The Situation in Burundi, G.A. res. 50/159, 50 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 73, U.N. Doc. A/50/49 (Vol. I) (1995).
The General Assembly, Taking into account the report of the Secretary-General of 11 October 1995, Noting with satisfaction the beneficial role played by the Secretary- General, and welcoming the mission carried out by his Special Representative for Burundi, Noting also the praiseworthy efforts made by the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity and his Special Representative, Welcoming the holding at Bujumbura from 15 to 17 February 1995 of the Regional Conference on Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in the Great Lakes Region, pursuant to resolution CM/Res.1527 (LX) of the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, Reaffirming its resolution 48/118 of 20 December 1993, which stresses the necessity of mobilizing assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa, Recognizing the importance of the missions carried out in August 1994 and February 1995 by representatives of the Security Council and of the statements by the President of the Security Council of 9 March 1995 and 29 March 1995 on the situation in Burundi, Recognizing also the efforts being made by the Organization of African Unity and by its current Chairman to assist Burundi in regaining peace, confidence and stability, Recognizing further the important role played by the Organization of African Unity Mission in Burundi, and stressing the need for the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity to coordinate their efforts in dealing with the situation in Burundi, Welcoming the agreement signed on 22 September 1994 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Government of Burundi on the implementation of a major programme of technical assistance and advisory services in the field of human rights, the various components of which form part of preventive action supported by the international community, Appreciating the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote and protect human rights in Burundi, in particular by setting up an office of the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat and by mobilizing international cooperation in the quest for peace and security in Burundi, Reiterating the special importance of the Convention on Governance signed on 10 September 1994, Welcoming the constructive negotiations between the parties signatories to the Convention on Governance, which resulted in the formation of a coalition Government on 1 March 1995, Expressing great regret at the subversive acts, acts of violence and looting perpetrated by armed terrorist groups and armed militias against innocent populations which seriously jeopardize civil peace, Welcoming the joint message of the President and the Prime Minister of Burundi addressed to the Secretary-General, and condemning the inflammatory broadcasts transmitted by the radio station "La voix de la democratie - Ijwi Ry'abanyagihugu", as well as those transmitted by other radio stations which incite ethnic hatred in Burundi, Stressing the importance of cooperation between all parties in Burundi in order to achieve national reconciliation and respect for human rights, Taking note of the declaration on Burundi adopted by the Eleventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, from 18 to 20 October 1995, Welcoming the establishment, by Security Council resolution 1012 (1995) of 28 August 1995, of the International Commission of Inquiry in Burundi, as mandated in paragraph 1 of that resolution, Welcoming also the Declaration adopted at Cairo on 29 November 1995 by the heads of State of the Great Lakes region with the assistance of President Jimmy Carter, President Julius Nyerere and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 1. Congratulates the political parties of the Mouvance presidentielle and of the Burundian opposition on the outcome of their dialogue and their concerted action, which led to the formation of a coalition Government representing the different shades of opinion; 2. Calls upon all the guarantors of the Convention on Governance to ensure its full and impartial implementation for the benefit of all; 3. Again encourages all the parties to that Convention and its additional protocols to abide strictly by them; 4. Urges all political parties, military leaders, the media and civil society to dissociate themselves from extremist forces, to reject all extremism and all ethnic or political fanaticism, to settle disputes through negotiation and dialogue and to unite in order to bring about national reconciliation and respect for human rights; 5. Expresses its conviction concerning the need to increase preventive action in Burundi without delay, in particular through the presence of human rights experts and through human rights training programmes, in full cooperation with the Government of Burundi; 6. Strongly urges all the people of Burundi to cooperate with the coalition Government and with the security forces to promote national reconciliation and to fight all forms of extremism, in particular by armed terrorist groups and armed militias; 7. Condemns all those from within or outside the country who are attacking innocent populations, arming extremists, heedlessly violating human rights and seriously undermining national peace and security; 8. Calls upon all parties to create the conditions for the return of refugees and internally displaced persons; 9. Also condemns the militia attack on the Organization of African Unity Mission in Burundi which took place on 14 June 1995 in the province of Cibitoke and resulted in the death of a military observer of that organization; 10. Endorses resolution CM/Res.1582 (LXII) on Burundi, adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity at its sixty-second ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 21 to 23 June 1995; 11. Endorses also the declaration on Burundi adopted at Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, on 20 October 1995 by the heads of State or Government of non-aligned countries; 12. Requests the States Members of the United Nations and international organizations to cooperate with the Government of Burundi and other Governments of the region in the identification and dismantling of radio stations which incite hatred and encourage acts of genocide; 13. Invites all political partners to organize, in accordance with the Convention on Governance, a national debate on the country's basic problems with a view to the conclusion of a national covenant and the adoption of a constitution adapted to the current socio-political requirements; 14. Supports the role assigned to the International Commission of Inquiry in Burundi, as mandated by Security Council resolution 1012 (1995), as an important step towards the eradication of impunity; 15. Encourages the international community and the Government of Burundi to implement the various recommendations of the Plan of Action adopted by the Regional Conference on Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in the Great Lakes Region, held at Bujumbura from 15 to 17 February 1995; 16. Appeals earnestly to the States that signed the Cairo Declaration on the Great Lakes Region of 29 November 1995 to abide faithfully by the commitments embodied in that declaration and designed to provide appropriate solutions in order to eliminate the socio-political conflicts currently taking place in that part of Africa; 17. Encourages the Secretary-General to continue his contacts with a view to an early convening of the Regional Conference on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa, under the auspices of the United Nations, with the collaboration of the Organization of African Unity and with the participation of all the countries of the region; 18. Reiterates its urgent appeal to the international community to continue its efforts to mobilize political, diplomatic, human, economic, financial and material resources with a view to assisting Burundi in definitively overcoming the crisis which it has been facing for more than two years; 19. Invites the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity to continue their respective and complementary missions aimed at securing effective national reconciliation in Burundi, and welcomes in particular the positive role played by the Organization of African Unity Mission of observers; 20. Expresses the hope that the Secretary-General of the United Nations will undertake consultations, following the usual procedure, with the Government of Burundi for the appointment as soon as possible of a special representative possessing all the qualifications, particularly an in-depth knowledge of the socio- political situation in Burundi; 21. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first session the item entitled "The situation in Burundi". |