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Amnesty – 2003

Not all major parties to the conflict signed the agreement until 2003. During this three year gap, implementation of the amnesty provision did begin.

While Arusha accord had amnesty provision for crimes related to conflict, the accord excluded genocidal crimes, crimes against humanity or war crimes or participation in coups. Nevertheless, in several rounds of negotiations after the accord parties could not decide on what constitutes political crime.¹

In peace talks organized in Pretoria between 30-31 October 2003, it was suggested that the president and the rebel leaders need to make a decision on whether to declare a general amnesty or grant temporary immunity to the combatants.² Because political leaders returning from exile received temporary immunity, they could not be tried for political crimes.

1. “Burundi: Controversial question of amnesty on political crimes unsolved,” BBC Worldwide Monitoring, March 30, 2001.
2. “Burundi peace talks start in Pretoria as summit postponed,” Agence France Presse, October 30, 2003.