N’SELE Ceasefire Agreement 29 March 1991 between the Government of the Republic of Rwanda (GRR) and the Rwandese Patriotic Front as amended at Gbadolite on 16 September 1991 and at Arusha 12 July 1992

• Country/entity

  Rwanda
  
• Region

  Africa (excl MENA)
  
• Agreement name

  N’SELE Ceasefire Agreement 29 March 1991 between the Government of the Republic of Rwanda (GRR) and the Rwandese Patriotic Front as amended at Gbadolite on 16 September 1991 and at Arusha 12 July 1992
• Date

  12 Jul 1992
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Rwandan Civil War (1990 - 1994) )
• Stage

  Ceasefire/related
• Conflict nature

  Government
• Peace process

  Rwanda-RPF process
• Parties

  Government of Rwanda and Rwandese Patriotic Front
• Third parties

  For the facilitator (the United Republic of Tanzania): Hon. Ahmed Hassan DIRIA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
  
  In the presence of the Representative of the Secretary-General of the OAU, M. T. MAPURANGA, Assistant Secretary-General in Charge of Political Affairs
• Description

  This short agreement recognises ceasefire as the first stage of a peace process to culminate in a Peace Agreement. It agrees to put together a neutral military observer group under Organisation for African Unity (OAU) supervision. It provides for the establishment of Joint Political Military Commission (with Rwandan Government and RPF representatives); the formation of a national army with Government and RPF forces; and power-sharing framework; and set a timetable for further negotiations.

• Agreement document

  RW_920712_N'seleCeasefire.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

N’sele Cease-fire Agreement between the Government of the Rwandese Republic and the Rwandese Patriotic Front As amended at Gbadolite on 16 September 1991 and at Arusha on 12 July 1992.

We, the representatives of the Government of the Rwandese Republic and of the Rwandese Patriotic Front:

Mindful of the unfortunate incidents that have occurred between the Rwandese and have affected peace and public order in the country;

Referring to the Communiqués issued by the Heads of State of the Region, meeting in Mwanza (Tanzania) on 17 October 1990, in Gbadolite (Zaire) on 26 October 1990 and in Goma (Zaire) on 20 November 1990;

Considering that all these Summit meetings specifically emphasized the prior need for a ceasefire;

Considering the acceptance of the ceasefire in principle by President Juvenal HABYARIMANA in Zanzibar on 17 February 1991 following his meeting with Presidents Yoweri MUSEVENI of Uganda and Ali Hassan MWINYI of Tanzania;

Mindful of the fact that Presidents Pierre BUYOYA of Burundi, Juvenal HABYARIMANA of Rwanda, Ali Hassan MWINYI of Tanzania, Yoweri MUSEVENI of Uganda and Prime Mininster Lunda BULULU of Zaire, assisted by the Secretary-General of the OAU and a delegate of the UN High Commission for Refugees adopted the Dar-Es-Salaam Declaration of 19 February 1991 mandating President Mobutu SESE SEKO of Zaire to take urgent and immediate steps to usher in dialogue which should culminate in a formal ceasefire agreement between the Government of Rwanda and the Rwandese Patriotic Front;

Mindful of the fact that the ceasefire should facilitate the establishment of negotiations between the Rwandese Government and the Rwandese Patriotic Front aimed at national reconciliation and restoration of lasting peace;

Considering that the two Parties reaffirmed their political will during their meeting in Paris from 6th to 8th June 1992 to find through negotiations a solution to the current conflict as well as related problems;

Considering that both parties are committed to conduct direct negotiations:

Mindful of the fact that both parties reaffirmed the validity of the ceasefire agreement signed at N’sele on 29th March 1991 and as amended on 16th September 1991 in Gbadolite subject to up-dating the agreement by making necessary amendments;

Have on this 12th day of July 1992, agreed on and accepted the following provisions with respect to the ceasefire:

Article I 1.

A cease-fire is hereby established throughout the territory of the Republic of Rwanda, between the Government Forces and those of the Rwandese Patriotic Front.

The cease-fire shall enter into force at midnight (Rwanda time) on 31st July 1992 at the same time as the deployment of the Neutral Military Observer Group.

2.

The entry into force of the cease-fire shall be preceded by a truce, that is, the cessation of fighting, which shall enter into force at midnight (Rwanda time) on 19th July 1992.

3.

The present Cease-fire Agreement is the first stage of a peace process which shall culminate in a Peace Agreement to be signed at the conclusion of the political negotiations.

Article II The cease-fire shall imply:

1.

The cessation of all hostilities for the purpose of dialogue and serious negotiations between the two parties udder the auspices of the Mediator or a Facilitator;

2.

The suspension of supplies of ammunition and weaponry to the field;

3.

