COurtesy: BBC News.


Burundi rebels to hand over arms


Burundi's army will absorb more than 2,000 former  rebels

African Union troops are physically disarming 21,000  fighters from
Burundi's last active rebel group, the Forces for National  Liberation (FNL).
It follows a weekend ceremony where FNL leader Agathon Rwasa  symbolically
surrendered his own weapons to the AU.
The BBC's Prime Ndikumagenge says if all goes according to plan, the  FNL
will officially become a political party at 1300 GMT.
About 300,000 people were killed in more than a decade of ethnic  conflict.

Our correspondent says the AU forces are going to three assembly points  to
collect the weapons.
Villagers worry
Some 3,500 combatants are to be integrated into the army and police.

FNL FIGHTERS

Army: 2,100
Police: 1,400
Demobilised: 5,000
Returning home:  12,500

Another 5,000 are to receive demobilisation packages - including a  week's
course to help them integrate into civilian life - 18 month's worth  of
salary and $600 (£410) to start a business.
The rest - some 12,500 men - will be sent back to civilian life with an 
estimated $80 (£55).
Our reporter says there is concern amongst villagers around the capital 
that so many fighters are going home without receiving substantial  support.
But FNL leader Mr Rwasa told the BBC's Network Africa programme the
country relied on donor funding and only had enough money to help so many
fighters.
He also said ex-rebels would be considered first when it came to  employing
people for development projects.
Asked if he would ever take up arms again, he replied: "No.
"This decade of fighting is enough to teach every Burundian we have to
refrain from whatever has been the cause of violence in the  country."
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