Rwanda: March 30, 2004

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Burundi, aiming to reduce as much as possible tribal political infighting in general elections planned for later this year, agreed to a plan that would alternate presidential power between Hutus and Tutsis. The new Burundi Senate would be ethnically balanced. The problem in Burundi, of course, is that political infighting runs the immediate risk of escalating to another round of open warfare. Burundi also plans to eliminate tribally-based political parties. That will be tough. However, the Burundian government is at least admitting that in too many cases in Africa, a political party is really a tribal front organization. (Austin Bay)