African Union officials on Tuesday warned Burundi’s government and its last active rebel group that its patience is wearing thin over the delayed implementation of a 2006 ceasefire.
The bloc’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) ”reminded the two parties that the patience and generosity of the international community have limits”, it said in a statement.
”Council expressed its deep concern over the procrastination and delaying tactics that continue to affect the implementation process of the comprehensive ceasefire agreement,” it added.
Burundi and the National Liberation Forces (FNL) agreed to a ceasefire in 2006, but its implementation has been repeatedly frustrated by opposing demands from the two sides.
The PSC ”requested the government and Palipehutu/FNL to demonstrate greater political will to overcome the obstacles that continue to impede the implementation of the agreement”, said the statement.
Palipehutu is the political wing of the FNL.
The Central African country is still struggling to emerge from the conflict, which began in 1993, mainly pitting rebels from the Hutu majority population against the Tutsi minority, which at the time dominated the army.
About 300 000 people were killed in the conflict.
A power-sharing government was formed in 2005, while clashes were still taking place.
South Africa mediated among the different sides until almost all the rebel groups agreed to a ceasefire. — Sapa-AFP