In Burundi, the government is reported to have rejected a UN proposal for a forum by the country’s donor partners. But the government sharply disagrees, saying the report is malicious and a calculated attempt to distract the government in its drive to help develop the country. Karanga Ramadan is the spokesman for the Burundian government.
Speaking to English to Africa reporter Peter Clottey, Ramadan said, “That information is completely wrong and understandable because the government of Burundi is the one which requested the organization of such a forum in order to have enough resources to help the new government, which is only four or five months old, to start rebuilding the country after more than ten years of civil war. So I officially say here that, this wrong information, I don’t know if it was deliberate or not, but it is completely false.” And you cannot say that the Burundi government can reject such and important forum. And which outcome will be at the end of the day beneficial to the government of Burundi.”
Talking about the seriousness of the rebels to negotiate peace with the government, Ramadan said, “Nobody is taking those guys very seriously. Because they are one time saying they are willing to negotiate and on another time they are also continuing to kill our people.” Ramadan said they are working within the African Union framework to fight what he called negative forces in the Great Lakes region.
