|PIC1|An abundance of illegal guns in the hands of civilians and ex-combatants is threatening to stall peace efforts in the central African nation of Burundi and undermine security once more.

The guns are being used in robberies, killings and violence against women and children, Methodist Bishop Noe Nzeyimana said in an interview in the capital city, Bujumbura. "Insecurity in Burundi is because of these arms which are everywhere."

Burundi has been caught in a cycle of conflicts since independence in 1962. But church leaders and government officials are now looking to keep peace efforts on track and have invited a delegation of African leaders with experience in disarming populations to work with them.

"We have ex-combatants who have been demobilised but not disarmed. They have also not been re-integrated," explained Fred Nyabera, the Kenyan Baptist executive secretary of the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes Region and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA).

"The gun gives them identity, in situation where ex-combatants feel they need to defend themselves against an external threat," added Nyabera.

The delegation is part of the Eminent Persons Ecumenical Programme (EPEPPA) and includes representatives from the World Council of Churches (WCC), the All Africa Conference of Churches and FECCLAHA, including Joaquim Chissano, the former president of Mozambique.

Although a peace process is currently being implemented in the country, one rebel group, the Palipehutu-FNL, has remained outside the process. For those who are party to the ceasefire agreement a proper disarmament programme has not been carried out.

"We need to settle the situation. We need to calm these triggers," said Youssef Mahmoud, the executive representative of the UN secretary general in Burundi, while meeting the delegation.

"For us the issue of insecurity comes first. It feeds into the absence of FNL [in full Palipehutu-Forces for National Liberation]," Mahmoud said.

The delegation heard from the church leaders how ordinary people had become targets of assassinations because of issues around property and land. But the government has not been eager to disarm the population saying the Palipehutu-FNL are still in the bush.

"They have not removed the arms from the people because they fear they may need to them defend themselves," Joaquim Chissano, the former president of Mozambique explained. Chissano was part of a successful disarmament programme in Mozambique known as Transforming Guns into Hoes.

Nzeyimana confirms the protection is against the Palipehutu-FNL. "If they [FNL] can talk to the government and sign a ceasefire this will bring peace in Burundi. It is very important at the moment," he said.

The National Council of Churches of Burundi (CNEB) has been collecting some arms, through other organisations, as well as sensitising the population to hand over the arms voluntarily. Nearly 2000 guns have been handed to the organisations, according to source in CNEB, but the programme has faced strong challenges.

"The experience of other churches can help us. We have heard the experience of the churches in Mozambique. We would want to hear that of others in other countries like Sierra Leone, then we see what we can use," said Nzeyimana.

"In Mozambique, after the peace agreement was signed in Rome, the church started the project to disarm the hands, but also disarm the mind," Rev Dinis Matsolo, the general secretary of the Christian Council of Mozambique, said.

He adds, the churches have been telling people that having guns which they are not allowed to possess "is wrong". "We persuaded them to hand in their gun, promising them that they will not be prosecuted" for having illegally possessed these arms up to then."

This method has worked in Mozambique, but according to Matsolo, in Burundi the problem is fear and mistrust. "People need to realise [that] if they hand in their guns they will be more secure" he says.

"It is all about fear. When we started, we had the same problem. But it is a matter of some people taking the first step," said Matsolo.

Meanwhile, the UN's Mahmoud cautioned: "Arms are very important if people feel insecure. Even if you give them tractors, they will still buy more guns."


Fredrick Nzwili is a freelance journalist from Kenya. He is a correspondent for Ecumenical News International (ENI) based in the country's capital, Nairobi.