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Date : 19/08/2004
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Answers to questions in the National Assembly


QUESTIONS PUT TO DEPUTY PRESIDENT ZUMA FOR ORAL REPLY IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR ORAL REPLY, 19 August 2004

QUESTION NUMBER: 1
DATE: 19 AUGUST 2004

Mr DJ Sithole (ANC) to ask the Deputy President:

(1) With reference to the recent negotiations on peace in Burundi, (a) what are the prospects of the elections in that country being held by the end of October 2004 as stipulated in the Arusha Agreement and Pretoria Agreement and (b) what instruments are envisaged to ensure a viable post-election political environment in Burundi;

(2) Whether South Africa's participation in Burundi has enhanced our standing as a peacemaker on the Continent; if so, what are the relevant details?

REPLY

1. (a) I am still optimistic that elections in Burundi can be held by the end of October 2004. On 6 August 2004 about twenty political parties including the Transitional Government of Burundi concluded a Power Sharing Agreement in Pretoria. During that process they also committed themselves to holding the elections in terms of the stipulations of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement of 28 August 2000, which put the date for the elections at the end of October 2004. This agreement was endorsed by the Summit of the Great Lakes Regional Peace initiative on Burundi, which met in Tanzania yesterday. The Summit also called on the Transitional Government of Burundi to ensure that the Independent Electoral Commission is in place by the 29th of August. The newly formed Electoral Commission is the only body that will be in a position to assess the practicalities of holding the elections and advise whether any changes need to be made. We are guided by the Arusha Agreement, which sets the transitional period at three years. We also need to ensure that all that we do contributes to the attainment of peace and stability in Burundi.

(b) The instruments envisaged to ensuring a viable post-election environment would be enshrined in the post-transition constitution in terms of the principles stipulated in the Arusha Agreement and other legal principles as may be agreed by the Barundians themselves as they deem necessary. Among other things the Constitution will include:

* a Charter of the Basic Rights and Duties of the Individual and Citizen
* the opening up of all political parties to all Barundi
* that the candidates' lists presented by political parties should reflect an inclusive multi-ethnic character
* that the Senate will be constituted on a 50/50 basis

2. I believe that South Africa has made a significant contribution to peace in Burundi through its protection of the Burundi returning exiles; its participation in the African Union Mission in Burundi as a key force and its role in facilitating negotiations between the various parties.

QUESTION NUMBER: 2
DATE: 19 AUGUST 2004

The Leader of the Opposition (DA) to ask the Deputy President:

(1) Whether in the light of the fact that the President holds the African Union's Peace and Security Council chairpersonship for August 2004, the President has officially rebuked the Sudanese Government for its support of the militias committing atrocities in the Darfur region of Western Sudan; if not, why not; of so, what steps have been taken in this regard?

(2) Whether, in the light of the US Congress decision of July 2004 to declare the atrocities being committed by Government-backed militia in the Darfur region of Sudan to be genocide, and given the fact that the Presidency has so far maintained a silence on the humanitarian crisis in the Sudan, the Presidency supports the US Congress resolution; if not, why not; if so, what factors were used to determine such a decision?

REPLY:

(1). While the South African Government has taken keen interest in the resolution of the Darfur conflict and the ensuing humanitarian crisis, a fundamental objective of South Africa's foreign policy is to deal collectively with problems occurring in other African countries in regional and continental bodies established specifically for this purpose. For that reason South Africa will continue to work, within and through the AU Peace and Security Council, towards the resolution of the Darfur crisis and will not make any unilateral statements on the crisis.

Through the African Union South Africa is committed to ensuring that there is peace, security and stability in the Darfur region. As a result we have been fully behind every effort taken by the AU aimed at resolving the crisis.

This includes the decision by the AU Peace and Security Council, as the situation deteriorated, to transform its Military Observer Mission into a fully-fledged peace-keeping mission of approximately 2 000 troops, responsible for, among other things, disarming the Janjaweed militia.

(2) With regards to the US Congress resolution on Darfur, the South African Government would like to reiterate the fact that South Africa supports and concurs with the AU views on the Darfur situation. In this regard, the South African government supports the AU Peace and Security Council Communiqu

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