Resolution Atelier Gitega

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Country/entity: Burundi
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Resolution Atelier Gitega
Date: 11 Oct 2016
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Burundian Civil War (1993-2005)
The conflict had an ethnic base between Hutu and Tutsi populations, and is one of a set of regionally connected conflicts also addressed n the Great Lakes process. Since independence in 1972, the Burundian political landscape has been polarised and marked by ethnic-based tensions, political assassinations and large-scale violence. For the following two decades, three Tutsi military regimes associated with the Union for National Progress (UPRONA) ruled the country. During these military dictatorships, numerous waves of mass violence resulted from the attempts of various opposition rebels groups to destabilise the three regimes, and the regimes’ use of violence to repress these attempts. Despite a wave of hope in the early 1990’s, Burundi entered a decade-long civil war in 1993 following the assassination of Burundi’s first democratically elected president, Melchior Ndadaye, from the ethnically-Hutu Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU) by Tutsi opposition in the military.
In 1998 the Arusha Peace Talks commenced and in August 2000, international pressure resulted in the signing of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi. However, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNND) did not sign. Additionally, and Party for the Liberation of Hutu People (Palipehutu) did not participate in negotiations. These outsiders continued sporadic violence until 2008. In 2015, a new wave of political violence is taking place after President Nkurunziza, from the CNDD-FDD which has been in power since 2005, won a contested third-mandate.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Burundi: 2015 onwards process
Parties: Leaders of Burundian political parties
Third parties: -
Description: Burundian political parties met to discuss the role of political leaders in building peace, and agreed on a set of actions to foster peace, primarily related to political parties, constitutional reform.

Agreement document: BI_161011_Resolution Atelier Gitega_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): BI_161011_Resolution Atelier Gitega_FR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: Groups→Refugees/displaced persons→Rhetorical
Page 2:
20. The Government of the Republic of Burundi must be concerned about the security of all Burundians who are refugees abroad and who have decided to return to the country;
...
23. The Government of the Republic of Burundi should accelerate the process of repatriation of Burundian refugees through targeted sensitization actions and find effective mechanisms to reassure Burundian politicians in exile so that they may return to the country and continue the inter- Burundian dialogue together;
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): Page 1:
Given the democratic culture of Burundi in general, and in order to create a peaceful environment for the 2020 (and future) elections, whilst taking into account the past and ongoing inter-Burundian dialogues, the Ministry of the Interior and Patriotic Education arranged a meeting with political leaders and parties on the following theme: The Role of Political Leaders in Building Peace Through Dialogue, in Gitega on 11/10/2016.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: Page 1:
...participants agreed on the following:
...
3. The leaders of the political parties will prepare for the democratic elections of 2020 by releasing in the following days an agreement for these elections;

4. The government of the Republic of Burundi must apply the laws governing both political parties and the civil society for everyone, without any bias;

5. The Ministry of the Interior and Patriotic Education, as well as the leaders of the political parties each commit themselves to respecting the law governing political parties in Burundi;

6. Evaluation of the events and plan of action leading up to the 2015 elections
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: Governance→Political parties reform→Other political parties reform
Page 1:
...participants agreed on the following:
...
3. The leaders of the political parties will prepare for the democratic elections of 2020 by releasing in the following days an agreement for these elections;

4. The government of the Republic of Burundi must apply the laws governing both political parties and the civil society for everyone, without any bias;

5. The Ministry of the Interior and Patriotic Education, as well as the leaders of the political parties each commit themselves to respecting the law governing political parties in Burundi;
...
9. The Ministry of the Interior and Patriotic Education is requested to strictly enforce the law governing political parties. Political parties undertake to scrupulously respect their statutes;

Pages 2-3
24. Establishment of an Arbitration Board within the Ministry of the Interior and Patriotic Education to amicably resolve, in collaboration with the Permanent Dialogue Forum for Political Parties, the problems that arise between political parties;

25. The Government of the Republic of Burundi undertakes to further strengthen the political landscape;
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: Governance→Constitution→Constitutional reform/making
Page 1:
...participants agreed on the following:
...
8. Revision of the Constitution of the Republic, taking into account the outcome of the ongoing inter-Burundian dialogue;

Page 2:
11. Implement the recommendations of the National Commission for the Inter-Burundian Dialogue (CNDI), including the revision of the Constitution of the Republic of Burundi;
...
21. Establishment of a National Commission to propose any amendments to the Constitution, taking into account the outcome of the ongoing Inter-Burundian dialogue;

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: Page 2:
12. Strengthen the mechanism for monitoring, control and regulation of non-governmental organizations abroad (ENGOs) and non-profit associations (NPOs) working in the field of human rights;
...
15. Periodic publishing of a report on the human rights situation in Burundi by the CNIDH;

