Burundi, 1998

The

fifty-third session of the General Assembly provides us

once again with an opportunity to look at the overall

situation in the world and to reflect together on the future

of the peoples and the nations that we represent.

But first of all, may I extend to Mr. Didier Opertti our

warm and sincere congratulations on his well-deserved

election, which is but recognition of his intellectual and

personal qualities and which, I am certain, will ensure the

success of the work of this session. We would like also to

pay a warm tribute to his predecessor, who presided so

brilliantly over the work of the previous session.

My delegation is pleased to express appreciation for

the courageous and ongoing work being carried out by

Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General, in support of

peace in the world and particularly on the African

continent.

When on 25 July 1996 we had to carry out a very

radical change of government in Burundi, the political

situation was an explosive one. Every day Burundians

were dying without really knowing why, and the threat of

genocide and widespread chaos was a very real danger.

I shall not go into the details of that situation, as the

Security Council, the Secretary-General and his

representative in Bujumbura have followed on a daily

basis the evolution of the crisis which has in recent years

disrupted my country.

Since that change on 25 July 1996, we have stated

clearly that restoration of security and the beginning of a

peace process are our basic concerns.

This fifty-third session provides me with an

opportunity to tell you about the efforts made by the

people of Burundi, its leaders and the international

community to attain our goals of restoring a lasting peace

in the country. Despite some acts of terrorism, I can say

to this Assembly that security has now been fully restored

in Burundi. The threat of genocide so feared by its people

is gone today. Two years ago the peace process was

initiated; it is now under way and proceeding in a manner

satisfactory to all those concerned. I should like to focus

my statement today on this peace project.

The idea of a peace-process project in Burundi is

based on the realization that despite the ethnic turn taken by

violence which brought such tragedy to my country over

the last five years, the underlying cause of the Burundi

crisis is essentially a political one. That is why we are

focusing our efforts on seeking a political solution to the

crisis.

Two years ago we set in motion a peace process

which was divided into two aspects: the internal aspect and

the external aspect. At the internal level, the dynamic

provided by the peace process led to a domestic agreement

on political partnership. Two years ago, the Government

which emerged from the change of 25 July 1996 and the

National Assembly elected in 1993 began a dialogue geared

towards a political rapprochement. This initiative led to an

agreement on political partnership.

Today, we have a provisional constitution which came

out of that partnership and which governs the institutions of

our Republic, primarily the Government and the National

Assembly. In Burundi, the political partnership is a reality

not only between Government and the National Assembly

but also with the majority of the registered political parties

and the representatives of civil society who have joined the

partnership for peace. It is within this framework that a

negotiated Government, bringing together the main political

forces in the country, is now in place and has been

functioning for three months. The National Assembly

elected in 1993 has been expanded to include

representatives of other registered political parties and

representatives of civil society.

I can say to this Assembly — and those who have

visited Burundi recently have been able to note this

themselves — that this partnership has transformed, and

continues to transform, the political landscape in Burundi

in a positive way. Today, the political class within our

country is organizing a wide-ranging discussion on the

partnership to enable the people of Burundi to absorb the

idea of peace, the ultimate objective being stabilization of

the country through the restoration of peace.

The Government, for its part, is preparing its

programme based on the political agreement which emerged

from the partnership. The major issues, such as democracy,

justice, security and development, are in the forefront of

this programme which the Government will be submitting

to the parliament at its next session in October. My

Government is determined to continue consolidating the

partnership within the country. We deeply believe that this

approach can establish the bases for an overall agreement

associating our compatriots living abroad with our peace

project.

It was the existence of this political partnership at

the domestic level which made possible the beginning of

a process of global negotiations involving Burundians

abroad in the peace process. The negotiations, bringing

together people of Burundi living at home and abroad,

began on 15 June 1998 in Arusha, in the United Republic

of Tanzania. The second negotiating session took place on

20 July, and the third meeting is scheduled for 12

October. These negotiations are proceeding in a manner

satisfactory to all the participants: the Burundians, the

facilitator and the representatives of the international

community.

I should like to declare that the Government of

Burundi is resolved to do its utmost to assure the success

of these negotiations. We divided the peace process into

two aspects, domestic and external, because it is simply

a question of methodology. The peace process is one and

indivisible. First of all, we wanted to get the people of

Burundi involved in the peace process before the Arusha

negotiations, so that we could take into consideration the

recent experience of our subregion. Peace negotiations

which do not involve the people often take a tragic turn.

I should like to declare from this rostrum that the

peace process is now under way to the satisfaction of the

people of Burundi. We are determined to resolve through

dialogue the dispute pitting Burundians one against the

other. Unfortunately, there are obstacles along our path

towards lasting peace, the main one being the economic

sanctions imposed on Burundi on 31 July 1996. These

economic sanctions affect in particular the most

vulnerable sectors of our society. They are destroying the

economic and social fabric of the country and over the

long term are jeopardizing stabilization over the long term

in our country. In fact, the impact of the embargo on the

people of Burundi is devastating. Let me give you a few

figures: grade school attendance has dropped from 70 to

43 per cent; the vaccination rate has plummeted from 80

to 40 per cent and malnutrition among children under the

age of 5 is now 43 per cent.

