Burundi approves genocide law

Burundi approves genocide law

The transitional parliament in Burundi has passed a law chiefly aimed at preventing genocide.

This is part of Burundi's peace accord, which was signed in the Tanzanian town of Arusha in 2000.

President Buyoya insisted on a genocide law

Burundian Foreign Minister Therence Sinunguruza - who submitted the draft bill to parliament - described the vote as an important step forward in implementing the peace agreement.

Hundreds of thousands of people, mainly civilians, were killed in the civil war which broke out in 1993 between the minority Tutsi-dominated Burundian army and majority Hutu-led rebel movements.

The peace accord has failed to halt the fighting.

Correspondents say there was tension in parliament during the debate because the mainly Hutu Frodebu party were worried that the law could be aimed at them.

Some Hutus are already being accused by Tutsis of committing genocide against them.

Correspondents also point out that the outgoing Tutsi President Pierre Buyoya had personally made the passing of the genocide law a condition of his handing over power on 1 May 2003.

Vice-presidential hopefuls

Meanwhile, there is still uncertainty over who will be the new deputy to the Hutu president who succeeds Mr Buyoya.

According to the terms of the peace agreement for the transitional national government, Mr Buyoya, who is a Tutsi, is to hand over to his current Hutu vice president Domitien Ndayizeye.

The ethnic Tutsi-dominated parties, who are to provide the candidate, President Buyoya has asked the Tutsi dominated political parties to come up with one name by Friday.

Prime Ndumagenge in Bujumbura reports that there are three aspirants with Alsphonse Kadege, the president of the strongest and most influential Tutsi parties, the Union for National Progress (Uprona), most likely to become vice president.

Uprona is the party of the out-going president.