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DE RUEHJB #0585/01 2321700
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P 201700Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0498
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BUJUMBURA 000585 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BY
SUBJECT: BURUNDI'S CIVIL SOCIETY PUTS PRESSURE ON 
NKURUNZIZA TO PAY ATTENTION 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  In a meeting with the Ambassador on 
August 13, civil society leaders Onesphore Nduwayo of 
Governmant Action Watch (OAG) and Jean-Marie Vianney 
Kavumbagu of Ligue Iteka expressed serious concerns over 
President Pierre Nkurunziza's lack of action to address the 
political storm facing Burundi.  Nduwayo and Kavumbagu urged 
Nkurunziza and his ruling National Council for the Defense of 
Democracy - Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) 
party to promote peaceful dialogue and to discontinue 
parlance that hinted at future violence.  The civil society 
leaders condemned the recent publication of photographs in 
the CNDD-FDD party newspaper meant to disparage opposition 
members and portray them as public targets of future 
violence.  Nduwayo and Kavumbagu also expressed concern over 
the increased criminality that is sweeping through Bujumbura 
and the surrounding areas, contributing to the fears of 
insecurity felt by the public.  Kavumbagu and Nduwayo 
pondered whether Nkurunziza has the ability to focus on the 
important decisions of state and offered the possibility that 
Nkurunziza was being directed by others within his party.  In 
conclusion, the spokespersons for OAG and Ligue Iteka 
recommended that Nkurunziza take the initiative to call all 
political factions to the negotiating table for good faith 
dialogue.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The leader of the civil society group OAG, Nduwayo, 
opined that Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza has reasons 
to worry and is not fully cognizant of the political 
situation in Burundi, portraying the situation as 'grave'. 
Nduwayo asserts that the majority of the National Assembly is 
opposed to Nkurunziza (Comment: A questionable assertion. End 
Comment), which was reflected in the President's speech in 
Rutana where he characterized certain assembly members as 
'rebels'.  Nduwayo claimed that Nkurunziza's ruling CNDD-FDD 
party was deeply divided with some party members feigning 
loyalty to Nkurunziza.  Nduwayo also questioned the lack of 
response from Nkurunziza when the President of the Senate, 
Gervais Rufyikiri, sent a letter to Nkurunziza asking him to 
explain the constitutionality of his newly formed government. 
 Lastly, Nduwayo pointed to the large gap in cooperation 
between the governmnet and their main opposition parties, the 
Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU) and Union for 
National Progress (UPRONA). 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  OAG leader, Nduwayo, questioned whether President 
Nkurunziza is indeed able to focus on making decisions. 
Nduwayo surmised that Nkurunziza has trouble analysing 
situations and wondered aloud if there were indeed others who 
were directing Nkurunziza in the affairs of state.  In 
particular, Nduwayo pointed to the stalled talks with the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL.  Nduwayo asserts that there is an immediate 
need to move forward with the peace process initiated by the 
September 2006 ceasefire agreement.  He claims that some of 
Burundi's people have an increasing dread of insecurity due 
to the PALIPEHUTU-FNL unanswered question and others are 
taking advantage of the confusion with PALIPEHUTU-FNL with 
increased criminality.  Nduwayo stressed that Nkurunziza 
should also focus on the management and prosecution of the 
scandals plaguing the country.  Nduwayo suggested that 
'cover-ups' were common to protect powerful people of the 
same political philosophies. The OAG leader emphasized that 
the population can not affird to pay for the errors and 
malfeasance of their superiors.  As a human rights advocate, 
Kavumbagu worries too about the criminality in and around the 
government.  Although cases of crime, even as minor as armed 
robbery, are reported daily, Nduwayo laments that no one ever 
seems to be caught.  Kavumbagu suggests that while the 
political elite maneuver and struggle for power, the vacuum 
in the management of internal affairs is being filled with 
crime. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  In addition to the thoughts expressed by Nduwayo, 
Ligue Iteka representative, Kavumbagu, lamented that there 
seemed to be no end to the deadlock between Nkurunziza's 
government and the opposition parties, exacerbated by the 
recent formation of the new cabinet minus the active 
participation of FRODEBU and UPRONA.  Kavumbagu cited the 
multiple cases of corruption rampant in the nation and 
suggested that Nkurunziza feared impeachment by the 
opposition for his possible involvement in various 
controversial scandals, such as Interpetrol and the sale of 
the presidential jet.  Kavumbagu suggests that two major 
camps have formed within the political spectrum: an 
opposition group bent on the impeachment of Nkurunziza, 
including those CNDD-FDD party members loyal to former party 
leader Hussein Radjabu; and those who advocate support of the 
 
BUJUMBURA 00000585  002 OF 002 
 
 
President by advising him to make competent decisions and 
appointees, to respect the political process and constitution. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Kavumbagu expressed concern over the ambiguous and 
dangerous communication strategies being utlilized by 
Nkurunziza recently.  Kavumbagu said that Nkurunziza is more 
frequently using 'warring' language and claims that 
Nkurunziza mentions a risk of future warfare in his speeches 
without being specific.  With regard to the recent 
publication of names, photos and family information in the 
CNDD-FDD party newspaper of opposition members, Kavumbagu 
asked retorically if thisis Nkurunziza's way of creating 
targets for the ire of the public.  Kavumbagu stressed that 
Nkurunziza be more clear in his language and his intent.  OAG 
spokesperson, Nduwayo, reiterated Kavumbagu's comments about 
the newspaper publication incident and added that Nkurunziza 
needs to begin to use more peaceful language because there 
are still thousands of weapons in the hands of ordinary 
citizens. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  In response to queries about a way forward, both 
of the civil society leaders called for Nkurunziza to engage 
in clear dialogue.  The two leaders stressed that the 
President must be politically realistic and engage in the 
dialogue with goodwill and in good faith.  Without dialogue, 
they said, all of the major political opposition will adopt 
the hardline against the government.  Nduwayo and Kavumbagu 
also hoped that Nkurunziza would be able to rise above the 
demands of those military advisors who are dictating their 
will and wishes upon the president.  As to the opposition 
factions, the spokespersons asserted that the minority 
parties will be responsible for what happens to the nation in 
the future and urged them to resist being guided by personal 
interests.  Nduwayo and Kavumbagu demanded that the minority 
voices respond positively if asked for dialogue,  Lastly, the 
two civil society leaders asked the international community 
to exert its pressure on all factions to come to the 
negotiating table.  When asked if civil society, in turn, can 
assert its influence in the political landscape, Nduwayo and 
Kavumbagu reassured the group that pressure can be applied, 
but it's effect is limited, and they risked losing 
credibility if the influence is not used judiciously. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Comment:  Contrary to any of the previous 
discussions with government officials and opposition leaders, 
Nduwayo and Kavumbagu presented perspectives that truly have 
the nation and its people as the focus.  Without absolving 
the major opposition parties of their responsibility to help 
pull Burundi out of this political and economic malaise, 
civil society is putting the burden for reconciliation and 
progress in the lap of Nkurunziza and his government. 
Although civil society views its influence on Nkurunziza and 
the political parties as limited, and as objective and astute 
observers on the periphery of the political landscape able to 
interpret the varied political messages, the people of 
Burundi can not afford these voices to remain silent.  End 
Comment. 
MOLLER