AFP AND OWN CORRESPONDENT, New York | Saturday
SOUTH Africa’s former president Nelson Mandela called on rebels in Burundi to cease fire, saying they were killing only civilians and not hurting their military enemies.
Mandela, who mediated in last month’s peace talks, held in Arusha, northern Tanzania, said: “Now that there is a peace agreement, I see no value whatsoever in them continuing with armed struggle,”The United Nations security council issued a statement welcoming the signing on August 28 of the Arusha accord and commending the 19 political parties which endorsed it.
But it said it “remains deeply concerned at the continuing level of violence in Burundi, in particular that perpetrated by rebel groups.”
Burundi state radio said that five rebels had been killed and four soldiers wounded before the weekend on the outskirts of the capital, Bujumbura.
The official toll could not be independently confirmed.
Speaking outside the Security Council chamber, Mandela said the rebels “have no vision at all”. They were not targeting the army and military installations, he said.
“They are killing innocent people, men, women, children, the aged and the disabled,” he added. “You negotiate with your enemies not with your friends,” he went on.
“If they want peace in Burundi they will have to compromise with each and every one of the 19 political parties.”