Burundi crisis talks in bid to end political violence

Government and opposition rivals are meeting in Burundi Wednesday in a bid to end deadly demonstrations against a third term bid by the president, as regional foreign ministers arrived to add pressure.

Protesters have defied calls to end demonstrations, after more than a week of running battles in which over a dozen people have been killed, including police.

President Pierre Nkurunziza, a former rebel leader from the Hutu majority who has been in power since 2005, has come under intense international pressure to withdraw from the June 26 presidential poll.

"This is a last chance meeting, they have to come up with concrete solutions so that elections can be held in acceptable conditions," a diplomat said, warning international funding for polls could be cut if a deal was not struck.

US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Monday that he was "deeply concerned" about Nkurunziza's decision to stand again, which he said "flies directly in the face of the constitution".

The rivals met late Tuesday and talks were expected to continue Wednesday, as protests continued in some areas of the capital.

East African foreign ministers, from neighbouring Rwanda and Tanzania, as well as Kenya and Uganda, arrived "to listen to all parties in the conflict, and to try to propose ways out of crisis," foreign ministry spokesman Daniel Kabuto said.

- Court approves third term bid -

The meetings come after furious protesters dismissed a constitutional court ruling that allows Nkurunziza to run in June elections.

The court ruled Tuesday a third term was allowed -- after the court's vice-president refused to sign the ruling and fled the country instead.

Vice President Prosper Bazombanza has pleaded for protests to end, offering to release demonstrators who have been arrested, lift arrest warrants issued for key civil society leaders and reopen independent radio stations -- provided "protests and the insurrection stop".

A government source, speaking like the diplomat on condition of anonymity, confirmed the government had "agreed to talk with some partners in civil society and the opposition to find a solution."

But one of leaders of the campaign against Nkurunziza's third term said they were doubtful the talks would result in a deal.

"We talked late into the night," he said, also asking not to be named.

"But I'm afraid we won't succeed -- because the government does not want to discuss the third mandate of Nkurunziza, and this issue is non-negotiable for us."

Burundi, where a 13-year civil war between Tutsis and Hutus ended only in 2006, has been rocked by violent protests since the CNDD-FDD designated Nkurunziza to stand in what critics say is in defiance of the constitution and the Arusha accords which ended the war.

Nkurunziza's supporters say he is eligible to run again since his first term in office followed his election by parliament -- not directly by the people as the constitution specifies.

Last week the East African Community (EAC) -- the five-nation bloc that includes Burundi -- called in a statement for talks to ease tensions and to ensure "the realisation of a peaceful, free and fair electoral process."

The EAC also called on Burundi to "ensure that the electoral process does not lead to humanitarian crisis", noting that tens of thousands of Burundians have already fled into neighbouring nations fearing violence.
Source: AFP