Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue c o u n t r y s t u d y number 1 • march 2008 The Negotiation of Security Issues in the Burundi Peace Talks —Richard Barltrop— ABOUT THE HD CENTRE The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre) is an independent Swiss Foundation dedicated to help- ing improve the global response to armed conflict. It attempts to achieve this by mediating between warring parties and providing support to the broader mediation community. The HD Centre is driven by humanitarian values and its ultimate goal is to reduce the consequences of violent conflict, improve security, and ultimately con- tribute to the peaceful resolution of conflict. The HD Centre began operations in 1999 and has since become one of the world’s leading conflict mediation organisa- tions. Operational engagements are comple mented by policy and analytical work focused on civilian protection, mediation techniques, transitional issues and arms and security matters. Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue 114 rue de Lausanne Geneva, 1202 Photo: One hundred guns were set alight in Muramvya, Switzerland Burundi, on 2 December 2004 to mark the start of a programme to demobilise at least 55,000 former fighters. Phone +41 22 908 1130 © Reuters/Jean Pierre Harerimana. Fax +41 22 908 1140 Copy-editing: Wynne Russell ([email protected]) E-mail [email protected] Design & layout: Richard Jones ([email protected]) Website www.hdcentre.org Printing: Paul Green Printing, London The Negotiation of Security Issues in the Burundi Peace Talks —Richard Barltrop— NEGOTIATING DISARMAMENT: STRATEGIES FOR TACKLING SECURITY ISSUES IN PEACE PROCESSES Negotiating Disarmament explores issues surrounding making, including mediators, government officials, the planning, timing and techniques of a range of armed groups, donors, civil society and UN officials; security issues: violence reduction, weapons control, • demystify concerns through identifying strategies, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration trends and lessons over time; activities and justice and security sector transformation • identify and describe common obstacles faced in in the processes of peacemaking—negotiations, addressing security issues in peace processes, and agreements and implementation strategies. Through suggest ways these may be tackled; and expert meetings, specific peace process reviews, • contribute to the generation of analysis and the perception studies, interviews and analysing experiences building of linkages within the violence reduction over the last two decades, as well as drawing upon and prevention, peacemaking, peacebuilding, conflict the HD Centre’s own operational engagements, it resolution, and arms control communities. aims to: The project is supported by the Governments of • provide practical and accessible guidance on a range Canada, Norway and Switzerland. For more informa­ of security issues to those actively engaged in peace­ tion, go to www.hdcentre.org 2 Negotiating Disarmament Country Study Number 1 CONTENTS Author, Additional Contributors and Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Terms and Definitions ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Section 1: Background to War ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Section 2: The Peace Negotiations ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Section 3: Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Section 4: Security Sector Reform ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30 Section 5: Weapons Control and Reduction ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Section 6: Assistance to Survivors of Armed Violence ........................................................................................................................................................... 39 Section 7: Observations ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 42 Section 8: Suggested Further Resources .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 45 Annex 1: List of Interviews ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 47 Endnotes ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Box 1: Selected Burundi historical timeline ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Box 2: Parties to the war in Burundi ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Box 3: Timeline of key meetings and agreements ........................................................................................................................................................................ 16 Box 4: Women’s roles and interests in the Burundi peace process ............................................................................................................................ 22 Box 5: The World Bank Multi­Country Demobilization and Reintegration Program ................................................................. 27 Box 6: Armed violence in Burundi ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 The Negotiation of Security Issues in the Burundi Peace Talks 3 AUTHOR, ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Author provided research and editorial assistance and works Dr. Richard Barltrop undertook the primary research for the UN Development Programme. Previously she for the report, carrying out interviews in Burundi in worked at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue from December 2007. He is a consultant and researcher 2002 to 2007. Wynne Russell provided structural and has worked for the UN Development Programme and copy­editing assistance and is an independent and UN Country Teams in Iraq, Libya, Somalia and researcher focussing on masculinity and violent conflict. Sudan. Dr. Barltrop’s doctorate in international rela­ Information is also included from interviews and tions at Oxford University focused on conflict reso­ research by Nicolas Florquin and Stéphanie Pézard lution and humanitarian action in Sudan. His wider commissioned by the Centre for Humanitarian research interests are in conflict prevention and resolu­ Dialogue in 2006 on the issue of assistance to victims tion, and political and economic governance in Africa and survivors of armed violence in Burundi. and the Middle East. Acknowledgements Additional contributors Over the course of the ‘Negotiating Disarmament’ Cate Buchanan is the manager of the ‘Negotiating project, the Governments of Canada, Norway and Disarmament’ project, of which this report is one in Switzerland have been steady supporters. The trip to a series of publications. Since 2001 she has managed Burundi for the interviews was funded by Switzerland. the arms and violence reduction portfolio at the External reviews and publication production was Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. In addition to funded by Canada. The Centre is appreciative of this commissioning the research, she undertook further support as well as the advice, input and other assist­ research and editorial work on the report. Emile ance from officials of these governments. LeBrun provided research and editorial assistance Gratitude is extended