The inter-burundian negotiations

Pierre Buyoya

Description

President Buyoya's book is not only a lively and well-documented personal account; it also constitutes an in depth analysis of Burundi's tragic history and draws lessons that could be applied in other countries facing similar crisis. President Buyoya initiated, negotiated and concluded the peace agreements with the rebellion in August 2000 in Arusha.

Sujets

• Harmattan Littérature
• Lettres et linguistique
• Témoignage
• Récit
• Autobiographie

Informations

• Publié par: L'Harmattan
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 51
• EAN13: 9782296479197
• Langue: Français

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THE INTER-BURUNDIAN NEGOTIATIONS
A long walk towards peace
Études Africaines
Collection dirigée par Denis Pryen et François Manga Akoa

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Pierre Buyoya
THE INTER-BURUNDIAN NEGOTIATIONS
A long walk towards peace

Foreword by Louis Michel

L’Harmattan
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ISBN : 978-2-296-55603-4
EAN : 9782296556034
DEDICATION

I dedicate this work on the Burundian peace process to my family,
To my wife, Sophie
To my children, Olivier, Floriane, Clémentine and Linda
The peace process in Burundi has been both sensitive and dangerous. Personally, I was threatened physically and this difficult situation emotionally affected my family.
May they find here the expression of my deepest gratitude for their flawless support throughout this process, which did not spare them anxiety and emotions.
FOREWORD
It is always interesting to read the stories of the actors who shaped history and gave it a moral meaning. Of all the leading politicians I had the privilege to meet and with whom I was assigned to discuss and negotiate, Pierre Buyoya is one of the figures that impressed me most favorably.
He is exceptionally acute intellectually, pragmatic and welcoming, and always induces an impression of calm determination. He was discreet and reserved, yet could hardly hide the painful anxiety he felt for the future of his country, for his people… for his entire people, without any distinctions.
This elegant person, who held the material and military means to extend his presidential legacy, instead scrupulously respected the commitments he took in Arusha in front of Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton. I was there. I witnessed those moments when history vacillates between nightmare and genius. Thanks to the loyalty of Pierre Buyoya and to his propensity to respect his promises, he always gave peace a chance.
Pierre Buyoya has been a decisive actor in the Burundian reconciliation process. His role cannot be ignored when addressing Burundi’s recent political transition and its long peace process.
And yet, this book is not simply a testimony or memoire of the recent history of Burundi. Rather, it presents an essential questioning, so as to move forward on the path of peace and democracy in Burundi.
The author claims that this book is not historical, and I agree with him. It is pedagogical, if I may say so. It consists of a personal take on this fundamental moment of the Burundian history, and it is open to criticism and dialogue.
While Pierre Buyoya returns to Burundi’s history, the actual transition in Burundi seems to face new evolutions. It is thus all the more important to have access to this book, for past processes are necessary to analyze the present and the future.
Burundi can and must continue to be a model of democratic transition. I dare to believe that Burundi already is a textbook case and I sincerely hope that events to come will prove me right. As the author says it himself, the long-term sustainability of peace nonetheless remains in the hands of Burundians.
In this respect, I would like to highlight a topic that matters a great deal to me: the importance given by the author to dialogue and a sincere political commitment to pursue discussion. This is an essential heritage that must be passed on to new generations.
Dialogue - the openness to a respectful exchange - may well be the strongest message that came out of the Arusha negotiations. Indeed, political dialogue, within democratic institutions and within the living forces of the Burundian nation, is the keystone for a sustainable peace.
It is important to preserve “Arusha’s spirit”. Even if everything is not perfect, this spirit, which is perfectly embodied by the Constitution of the country, is the tangible result of the “lesson of democracy” symbolized by the Arusha negotiations.
Given my personal implication in the Burundian process as Belgium’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and later as a European Commissioner, I would also like to add something on the implication of the International Community in this process.
The role of the international community has been essential to thrust the Burundian case into the forefront of the international agenda. International support was not solely financial; it was also political and diplomatic.
The international community continues this work both inside the country, within the Political Directory of the peace process, and at the international level, for instance through the United Nations Peace-building Commission. However, these institutions can only play a supporting role, and can never take the place of the will of the Burundian people.
As the author mentions in the title, the country has been through a great deal, and the long walk is not over yet.
This book will nevertheless provide Burundian lectors with the necessary material to appropriate their own history, as well as to reflect upon a sustainable solution for the future, in order to overcome the path yet to be covered.
I am therefore convinced that this book will impassion a wide audience interested in understanding the history of such a touching and captivating country in the heart of Africa, through the eyes of one of its protagonists.
I was in Arusha.
I saw a Head of State fully acknowledging his responsibility.
I saw a noble man, driven by the demanding opinion of his role, writing one of the most difficult pages in the history of his country and people.
Perspective, insight, abnegation, humility, and sense of duty: all of these virtues were summoned by Pierre Buyoya so as to give a chance to the hopes of a beautiful and great people, to whom I feel closer than ever.

Louis Michel
European Commissioner to
Development and Humanitarian Aid
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book was written within the Watson Institute for International Studies (Providence, Rhode-Island, USA). I thus wish to thank the University of Brown that hosted me while I was undertaking my research. I specifically think of the Director of the Watson Institute, Thomas Biersteker and my assistant, Terra Dejong. I am grateful to the Burundians who helped me in shaping up this book: Professors Joseph Ndayisaba, Elias Sentamba, Melchior Mukuri and the journalist Antoine Kaburahe.
My feelings of gratitude also go to the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), which allowed me to undertake my research at Brown University.
Last, I owe a special thought to all the collaborators who accompanied me along the peace process, those who are still alive and those who are not here anymore. They are numerous; I could not name them all. But it is important to stress that the peace process has been a collective work. The results obtained cannot be ascribed to a single person but rather, to many actors that could be classified into several teams. I will only name the leaders of these teams for reasons of convenience.
As I will show later on, the peace process would not have been possible if the government or more rightly the successive governments of transition, had not played a proactive role in the promotion of political dialogue. I would like to offer my thanks to my close collaborators, the executives of the transition period: the Prime Minister Pascal-Firmin Ndimira, the Vice-Presidents Frédéric Bamvuginyumvira, Mathias Sinamenye, Domitien Ndayizeye.
Despite the difficult context in my country, the transition government has always looked forward to collaborating with the Parliament, which was dominated by the political group FRODEBU. I would like to use these acknowledgements as an opportunity to thank once again the Presidents of the National Assembly of the time Léonce Ngendakumana and Jean Minani, and from 1992, the President of the Senate Libère Bararunyeretse for the steps we overcame together along the peace process.
In wartime, the peace process cannot