June 4,2008:
The Burundian Army's Rapid Mobile Intervention Group (GMIR is the French
acronym) is accused of illegal detention and torture in 2007. The GMIR is generally regarded as the
Burundian Army's elite force.
May 30,
2008: The head of a Forces for National Liberation (FNL-PALIPEHUTU) faction
that had quit the peace process, returned to Burundi's capital, Bujumbura. A
member of the peace mediation team in Burundi said the return of Agathon Rwasa
was part of a new push to revive the peace process and put the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement into full effect. South African peacekeepers were part of the
official contingent that met Rwasa (the contingent included government members
and international diplomats). That's telling. Rwasa's FNL faction (Party for
the Liberation of the Hutu People) argues that the Burundi military is not
trustworthy and cannot be trusted.
May 20,
2008: UN mediators and representatives from sub-Saharan Africa states believe
the Burundi peace process is "getting back on track." Contacts with the FNL-PALIPEHUTU have been
renewed.
May 8,
2008: The Burundian Army claimed that it had killed 50 members of the
FNL-PALIPEHUTU in a series of firefights near Bujumbura (the Kabezi area, 20
kilometers south of the city). Subsequently, the FNL faction said that government
forces launched an attack. The rebels said the attack undermined diplomatic
moves to restart the Burundi peace process.
May 7,
2008: The Burundi government believe that many fighters have left the
FNL-PALIPEHUTU and that the faction now has fewer than 3,000 rebels. The
faction disputes this count. That said, the 3000 figure has been batted around
for several months. Some of the recent firefights have involved several hundred
FNL gunmen, which could indicate great strength or that government forces
have hit major rebel bases.