U.S. GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS INDISCRIMINATE KILLING IN BURUNDI

[USIA]

USIS Washington File

09 January 1998

TEXT: U.S. GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS INDISCRIMINATE KILLING IN BURUNDI

(1/9 statement by Spokesman James Rubin) (290)

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government on January 9 deplored the recent
fighting in Burundi -- especially the "continued indiscriminate
killing of civilians" -- and called on all parties in the fighting "to
respect the lives of non-combatants and immediately cease
hostilities."

Following is the text of a statement issued by State Department
Spokesman James P. Rubin at the department's daily news briefing:

(BEGIN TEXT)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
January 9, 1998

STATEMENT BY JAMES P. RUBIN, SPOKESMAN

Burundi: Condemnation of January 1 attack

The United States government condemns the violence and killing
associated with the recent fighting on the outskirts of Bujumbura. We
deplore the continued indiscriminate killing of civilians by both the
Burundian army and the rebel forces.

Our ambassador to Burundi, Rusty Hughes, visited the site of the
village massacre, where he saw the hacked bodies of innocent children
and other civilians. Such grotesque violence makes the resolution of
Burundi's problems more difficult and complicates efforts to bring an
enduring and equitable peace to Burundi. The USG calls on all parties
to this conflict to respect the lives of non-combatants and
immediately cease hostilities.

The U.S. government believes that lasting peace will come to Burundi
only through a political settlement. We support the missions of both
the OAU and the U.N., which are currently in the region in an effort
to reinvigorate the regional peace process.

Presidential Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, Howard Wolpe, will
travel to the region next week as part of our continuing efforts to
support endeavors to launch peace negotiations.

(END TEXT)