Moreover, the embargo imposed on Burundi is now

enriching a few individuals in the country in a scandalous

manner and is tragically impoverishing millions of people

there. This embargo is eroding trust between the

mediators and the parties to the conflict, particularly the

Government of Burundi. Even though all the conditions

imposed by those who initiated the embargo have now

been met, the economic sanctions are still being

2

maintained. Today there is absolutely no justification, moral

or political, for continuing the embargo against Burundi.

I would appeal to the countries of our subregion and

to the mediator organizing the negotiations in Arusha to lift

the embargo before it definitively torpedoes our peace

project. Our appeal is also directed to the international

community for support in our effort at peace-building in

Burundi.

We must act now to concert our peace efforts.

Tomorrow will be too late. Those who have sinned by

omission will bear an important responsibility.

The other significant obstacle to peace in Burundi is

the continuing violence perpetrated by armed factions based

in the territories of certain neighbouring countries. I call on

those countries to assume their share of the responsibility.

One cannot both call for negotiations and tolerate terrorist

actions by armed groups without jeopardizing the entire

peace process. For negotiations to begin, there must be a

cessation of hostilities.

Burundi, a landlocked country under economic

sanctions, needs international solidarity. Humanitarian

assistance must be stepped up in order to help those

afflicted by this crisis. We would wish to see international

cooperation with our country resumed without further delay.

Security conditions are no worse in Burundi than in the

other countries of the Great Lakes region. Burundians

simply ask to be treated fairly. Our commitment and

resolve to achieve peace in Burundi through dialogue must

no longer be called into question. The facts today speak for

themselves. We are negotiating with all Burundians who

have political demands.

My country?s domestic concerns will not allow me to

forget the other problems afflicting Africa and the world.

Far from it.

At this time of globalization, a sustained effort must

be made by the international community to promote

balanced development throughout the world. Africa

deserves special attention. If one advocates development

through trade, then one must also increase official

development assistance to stimulate the growth of

economies that remain fragile. Africa is being crushed by

the weight of its debt. The burden must be eased and

eliminated for the poorest countries. Globalization without

solidarity with the poorest nations will not lead to a

peaceful world.

In order to adapt to inevitable changes, the

developing countries must organize themselves. Here, I

envision the creation of regional areas of integration that

will make our economies viable. We are in favour of

regional integration, but one that respects the identity and

sovereignty of each country. We are opposed to regional

integration that includes the domination and hegemony of

the most powerful.

Regional economic integration can be achieved,

however, only in secure regions. Our region of the Great

Lakes remains subject to extreme instability. This cyclical

insecurity has endured for decades and has unleashed

floods of refugees. Entire defeated armies move through

the region, which has already experienced an

unprecedented genocide.

We continue to follow very carefully the evolution

of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I wish to reaffirm that our country, Burundi, is in no way

involved in that conflict. However, we remain concerned,

on the one hand, by a certain tenor of statement that pits

peoples against peoples on the basis of ethnic identity;

and, on the other, by militias and certain rebels, whom we

in the region remember only too well. I would urge all

participants in this conflict not to allow themselves to be

entrapped and led down that road, because it leads only

to danger that could engulf the entire region in flames.

Burundi will continue to ensure that its security is

not destabilized. To that end, we shall take all appropriate

measures. We continue to advocate peaceful means and

dialogue to resolve this conflict. If the Government of

Burundi is asked to contribute to a political solution, it

will be very happy to do so.

In Burundi, we believe that the Organization of

African Unity and the United Nations should coordinate

their efforts more effectively in seeking a solution to the

crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

particularly when we consider the limitations of

subregional organizations.

At the global level, every region of our planet faces

varying degrees of environmental degradation, terrorism,

endemic disease, drug abuse and hunger, to mention only

the most widespread threats. To cope with this situation,

the United Nations will have to play a decisive role. Our

Organization has, in the past, demonstrated its strengths

and its weaknesses.

To take up these many challenges, the United

Nations must open itself up and become more democratic

3

if it is to become more effective in addressing the realities

of the modern world. In order better to resolve the

problems of peace, the Security Council should be

judiciously expanded to include other Members of the

Organization.

Within the United Nations, Burundi will continue to

raise its modest voice against terrorism and the proliferation

of weapons of mass destruction, and in favour of allocating

greater resources to combat poverty and encourage

education and health, particularly in developing

countries — in short, to build a more balanced and fairer

world. In our view, this is the challenge facing our

Organization as we approach the new millennium.