Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2004
74 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the political and security situation in Burundi; his views on a recent Amnesty International report on Burundi concerning human rights abuses in the country, in particular the incidence of rape; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9983/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere has been significant political progress in Burundi since the signing of the Arusha peace accords in August 2000 and the overall prospects for peace have probably not been as strong in a very long time. Peace agreements concluded between the transitional national Government and the CNDD-FDD movement in November 2003 mean that there is now only one armed group, the FNL, continuing to oppose the peace process. Efforts are continuing to urge the FNL to resume peace negotiations with the government which had begun in January but have since been suspended. As EU Presidency, we have made clear the EU's full support for the current peace efforts and have also called for all sides to conclude a ceasefire and for the FNL to abandon its military campaign and commit fully to the peace process.
The efforts to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace agreement in Burundi have gained renewed momentum since the tragic murder of Archbishop Michael Courtney, the Papal Nuncio to Burundi, on 29 December 2003. The UN Secretary General has now recommended deployment of a UN peace-keeping mission in Burundi to oversee the remaining period of the transition up until the holding of scheduled national elections at the end of October. Ireland, as EU Presidency, has remained very closely engaged in the Burundian peace process and has had a series of contacts with the Burundian Government since the murder of Archbishop Courtney, most recently when I met with Foreign Minister Sinunguruza in Dublin on 9 February 2004. I will be visiting Burundi on 8 April for further consultations on the peace process and to demonstrate the EU's full support for the efforts underway to achieve a lasting peace settlement.
The need to ensure full respect for human rights and to bring to justice those responsible for the very serious incidents of rape and other human rights abuses which Amnesty International have documented in their recent report, clearly represents an imperative for the transitional national government as they seek to re-build Burundi following a decade of conflict. The Arusha peace accords of 2000 contain very clear provisions for tackling impunity, safeguarding human rights and ensuring measures are in place to guard against any re-occurrence of genocide, war crimes or other crimes against humanity. It is necessary for the international community to maintain pressure on the Transitional National Government to ensure these provisions are enacted. Ratification of the Statute of the International Criminal Court by Burundi is also a step which would offer assurance of justice to all those who have suffered human rights abuses during the latter years of the conflict in Burundi. It is my intention to raise these points with the Burundian Government during my forthcoming visit.
I also welcome that a significant human rights component has been included in the mandate for the proposed UN peace-keeping operation in Burundi which the UN Secretary General has now recommended and which the UN Security Council is currently considering.
