ICGLR to consider report on alleged presence of FDLR in Burundi

A verification report by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) on the alleged presence of the FDLR in Burundi was on Thursday presented to the 12-member regional grouping for deliberation. The FDLR is a genocidal militia comprising of remnants responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. According to a statement from ICGLR, the Executive Secretary of the ICGLR; Prof. Ntumba Luaba gave the report to Georges R. Chicoti, Chairman of the ICGLR Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee (RIMC), and also Angola’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. As far back as April, unconfirmed reports indicated that the militia was teaming up with Imbonerakure (Kirundi word literally meaning “those that see far”), a youth wing of Burundi’s ruling party, the National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for Defence and Democracy (CNDD-FDD), in harassing and attacking members of opposition political parties. According to various reports, FDLR elements were posing as police officers. Burundi government officials have publically denied claims that FDLR militia are operating in Bujumbura. No details are given but Prof. Luaba is, among other things, reported to have informed Chicoti on the military operations against the FDLR. “The Executive Secretary also submitted to the Minister the verification report by the ICGLR Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) on the alleged presence of the FDLR in Burundi as requested by the third East African Community (EAC) Extraordinary Summit on the situation in Burundi held in Dar es Salaam on 6th July as well as on the security and humanitarian situation in South Kivu,” reads part of the ICGLR statement. “The two concluded on the need for a meeting of Ministers of Defence to assess the security situation in the Great Lakes region which shall be preceded by the meeting of Chiefs of Defence Staff before the Ordinary Summit of the ICGLR Heads of States in January 2016.” It is further noted that Prof. Luaba and the Angolan minister discussed the political and security situation in the Great Lakes Region, particularly Burundi and the eastern DR Congo. Regarding Burundi, the Minister informed the Executive Secretary that he will deliver in person, to the ICGLR Chairman, President Eduardo Dos Santos of Angola, the ICGLR observation report of the Burundi Presidential elections held on July 21, and to share with his fellows ministers in the Regional Inter-ministerial Committee. The east African nation is going through an unpredictable political crisis that started in April when President Pierre Nkurunziza was picked by his CNDD-FDD ruling party as its flag bearer to run for a contentious third term in office. Opponents said the decision violated the constitution and a peace deal signed in 2000 that ended a 12-year civil war and brought Nkurunziza to power in 2005. Meanwhile, while in Kigali on Thursday, Abdoulaye Bathily, the special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Africa, said the deteriorating political crisis in Burundi was a serious concern. Bathily, who also heads the UN Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), made the remarks after holding talks with President Paul Kagame in Kigali. Ruling out military intervention, Bathily said the escalation in violence was a danger for the entire region, and pointed out that dialogue was the best way out of the situation.

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ICGLR to consider report on alleged presence of FDLR in Burundi