United Nations Security Council Resolution 1072 – Burundi

Resolution 1072 (1996)

The Security Council,

Reaffirming all its previous resolutions and statements by its President on the situation in Burundi,

Recalling the statement by its President of 24 July 1996 (S/PRST/1996/31)in which the Council strongly condemned any attempt to overthrow the legitimate Government of Burundi by force or coup d’état, and recalling also the statementby its President of 29 July 1996 (S/PRST/1996/32) in which the Council condemnedthe actions that led to the overthrow of constitutional order in Burundi,

Deeply concerned at the continued deterioration in the security and humanitarian situation in Burundi that has been characterized in the last yearsby killings, massacres, torture and arbitrary detention, and at the threat thatthis poses to the peace and security of the Great Lakes Region as a whole,

Reiterating its appeal to all parties in Burundi to defuse the present crisis and to demonstrate the necessary cohesion, unity and political will to restore constitutional order and processes without delay,

Reiterating the urgent need for all parties in Burundi to commit themselves to a dialogue aimed at establishing a comprehensive political settlement and thecreation of conditions conducive to national reconciliation,

Recalling that all persons who commit or authorize the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law are individually responsible for such violations and should be held accountable, and reaffirminygthe need to put an end to impunity for such acts and the climate that fostersthem,

Strongly condemning those responsible for the attacks on personnel of international humanitarian organizations, and underlining that all parties in Burundi are responsible for the security of such personnel,

Emphasizing the urgent need to establish humanitarian corridors to ensurethe unimpeded flow of humanitarian goods to all people in Burundi,

Taking note of the letter from the Permanent Representative of the UnitedRepublic of Tanzania of 2 August 1996 (S/1996/620, annex and appendix),

Taking note also of the note from the Secretary-General transmitting aletter from the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity of5 August 1996 (S/1996/628, annex),

Reiterating its support for the immediate resumption of dialogue andnegotiations under the auspices of the Mwanza Peace Process facilitated byformer President Nyerere and the Joint Communiqué of the Second Arusha Regional Summit on Burundi of 31 July 1996 which seeks to guarantee democracy andsecurity for all people in Burundi,

Determined to support the efforts and initiatives of the countries in theregion, which were also supported by the Central Organ of the Organization ofAfrican Unity (OAU) Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolutionaimed at returning Burundi to a democratic path and contributing to stability inthe region,

Underlining the importance it attaches to the continuation of the effortsof the OAU and its Observer Mission (MIOB),

Welcoming the efforts made by interested Member States and by the European Union to contribute to a peaceful solution of the political crisis in Burundi,

Underlining that only a comprehensive political settlement can open the wayfor international cooperation for the reconstruction, development and stabilityof Burundi, and expressing its readiness to support the convening, whenappropriate, of an international conference involving the United Nations system,regional organizations, international financial institutions, donor countriesand non-governmental organizations aimed at mobilizing international support forthe implementation of a comprehensive political settlement,

Recalling its resolution 1040 (1996) of 29 January 1996, in particular paragraph 8, in which the Council declared its readiness to consider the imposition of measures under the Charter of the United Nations,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General of 15 August 1996(S/1996/660),

A

1. Condemns the overthrow of the legitimate government and constitutional order in Burundi and condemns also all those parties and factions which resortto force and violence to advance their political objectives;

2. Expresses its strong support for the efforts of regional leaders,including at their meeting in Arusha on 31 July 1996, of the OAU and of formerPresident Nyerere, to assist Burundi to overcome peacefully the grave crisis which it is undergoing, and encourages them to continue to facilitate the searchfor a political solution;

3. Calls upon the regime to ensure a return to constitutional order and legality, to restore the National Assembly and to lift the ban on all politicalparties;

4. Demands that all sides in Burundi declare a unilateral cessation of hostilities, call an immediate halt to violence and assume their individual and collective responsibilities to bring peace, security and tranquillity to thepeople of Burundi;

5. Demands also that the leaders of all parties in Burundi ensure basicconditions of security for all in Burundi by a commitment to abstain fromattacking civilians, to ensure the security of humanitarian personneloperating in the territory they control, and to guarantee the protection withinBurundi and safe passage out of the country for the members ofPresident Ntibantunganya’s government and the members of parliament;

6. Demands also that all of Burundi’s political parties and factionswithout exception, whether inside or outside the country and includingrepresentatives of civil society, initiate unconditional negotiationsimmediately, with a view to reaching a comprehensive political settlement;

7. Declares its readiness to assist the people of Burundi withappropriate international cooperation to support a comprehensive politicalsettlement resulting from these negotiations and, in this context, requests theSecretary-General in consultation with the international community to undertakepreparations when appropriate for the convening of a pledging conference toassist in the reconstruction and development of Burundi following theachievement of a comprehensive political settlement;

8. Encourages the Secretary-General in consultation with all those concerned, including the neighbouring States, other Member States, the OAU andinternational humanitarian organizations, to establish mechanisms to ensure thesafe and timely delivery of humanitarian relief throughout Burundi;

9. Acknowledges the implication of the situation in Burundi for the region and underlines the importance of convening at an appropriate time a Regional Conference of the Great Lakes Region, under the auspices of the UnitedNations and the OAU;

B

10. Decides to re-examine the matter on 31 October 1996, and requests thatthe Secretary-General report to the Council by that time on the situation inBurundi, including on the status of the negotiations referred to in paragraph 6above;

11. Decides, in the event that the Secretary-General reports that thenegotiations referred to in paragraph 6 above have not been initiated, toconsider the imposition of measures under the Charter of the United Nations tofurther compliance with the demand set out in paragraph 6 above; these may include, among others, a ban on the sale or supply of arms and related matérielof all types to the regime in Burundi and to all factions inside or outsideBurundi, and measures targeted against the leaders of the regime and allfactions who continue to encourage violence and obstruct a peaceful resolutionof the political crisis in Burundi;

12. Reiterates the importance it attaches to the contingency planningcalled for in paragraph 13 of resolution 1049 (1996) of 5 March 1996 andencourages the Secretary-General and Member States to continue to facilitatecontingency planning for an international presence and other initiatives tosupport and help consolidate a cessation of hostilities, as well as to make arapid humanitarian response in the event of widespread violence or a seriousdeterioration in the humanitarian situation in Burundi;

13. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 3695th meeting,on 30 August 1996.