BURUNDI HARDLINE OPPOSITION LEADER DOES NOT RULE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BUJUMBURA 000587 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR AF/C E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BY SUBJECT: BURUNDI HARDLINE OPPOSITION LEADER DOES NOT RULE OUT VIOLENCE ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a meeting on August 7 to elicit his perceptions of Burundi's political stalemate, influential Union for National Progress (UPRONA) party firebrand, Terence Sinunguruza, suggested that President Pierre Nkurunziza's continued disregard for his country's constitution and the Arusha Peace accords point to a dictatorial trend by the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party. Sinunguruza also warned that Nkurunziza was ignoring a rise in Hutu dominance in Burundi's army and police forces, in direct violation of the provisions of the Arusha agreements, and suggested that Tutsi minority groups would use violence if their security becomes threatened. Sinunguruza accused President Nkurunziza of using First Vice President and UPRONA party member, Dr. Martin Nduwimana, as an accessory to his government and a tool for weakening the UPRONA party. Sinunguruza claimed that his UPRONA party is actively seeking dialogue with the ruling government and is participating fully in the legislative process which threatens to halt Burundi's economic progress. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) In a meeting with the Ambassador on August 7, hard-line UPRONA leader Sinunguruza claimed that President Nkurunziza's refusal to abide by the principles of the Arusha Peace accords and the Burundi constitution is tantamount to a 'declaration of war' between the CNDD-FDD ruling party and UPRONA. Sinunguruza claimed that UPRONA was ready to mobilize if there are any attempts by the ruling government to void the Arusha accords or the constitution. Sinunguruza purported that Nkurunziza is moving closer towards dictatorship which is unacceptable to those who fought for a democratically elected government. The former Burundi Ambassador to the U.N. emphasized that Nkurunziza must arrange a coalition between the CNDD-FDD party and minority voices to avoid the perception of a dictatorship which, in Sinunguruza's opinion could ultimately bring back a period of war. Sinunguruza added that he would not be surprised if political opponents decided to fight the ruling government militarily. ¶3. (SBU) Terence Sinunguruza also expressed concern over the growing dominance of Hutus in all factions of the government and the security sector. In particular, he noted that the number of Hutus in the army and police has grown to more than 70 percent of the total force, in violation of the 50 percent agreed upon through the Arusha Peace accords. Sinunguruza predicted that with the expected future inclusion of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, Hutus could represent nearly 90 percent of the army. Sinunguruza warned that UPRONA, whose membership is primarily Tutsi, cannot accept a majority of more than 80 percent in the security sector. Having fought for the rights of minority voices during the Arusha discussions, Sinunguruza stated that this rise in Hutu dominance, a trend he believes is a preoccupation of the ruling government, will represent a breach in security for all minority factions and lead to the destabilization of peace. Sinunguruza asserted that an army dominated by one group and the ensuing question of minority security, led to Burundi's civil wars in the past and threatens to do so yet again. ¶4. (SBU) Sinunguruza, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs during the 2003 to 2005 transition period, described Burundi as being in an institutional crisis caused by the current administration's disregard for the constitution and the Arusha Peace accords upon which the constitution was based. Sinunguruza stated that participants to the Arusha talks agreed that the ethnic cause of Burundi's civil war prompted the crafters of the accords to monitor very closely the ethnic participation in the political and security sectors of a peaceful Burundi. Sinunguruza stressed the valuable role that UPRONA played in the agreements and said that, in the interest of peace, all parties made concessions to reach an equitable settlement. He stated that the provisions agreed upon at Arusha are as valid in the post-transition government as they had been prior to the 2005 elections, and emphasized the ruling CNDD-FDD party had 'only won the election, not the war'. Sinunguruza accused Nkurunziza of failing to promote peaceful stability and alleged that Nkurunziza is ignoring the recent retreat of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL from the Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JVMM) mandated by the September 2006 cease-fire agreement with the government of Burundi (GOB). Sinunguruza claimed that the PALIPEHUTU-FNL is actively recruiting in thirteen of Burundi's seventeen provinces and said that Nkurunziza is wrong if the government does not view this as a BUJUMBURA 00000587 002 OF 002 problem. Sinunguruza warned that the PALIPEHUTU-FNL is becoming increasingly more powerful militarily and politically. ¶5. (SBU) Sinunguruza complained that President Nkurunziza is trying to control Burundi's First Vice President and UPRONA party member, Dr. Martin Nduwimana. Sinunguruza claimed that meetings requested by UPRONA with Nkurunziza are not endorsed or facilitated by UPRONA's First Vice President. Sinunguruza also railed against President Nkurunziza's recent ministerial appointments, saying that Nkurunziza has the support of the First Vice President but not of the UPRONA party. Sinunguruza accused Nkurunziza of using Nduwimana to destroy UPRONA's power. Although Sinunguruza characterized Nduwimana as a UPRONA rebel, he viewed Nkurunziza's manipulation of the First Vice President as a political mistake. Sinunguruza also claimed that Nkurunziza is not controlling his government and appears to be taking direction from others in decisions relating to matters of state. The UPRONA party leader mentioned that former CNDD-FDD party head, Hussein Radjabu, as being the de-facto leader in the past, but now UPRONA alleges that Nkurunziza is being advised by high level members of CNDD-FDD's military wing. ¶6. (SBU) Sinunguruza accused Nkurunziza of reneging on promises to the international community to form a government and create policies that are more inclusive for all of Burundi's minority voices. Sinunguruza alleged that, to date, Nkurunziza has failed to do so. In stark contrast, Sinunguruza described Nkurunziza's recent speech in the province of Rutana, where the president portrayed parliament members currently abstaining from legislative votes as rebels to the government, as imflammatory and devisive. In defense of his own party politics, Sinunguruza articulated that UPRONA is ready for true dialogue between all of the important actors on Burundi's political landscape. He claimed that, despite what other political parties may state, UPRONA desires a partnership with the ruling party government in managing the affairs of state. Sinunguruza declared that UPRONA is not adopting an 'empty chair' policy in the legislative process and will fully participate in the political process. Sinunguruza said that UPRONA will never reject any bills or laws that will impede the economic welfare of the state and will not block economic progress by voting against the current budget proposals. In an effort to reach a political compromise to the current impasse, Sinunguruza suggested that Nkurunziza's government should put their position in writing, delineating what his administration will, or will not, do in partnership with the minority voices. ¶7. (SBU) Comment: Future dictatorship, the prospect of war, and ethnic division are certainly key themes Sinunguruza sought to emphasize while taking his opportunity to speak about the political impasse. Although Sinunguruza ultimately espoused frank and productive dialogue with Nkurunziza to overcome the political difficulties plaguing Burundi, he nonetheless confidently and comfortably conveyed that his UPRONA faction was ready to go on the offensive should his Tutsi-dominated party continue to feel threatened or excluded by the government. To date, Sinunguruza is the only political leader who has offered the prospect of renewed violence as an endgame to the political stalemate, and the only person to introduce ethnicity as a contributing factor to the government's reluctance to form a coalition with minority voices. It seems contradictory that a leader who so eloquently lauded the ideals and success of the Arusha Peace accords would speak so forcefully about the potential of introducing ethnicity and violence into the current political quagmire. It sounds much as if, in Sinunguruza, the welfare of the nation is taking a back seat to political ambition. End Comment. MOLLER