The United Nations mission in Burundi, known as Onub, has stepped up its military presence across the country ahead of communal elections set for Friday June 13. This comes after 17 Forces for National Liberation (FNL) fighters were killed. The FNL is the only rebel group that has yet to be integrated into the transitional -government.
“Anyone here can see there are a lot more UN armoured vehicles and troops on the street than there were before,” Penangnini Toure, the Onub spokesperson said on Tuesday. “The same is true in towns throughout the country.”
The mission was taking the extra security measures because of concerns that armed groups could seek to disrupt the elections, the first in a series that will culminate in the presidential poll on August 19.
Toure said: “The FNL rebels and the national army are accusing each other of attacks. We are not interested in who is right, we just want the fighting to stop.”
Friday’s poll is the first of four elections to bring Burundi’s 43-month transitional phase to a conclusion. There have been numerous delays in the electoral timetable as former foes jostle for political power. Three hundred and fifty Onub election monitors will be deployed at voting centres across the country.
“We don’t expect problems,” Toure said, “but there are a lot of arms floating around this country and you just never know.”
The UN Security Council this week extended the mandate of Onub until December 1 2005. It is anticipated that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will in November make detailed proposals for the establishment of an international support mechanism during the post–transitional period in Burundi.