Burundi’s government and the last active rebel group on Monday signed an unconditional ceasefire agreement, raising hopes of a definitive end to the small Central African nation’s 15-year civil war. The deal between the government and the National Liberation Forces (FNL) was reached after a six-week round of fresh fighting.
A pro-government rights outfit in Zimbabwe has urged President Robert Mugabe to consider declaring a state of emergency to stem a tide of post-election political violence, state media said on Wednesday. Levels of violence in Zimbabwe are escalating and could reach crisis proportions, the United Nations has warned.
A presidential election run-off in Zimbabwe cannot take place given the current levels of violence, the head of a South African contingent of regional election observers said on Wednesday. ”We have seen it, there are people in hospital who said they have been tortured, you have seen pictures,” Kingsley Mamabolo told reporters.