- Title: BURUNDI: FIGHTING DENTS CEASEFIRE HOPES
- Date: 25th April 2004
- Summary: (W8) BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI (APRIL 23, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SLV BUJUMBURA, STREET SCENES, PEOPLE 0.11 2. MV BURUNDI MINISTER OF INFORMATION ONESINE NDUWIMANA ENTERING OFFICE 0.19 3. (SOUNDBITE) (FRENCH) ONESINE NDUWIMANA SAYING "The government welcomes the initiative. It is a sign that Palipe Hutu FNL (Forces of National Liberation) finally under
- Embargoed: 10th May 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BUJUMBURA, KABEZI, MAKAMBA, BURUNDI
- Country: Burundi
- Reuters ID: LVA8EEPWQXQTFSBEUSB3NCX2IJFJ
- Story Text: Burundi fighting dents ceasefire hopes
Peace hopes flickered briefly when the FNL (Forces
of National Liberation) declared a ceasefire early on
Thursday (April 22, 2004) saying it wanted to join a transitional
government trying to shepherd the tiny country of 6.5
million to peace 10 years of civil war.
But Burundi's army and Hutu rebels fought a second
straight day of clashes on Friday (April 23), a day after
the ceasefire declaration by the insurgents.
The militant FNL is the only Hutu rebel group that had
still been fighting the Tutsi-dominated government, often
attacking troops in its stronghold close to the capital.
Rebels from the Hutu majority have fought a decade-long
civil war that has killed 300,000 people to try to end the
traditional dominance of the minority Tutsi community.
The group denied it had started the latest fighting.
Political analysts say the fighting damages hopes the
country can hold elections planned by the end of the year
under a 2000 peace accord.
Hopes for the polls rose sharply late last year when the
main Hutu rebel group, the Forces for the Defence of
Democracy, agreed to stop fighting and joined the coalition
government.
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