Burundi deal 'paves way' for peace

Hutu refugees were told the camps were for their own protection

Former South African President Nelson Mandela and President Pierre Buyoya of Burundi have announced an agreement on two key conditions to end a civil war that has killed more than 200,000 people in Burundi.

They said after Johannesburg talks that Burundi's Tutsi-dominated army would be restructured to include an equal representation of the country's Hutu majority.

"We agreed with President Buyoya on the integration issue - that there would 50% Tutsi and 50% Hutu in the army," said Mr Mandela, who was named mediator in the Burundi conflict late last year.

"We also agreed that all Hutus in regroupment camps will be released by 31 July," he said.

Hundreds of thousands of Hutus have been forced into these camps, which the government claimed was for their protection from Hutu rebels.

The camps were described by Mr Mandela recently as "concentration camps".

Controversial camps

The United Nations and European Union have also criticised the camps and aid officials have described them as ill-conceived and dangerous, with risks to health.

President Buyoya: Seized power in bloodless coup

Mr Mandela is hoping to convene the first all-party talks at Arusha in Tanzania next month.

Last month he held closed-door talks with armed groups and representatives of the Burundi Government.

The Burundian Government has said it wants to hold face-to-face talks with the main rebel factions, but insists that there must be a ceasefire before any meaningful political settlement can be reached.

War broke out in the small central African country in 1993, and several rebel Hutu factions are pitted against the Tutsi-dominated government and army.