Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PRETORIA775
2008-04-14 12:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Pretoria
how-toVZCZCXRO7013 RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHSA #0775 1051255 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 141255Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4144 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1292 RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0056 RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 1043 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1495 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1335 RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 5523 RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 9747 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 000775
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/C
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2018
TAGS: PREL BY SF
SUBJECT: BURUNDI PEACE PROCESS STALLED
REF: PRETORIA 475
Classified By: Political Counselor Raymond Brown. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 000775
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/C
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2018
TAGS: PREL BY SF
SUBJECT: BURUNDI PEACE PROCESS STALLED
REF: PRETORIA 475
Classified By: Political Counselor Raymond Brown. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
).
1. (C) DFA Special Envoy to the Great Lakes, Kingsley
Mamabolo, expressed frustration to PolCouns and PolOff on 8
April about Burundi's stalled peace process. Only a month
ago, Mamabolo was upbeat about negotiations, believing the
FNL was serious about the peace process (reftel). Mamabolo
now admits that nothing has moved in the past three months
since South Africa received an AU extension to continue its
mediation efforts. In fact, he said that nothing has really
changed since they started negotiating in November 2005; "the
facilitation is back to square one," he said. Mamabolo
believes the problem boils down to one of "political will,"
which he does not believe the FNL has. He complained that
over the years, everyone has come in from the bush except the
FNL, "which keeps shifting the goal posts."
2. (C) Mamabolo gave numerous examples of what he considers
FNL intransigence. He noted that the FNL has rejected the
conferrance of immunity via an executive order, instead
demanding that immunity be granted by Parliament and that it
be given to the "Palipehutu-FNL," not just FNL, to ensure
that their ethnicity is recognized (despite the fact that
political parties based on ethnicity are unconstitutional).
The rebels are also demanding vehicles (specifying 4 x 4s),
money to pay off debts incurred in the bush (approximately
$US 11 million),and a French-speaking South African
facilitator (even though FNL negotiator Jan Van Eck speaks no
French). (NOTE: Jan Van Eck, who has negotiated on behalf of
the FNL for years through a translator admitted to PolOff on
10 April that this demand is solely intended to remove
Mamabolo from the facilitation (septel). END NOTE)
3. (C) As for South Africa's position, Mamabolo admitted that
he is "under pressure" from his leadership to resolve the
issue. "We have a South African batallion there, doing
nothing, yet they have to be fed everyday!" he said.
Mamabolo believes the rebels understand that the SAG is
anxious to make progress, and are trying to use this to their
advantage. However, he hinted that the SAG may wash its hand
of the process, confiding that there are some in the SAG who
are ready to hand the problem over to the subregion. "If the
rebels are not ready, we cannot force the issue," he
concluded.
BOST
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/C
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2018
TAGS: PREL BY SF
SUBJECT: BURUNDI PEACE PROCESS STALLED
REF: PRETORIA 475
Classified By: Political Counselor Raymond Brown. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
).
1. (C) DFA Special Envoy to the Great Lakes, Kingsley
Mamabolo, expressed frustration to PolCouns and PolOff on 8
April about Burundi's stalled peace process. Only a month
ago, Mamabolo was upbeat about negotiations, believing the
FNL was serious about the peace process (reftel). Mamabolo
now admits that nothing has moved in the past three months
since South Africa received an AU extension to continue its
mediation efforts. In fact, he said that nothing has really
changed since they started negotiating in November 2005; "the
facilitation is back to square one," he said. Mamabolo
believes the problem boils down to one of "political will,"
which he does not believe the FNL has. He complained that
over the years, everyone has come in from the bush except the
FNL, "which keeps shifting the goal posts."
2. (C) Mamabolo gave numerous examples of what he considers
FNL intransigence. He noted that the FNL has rejected the
conferrance of immunity via an executive order, instead
demanding that immunity be granted by Parliament and that it
be given to the "Palipehutu-FNL," not just FNL, to ensure
that their ethnicity is recognized (despite the fact that
political parties based on ethnicity are unconstitutional).
The rebels are also demanding vehicles (specifying 4 x 4s),
money to pay off debts incurred in the bush (approximately
$US 11 million),and a French-speaking South African
facilitator (even though FNL negotiator Jan Van Eck speaks no
French). (NOTE: Jan Van Eck, who has negotiated on behalf of
the FNL for years through a translator admitted to PolOff on
10 April that this demand is solely intended to remove
Mamabolo from the facilitation (septel). END NOTE)
3. (C) As for South Africa's position, Mamabolo admitted that
he is "under pressure" from his leadership to resolve the
issue. "We have a South African batallion there, doing
nothing, yet they have to be fed everyday!" he said.
Mamabolo believes the rebels understand that the SAG is
anxious to make progress, and are trying to use this to their
advantage. However, he hinted that the SAG may wash its hand
of the process, confiding that there are some in the SAG who
are ready to hand the problem over to the subregion. "If the
rebels are not ready, we cannot force the issue," he
concluded.
BOST