The supply of non-lethal logistical needs to the military forces in the field;

4.

The release of all prisoners-of-war;

the effective release of all persons arrested because and as a result of this war within five days following the entryinto force of the Cease-fire Agreement;

5.

The possibility of recovering the remains of the dead;

6.

The withdrawal of all foreign troops after the effective deployment of the Neutral Military Observer Group (NMOG) except for Military Officers serving in Rwanda under bilateral Cooperation Agreements;

7.

A ban on infiltration of troops and on the conveyance of troops and war material to the area occupied by each party;

8.

A ban on any mine-laying operations or the hindering of operations to remove the mines;

9.

The establishment of the Neutral Corridor separating the areas occupied by the two respective forces.

This corridor meant to facilitate the monitoring of the cease-fire by the Neutral Military Observer Group shall be determined in consideration of the front-lines of both armies.

The demarcation on the field shall be established by the representatives of the two armies in the presence of the Neutral Military Observer Group.

Article III 1.

The verification and control of the cease-fire shall be conducted by the neutral military observer group under the supervision of the Secretary-General of OAU.

2.

The Neutral Military Observer Group shall be composed of:

· 10 Officers from Nigeria;

· 10 Officers from Senegal;

· 10 Officers from Zimbabwe;

· 10 Officers from an African country to be chosen by the current Chairman of the OAU in collaboration with the President of the United Republic of Tanzania;

· 5 Officers from the Government of Rwanda;

· 5 Officers from the Rwandese Patriotic Front;

3.

The Neutral Military Observer Group shall report any violation of the cease-fire to the Secretary-General of OAU and a joint political military commission.

4.

The Neutral Military Observer Group shall set up the organs and machinery required for the control and verification of the cease-fire.

It shall draft its own rules of procedure.

It shall enjoy a status that would enable it to perform its mission as provided in the Cease-fire Agreement;

including privileges and immunities enjoyed by the OAU personnel as enshrined in the general agreement.

5.

The Neutral Military Observer Group shall have full communication and other equipment it deems necessary to perform its mission.

The NMOG officers may have specific uniforms with insignia for easy identification, and light weapons for self-defence.

Article IV 1.

A Joint Political Military Commission composed of 5 representatives of the Rwandese Government and 5 of the Rwandese Patriotic Front is established;

2.

The OAU and the following countries are invited to participate, as observers, in the Joint Commission:

Burundl, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire, Belgium, France and the United States of America;

3.

The Joint Commission shall have the following mandate:

- To ensure the follow-up of the implementation of the Cease-fire Agreement;

- To ensure the follow-up of the implementation of the peace Agreement to be signed at the conclusion of the political negotiations;

4.

The Joint Commission shall be based at the OAU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Commission’s Headquarters may be moved upon agreement by both parties;

5.

The Joint Commission shall hold its inaugural meeting not later than 26th July 1992.

Article V The signatories of the present agreement accept the following principles whose modalities of implementation shall be specified during the political negotiations:

1.

Establishment of the rule of law, that is, based namely on national unity, democracy, pluralism, and respect for human rights;

2.

Formation of a national army consisting of Government forces and those of the Rwandese Patriotic Front;

3.

Establishment of power-sharing within the framework of a broad-based transitional government.

Article VI The political negotiations culminating in the peace agreement shall proceed pursuant to the following calendar:

1.

Commencement of the political negotiations:

10th August 1992;

2.

Completion of the political negotiations and signing of the peace agreement:

not later than 10 October 1992;

3.

Completion of the implementation of the mechanisms and conclusions agreed upon pursuant to the peace Agreement:

not later than 10 January 1993.

Article VII In the present Agreement:

1. “

Cease-fire” shall mean the cessation of all hostilities between the forces of the Government of the Rwandese Republic and those of the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF) throughout the national territory of Rwanda.

2. “

Cessation of hostilities” shall mean the end of all military operations, all harmful civil operations and denigrating and unfounded propaganda through the mass media.

3. “

Violation of the Cease-fire” shall mean the non-observance of one of the points mentioned in Article II.

4. “

Violation of the Cease-fire Agreement” shall mean the non-observance of any provision of the agreement.

Done in Arusha on 12th July 1992.

For the Rwandese Government:

(Signed) Boniface NGULINZIRA Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation For the Rwandese Patriotic Front:

(Signed) Pasteur BIZIMUNGU Member of the Executive Committee for Information and Documentation For the Facilitator (the United Republic of Tanzania) (Signed) Hon.

Ahmed Hassan DIRIA (MP) Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation In the presence of the Representative of the Secretary-General of the OAU (Signed) M. T. MAPURANGA Assistant Secretary-General in Charge of Political Affairs