over Burundi's 
national elections in 2010 and the government's ability, as 
well as the constitutional capacity, to conduct the process 
effectively and to form effective opposition groups. 
Nyangoma also advocates the installation of various 
independent, international commissions to investigate 
economic, political and human rights abuses committed by the 
current government since its inception.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  In a meeting on July 31 with Ambassador Moller, 
CNDD Party head, Leonard Nyangoma, expressed his concerns 
with the ability of President Pierre Nkurunziza's government 
to lead Burundi's continued march toward democratic 
stability.  Nyangoma, who returned to Burundi on July 15 
after 10 months of temporary refuge in France, cited 
corruption, the lack of movement within the Parliament, and 
poverty as the major components to a growing 'institutional 
crisis'.  In offering a solution to the political quagmire, 
he emphasized the need for immediate dialogue between the 
ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces 
for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party and the major 
opposition parties.  Nyangoma hoped that the result of these 
discussions would end in a new 'national unity' (coalition) 
government focused on development and democracy.  Nyangoma 
opined that a national unity government was required and 
justified by the impending political crisis, the lack of a 
ruling party majority in the Parliament, and the lack of 
enough 'qualified people' in the current administration.  He 
accentuated his point by claiming to be amazed by the 
incompetent people chosen by President Nkurunziza to manage 
state affairs. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  In recognizing his country's progress toward 
political stability, Nyangoma admitted that democracy in 
Burundi is an evolutionary ideal under construction on a 
daily basis.  In particular, in contrast to the environment 
before his exodus to France, he noted that Burundian civil 
society and the media are now able to speak more freely about 
abuses by the government.  But Nyangoma also suggests that 
the specter of war still plagues the population, strengthened 
by the lack of progress in the ceasefire process, and the 
abundance of weapons among the Burundi people.  The situation 
is further aggravated by the inability of the government of 
Burundi (GOB) and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL to negotiate in good 
faith as dictated by the September 2006 ceasefire agreement. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Nyangoma expressed concerns about Burundi's 
upcoming elections in 2010, claiming no confidence in the 
current administration's ability to effectively conduct the 
process.  Without being specific, the CNDD party head 
suggested that various portions of Burundi's constitution 
should be changed to improve the electoral process.  He 
further hoped for the creation of laws that would govern the 
political opposition process, stating that it was necessary 
to have a credible opposition for an effective democracy.  In 
response, Ambassador agreed that a credible opposition is 
critical for any society but it is also important to have a 
'loyal opposition' concerned with the future welfare of 
Burundi and its people rather than exclusively with their own 
personal gains. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  In Nyangoma's opinion, the continuing penchant for 
corruption within the government is the major roadblock to 
Burundi's political and democratic stability.  By his 
estimation, the government has stolen approximately 150 
million USD that should have been used to stem the poverty 
 
experienced by the people.  He proposed that an international 
commission, specialized in the investigation of economic 
crimes, should be put in place to delve into suspected 
improprieties by the current government since its inception. 
He compared his proposal to the recent effort by a similar 
commission that investigated the controversial sale of the 
presidential jet.  Nyangoma stated that the GOB needs the 
trust of the international donor community and implied that 
Burundi's financial and developmental partners had no 
confidence in believing that resources were going to the 
right places.  The Ambassador retorted that Burundi's recent 
Partner Roundtable, in which nearly 665 million USD was 
pledged by nearly 60 nations, would not have been such a 
success had the international community not had confidence in 
the GOB to steer Burundi's economic and social agenda in the 
right direction. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Nyangoma also suggested that another international 
commission be created to shed light on all suspected crimes 
against humanity and human rights committed by the current 
administration, such as the extrajudicial killings in Muyinga 
and the arrest and prosecution of the suspected coup plotters 
in 2006.  Noted for his staunch allegiance to a strong 
judicial process, Nyangoma questioned why Nkurunziza's 
administration insists on separating justice from 
reconciliation.  In the spirit of the Arusha peace accords, 
Nyangoma advocates the installation of a truth and 
reconciliation committee to investigate the abuses of the 
past.  At his suggestion, the pillars of the committee's work 
would support the identification of crimes, the procedures 
for pardons, and the process for reconciliation. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  In closing, Nyangoma stated that the international 
community has a responsibility to ensure that the GOB is 
acting in the interest of peace and democracy.  He asked that 
the U.S. exert pressure on Nkurunziza's administration in 
order to get the government back on the right track. 
Nyangoma additionally asked for U.S. assistance in pressuring 
the GOB for his reinstatement into the National Assembly, a 
position he held before his departure to Europe.  The 
Ambassador expressed Washington's desire to help in any 
capacity but also insisted that the principal political 
players, who are very familiar with each other, act with 
goodwill in their own negotiations and work toward 
compromises that promote stability and a peaceful future for 
Burundi's people.  In response, Nyangoma explained that there 
is not always straightforward and honest language, as in the 
case of the Arusha talks, in the discussions between his 
peers.  The Ambassador suggested that Nyangoma would provide 
a great service to Burundi by approaching those inside and 
outside of government to help them learn to speak to each 
other in the manner he experienced in Arusha. She 
characterized Nyangoma as a 'patriot' to Burundi's people and 
patriots work for the good of the country and not for 
personal gain. 
 
¶8.  (U)  Leonard Nyangoma has been a key figure in Burundi 
politics for over 20 years.  A teacher by profession, Mr. 
Nyangoma became affiliated with the Union for National 
Progress (UPRONA) party in the 1980's.  He is among the 
founders of the Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU) 
party and after FRODEBU's victory in the elections of 1993, 
Nyangoma was appointed the Minister of the Interior.  In 
April of 1994, Nyangoma deserted the FRODEBU party and 
created the CNDD party.  Although the party eventually split, 
Nyangoma remained the president of the original CNDD faction 
and participated in the Arusha talks in that capacity. 
During the 2005 elections, Nyangoma was elected to the 
Parliament representing Bururi with his CNDD party gaining 5 
seats in the National Assembly.  Fearing for his life after 
being accused of harboring weapons and of participating in 
the fabricated plot to overthrow the government in 2006, 
Nyangoma fled to Europe.  A few months later, on the grounds 
of desertion, he was removed from the National Assembly. 
Nyangoma returned to Burundi on July 15. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Comment:  Nyangoma is well-respected among the 
people as a man dedicated to the democratic process as well 
as to peace and stability for Burundi.  It is surprising that 
his discussions with the Ambassador did not focus on any 
future efforts on his part to work within the current 
political structure to mitigate the ongoing issues, but 
instead his visit centered on the ineffectiveness of the 
current administration and the need to form a new government. 
 There can be little disagreement with his analysis of the 
current situation or perhaps with many of his suggestions for 
 
 
putting Burundi,s democratic mission back on track; however, 
Burundi would be better served by his leadership in bringing 
the government and the major opposition parties to the 
negotiating table.  His political aspirations are clear and 
it is speculated by political observers that the CNDD party 
leader, through an alliance with FRODEBU and possibly the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL, could be the next president of Burundi.  To 
that end, it would be in Nyangoma's best interest to work 
towards being part of the solution to Burundi's current 
political woes rather than towards the detriment of 
Nkurunziza's administration.  End Comment. 
MOLLER