16. Translation and distribution in the national language of the Government's counter-report on the human rights situation in Burundi;
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: Rights related issues→Media and communication→Media roles
Page 2:
22.The media must stop giving a voice to anyone who self-declares as the president of a political party when he or she is not one at all. On this issue, the National Communication Council (CNC) must ensure compliance with the law relating thereto;
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: Page 2:
13. Reinforcement of legal entities within the defence and security forces;

14. Awareness-raising of civilians on the safeguarding mechanisms of security agencies: Quadrilogy and Mixed Committee for Human Safety;
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: Page 2:
17. Call for everyone to fight cybercrime
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: On file with PA-X PI

RESOLUTION OF THE MEETING ORGANIZED FOR LEADERS OF AND THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR BURUNDIAN POLITICAL PARTIES, GITEGA 11 OCTOBER 2016

Given the democratic culture of Burundi in general, and in order to create a peaceful environment for the 2020 (and future) elections, whilst taking into account the past and ongoing inter-Burundian dialogues, the Ministry of the Interior and Patriotic Education arranged a meeting with political leaders and parties on the following theme:

The Role of Political Leaders in Building Peace Through Dialogue, in Gitega on 11/10/2016.

At the end of this meeting, participants agreed on the following:

1. They acknowledge and congratulate the Government of Burundi for its unprecedented efforts to bring peace and safety to the whole country, despite the disturbances that affected us all during the 2015 democratic elections;

2. They pay tribute to the Burundian government for organizing the inter-Burundian dialogue that is taking place throughout the country and for having accepted any dialogue with Burundians who are outside the country;

3. The leaders of the political parties will prepare for the democratic elections of 2020 by releasing in the following days an agreement for these elections;

4. The government of the Republic of Burundi must apply the laws governing both political parties and the civil society for everyone, without any bias;

5. The Ministry of the Interior and Patriotic Education, as well as the leaders of the political parties each commit themselves to respecting the law governing political parties in Burundi;

6. Evaluation of the events and plan of action leading up to the 2015 elections;

7. Effort should be made to return any external inter-Burundian dialogue to the country, with a view to enhancing synergy between the Facilitator and the CNDI;

8. Revision of the Constitution of the Republic, taking into account the outcome of the ongoing inter-Burundian dialogue;

9. The Ministry of the Interior and Patriotic Education is requested to strictly enforce the law governing political parties.

Political parties undertake to scrupulously respect their statutes;

10. In accordance with UN resolutions 2248 and 2279, persons found to be in jail for their involvement in the failed coup on 13 May 2015 and for violence during the insurrectional movement that occurred on 26 April 2015 must first answer for their actions before participating in the inter-Burundian dialogue;

11. Implement the recommendations of the National Commission for the Inter-Burundian Dialogue (CNDI), including the revision of the Constitution of the Republic of Burundi;

12. Strengthen the mechanism for monitoring, control and regulation of non-governmental organizations abroad (ENGOs) and non-profit associations (NPOs) working in the field of human rights;

13. Reinforcement of legal entities within the defence and security forces;

14. Awareness-raising of civilians on the safeguarding mechanisms of security agencies:

Quadrilogy and Mixed Committee for Human Safety;

15. Periodic publishing of a report on the human rights situation in Burundi by the CNIDH;

16. Translation and distribution in the national language of the Government's counter-report on the human rights situation in Burundi;

17. Call for everyone to fight cybercrime

18. Develop appropriate bilateral diplomacy and multilateral diplomacy;

19. Assessment of the implementation of the Arusha Agreements by the Senate with a view to proposing any relevant recommendations to the Government;

20. The Government of the Republic of Burundi must be concerned about the security of all Burundians who are refugees abroad and who have decided to return to the country;

21. Establishment of a National Commission to propose any amendments to the Constitution, taking into account the outcome of the ongoing Inter-Burundian dialogue;

22.The media must stop giving a voice to anyone who self-declares as the president of a political party when he or she is not one at all.

On this issue, the National Communication Council (CNC) must ensure compliance with the law relating thereto;

23. The Government of the Republic of Burundi should accelerate the process of repatriation of Burundian refugees through targeted sensitization actions and find effective mechanisms to reassure Burundian politicians in exile so that they may return to the country and continue the inter- Burundian dialogue together;

24. Establishment of an Arbitration Board within the Ministry of the Interior and Patriotic Education to amicably resolve, in collaboration with the Permanent Dialogue Forum for Political Parties, the problems that arise between political parties;

25. The Government of the Republic of Burundi undertakes to further strengthen the political landscape;

26. Given the fact that the Burundian Government was legal, legitimate and effective, they ask the international community to lift all sanctions imposed on them.

27. Political parties agree on prohibiting any political intolerance;