VZCZCXRO2496
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHJB #0556/01 2181537
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061537Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0470
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0018

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BUJUMBURA 000556 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C AND INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL BY
SUBJECT: BURUNDI DEADLOCK IN PARLIAMENT 
 
REF: A. BUJUMBURA 534 
 
     ¶B. BUJUMBURA 538 
     ¶C. BUJUMBURA 543 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Burundi's Diplomatic Community issued a 
press statement July 31 addressing the deadlock in the 
Burundian National Assembly, and the deterioration of 
negotiations with the FNL, calling on all political actors in 
Burundi to place national interests above individual ones. 
Speaking on behalf of the diplomatic corps, Tanzanian 
Ambassador Francis Mndolwa, Dean of Burundi's Diplomatic 
Corps, presented the statement to the media, reminding all 
parties that "power is best exercised when bearing in mind 
one's responsibilities."  At the end of the question and 
answer session following the press statement, Ambassador 
Mndolwa stated that he did not know the whereabouts of FNL 
rebel leader Agathon Rwasa.  While assuring that Rwasa was 
not in Dar-Es-Salaam, Ambassador Mndolwa opined that 
Burundian refugee camps served as good hideouts for the FNL, 
and perhaps the FNL would be more easily identified in 
Burundi if the camps were shut down.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Special Representative for the Secretary General 
(SRSG) to the UN Integrated Mission in Burundi (BINUB), 
Youssef Mahmoud, along with Ambassador Mamadou Bah of the 
African Union (AU), and Tanzanian Ambassador Francis Mndolwa 
issued to the Burundian media a public statement addressing, 
in large part, the current political deadlock in Burundi's 
National Assembly.  The press statement was presented during 
a July 31 press conference held at BINUB headquarters in 
Bujumbura.  It also addressed the deteriorating condition of 
negotiations between the Government of Burundi (GOB) and the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL (FNL) in plans to implement the 2006 
Cease-Fire Agreement, following last week's departure of the 
FNL delegation from talks in Bujumbura. (Reftels A and B) 
 
¶3. (U) Directly before Ambassador Mndolwa's presentation of 
the statement, SRSG Mahmoud told the assembled media and 
diplomatic corps that BINUB's aim through the statement was 
to comment on the recent withdrawal of the FNL from 
negoiations.  He pointed out that the UN played a supporting 
role in the peace initiative, led by South Africa, between 
the GOB and the FNL.  Mr. Mahmoud said that the Secretary 
General urged the two parties not to resume hostilities, and 
welcomed the assistance of South Africa and the AU in the 
negotiations. 
 
 
Press Statement Calls for Unity 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Ambassador Mndolwa, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in 
Burundi, read the combined press statement in which he 
expressed concern, on behalf of the Diplomatic Corps, over 
the political situation in Burundi.  He commended Burundi for 
its return to democracy after elections in 2005, and called 
on the government and the people of Burundi "to continue 
implementing the requisites of democracy and the rule of 
law."  In the statement, Ambassador Mndolwa pointed out the 
importance of dialogue between political parties and within 
the parliament, and said that national interests must come 
before individual gains. He reminded that the Parliament is a 
vital necessity for the government to work, and "should not 
be bypassed or abused by any party." 
 
¶5. (U) Through the press statement Mndolwa called upon the 
FNL to continue talks aimed at implementing the 2006 
Cease-Fire Agreement, saying that Burundians were 
best-qualified to solve the problems of Burundi.  He closed 
the statement by asking all parties to remember that "power 
is best exercised when bearing in mind one's 
responsibilities." 
 
 
Question and Answers Generate Some Heat 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) In a question and answer session following the press 
statement, African Public Radio questioned the role of BINUB 
and the AU in breaking the deadlock currently plaguing the 
National Assembly. (Reftel C)  Mr. Mahmoud pointed out 
BINUB's lack of a mandate to intervene in the internal 
working of the GOB, and called on the media to assist in 
getting out a message endorsing reconciliation.  AU 
Ambassador Bah singled out the quiet assistance of the 
Diplomatic community in searching for solutions to Burundi's 
political crisis, but cautioned the media that, "you can 
bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink", 
stating that "if Burundi won't drink the water, we (the 
 
BUJUMBURA 00000556  002 OF 002 
 
 
international community) can't make it do so." 
 
¶7. (SBU) Ambassador Mndolwa's response to the same question 
caused a considerable stir.   He pointed out that Burundi is 
facing hard times, and opined that international assistance 
"will not be here forever."  He said "Burundi, you waste time 
quarreling over trivial matters," asking what benefit did 
"powersharing" convey in developing an economy.  He chastised 
the media, telling it, as Mahmoud had, that it should educate 
the people of Burundi about their exigent needs, rather than 
"joining other political parties."  He continued, claiming 
that today developing countries "cannot even control their 
own economies" - that they are controlled by outsiders, a 
comment which perplexed his listeners.  He ended by saying 
"I'm African; I can say what these other Ambassadors can not." 
 
¶8. (SBU) The final question from the media was, bluntly, 
"Where are the FNL rebel leaders?"  Ambassador Mndolwa took 
the lead in answering, and again, said forcefully that he did 
not know the whereabouts of FNL leader Agathon Rwasa, but 
stated flatly that Rwasa is not in Dar-Es-Salaam.  Mndolwa 
continued, referring to Burundian refugee camps in Tanzania, 
saying that he "would like to kick them all out, but the 
international community says no."  He called the camps good 
hideouts for the FNL, and said that if Tanzania closed them, 
perhaps the FNL would be easier to identify in Burundi. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Comment.  The Diplomatic Corps wants to speak with 
one voice on the matter of political dissension in Burundi's 
parliament and the on-going negotiations between the GOB and 
the FNL.  Frustrations at the political deadlock in 
Parliament and the disappearance of FNL interlocutors was 
evident in the response of AU Ambassador Bah and in 
Ambassador Mndolwa's exasperated candor.  It has been almost 
two years since the formation of the government, and a year 
since the signing of the cease-fire agreement.  It should 
come as no surprise if the international community, which 
welcomed Burundi's new democracy with patience and 
assistance, begins to show its impatience with the lack of 
progress.  Individually and jointly. members of the 
diplomatic community are delivering strong messages urging 
responsible leaders to step up their dialogue and find a way 
forward.  End Comment. 
MOLLER