N’SELE Ceasefire Agreement 29 March 1991 between the Government of the Republic of Rwanda (GRR) and the Rwandese Patriotic Front as amended at Gbadolite on 16 September 1991 and at Arusha 12 July 1992

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Country/entity: Rwanda
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: N’SELE Ceasefire Agreement 29 March 1991 between the Government of the Republic of Rwanda (GRR) and the Rwandese Patriotic Front as amended at Gbadolite on 16 September 1991 and at Arusha 12 July 1992
Date: 12 Jul 1992
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Rwandan Civil War (1990 - 1994)
The origins between the ethnic tensions between the Tutsi and Hutus in Rwanda are found in the original waves of migration and later into the domination of the Kingdom of Rwanda formed by the Tutsi clans. The Kingdom of Rwanda became the framework used by the German colonials to exercise power. Although the economy was reformed following the transfer to Belgian rule after World War I, the Hutu majority remained disenfranchised. Socio-economic differences were further cemented in 1935, when the Belgians introduced identity cards with Hutu or Tutsi distinctions.

Relations deteriorated after World War Two when a Hutu elite formed, and in 1959, what began as attacks on Tutsi targets evolved into the Rwandan revolution. The Belgian colonials began a programme of promotion for Hutus and following elections in the mid-1960s, the Hutus took control of most constituencies. More than 336,000 Tutsis fled Rwanda during the revolution and a failed insurgency was launched in the late 1960s.

By the late 1980s, many former Tutsi refugees in Uganda had gained integral roles in the Ugandan National Army following the overthrow of Milton Obete by Yoweri Museveni. In 1990, a Tutsi faction within the Ugandan Army, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, led by Fred Rwigyema invaded Uganda. However, the RPF came in disarray following Rwigyema’s death on the second day of the attack. This led another Tutsi officer from the Ugandan Army, Paul Kagama, to step in. The troops were reassembled and another campaign was lauched in 1991. By 1992, the Arusha Accords were signed in Tanzania, providing for a power-sharing government. The war took a turn for the worst when on April 6, 1994, the plane of then-President Juvénal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was shot over Kigali killing everyone on board. The next day, the Rwandan Army, alongside civilians began killing Tutsi and moderate Hutu leaders, which marked the beginning of the 3-month long genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda, until the killing was ended in July 1994 when the RNF forced the interim government into exile. Approximately 2,000,000 Hutus also fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Rwanda-RPF process
Parties: Government of Rwanda and Rwandese Patriotic Front
Third parties: For the facilitator (the United Republic of Tanzania): Hon. Ahmed Hassan DIRIA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

In the presence of the Representative of the Secretary-General of the OAU, M. T. MAPURANGA, Assistant Secretary-General in Charge of Political Affairs
Description: This short agreement recognises ceasefire as the first stage of a peace process to culminate in a Peace Agreement. It agrees to put together a neutral military observer group under Organisation for African Unity (OAU) supervision. It provides for the establishment of Joint Political Military Commission (with Rwandan Government and RPF representatives); the formation of a national army with Government and RPF forces; and power-sharing framework; and set a timetable for further negotiations.

Agreement document: RW_920712_N'seleCeasefire.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: Power sharing→Political power sharing→General
State level
Page 5, Article V:
The signatories of the present agreement accept the following principles whose modalities of implementation shall be specified during the political negotiations.
[...]
3. Establishment of power-sharing within the framework of a broad-based transitional government.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: Power sharing→Military power sharing→Merger of forces
Page 5, Article V:
The signatories of the present agreement accept the following principles whose modalities of implementation shall be specified during the political negotiations.
[...]
2. Formation of a national army consisting of Government forces and those of the Rwandese Patriotic Front.
Power sharing→Military power sharing→Joint command structures
Page 5, Article IV:
1. A Joint Political Military Commission composed of 5 representatives of the Rwandese Government and 5 of the Rwandese Patriotic Front is established;
2. The OAU and the following countries are invited to participate, as observers, in the Joint Commission: Burundi, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire, Belgium, France and the United States of America;
3. The Joint Commission shall have the following mandate:
To ensure the follow-up of the implementation of the Cease-fire Agreement;
To ensure the follow-up of the implementation of the peace Agreement to be signed at the conclusion of the political negotiations;
4. The Joint Commission shall be based at the OAU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Commission's Headquarters may be moved upon agreement by both parties;
5. The Joint Commission shall hold its inaugural meeting not later than 26th July 1992.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: Page 5, Article V:
The signatories of the present agreement accept the following principles whose modalities of implementation shall be specified during the political negotiations.
1. Establishment of the rule of law, that is, based namely on national unity, democracy, pluralism, and respect for human rights
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: Page 5, Article V:
The signatories of the present agreement accept the following principles whose modalities of implementation shall be specified during the political negotiations.
1. Establishment of the rule of law, that is, based namely on national unity, democracy, pluralism, and respect for human rights
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
The whole agreement provides for a ceasefire and its modalities.

Length: The cease-fire commences at midnight (Rwanda time) on 31st July 1992 at the same time as the deployment of the Neutral Military Observer Group; and it is expected to be permanent (Page 3, Article 1).
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: Page 5, Article V:
The signatories of the present agreement accept the following principles whose modalities of implementation shall be specified during the political negotiations:
[…]
2. Formation of a national army consisting of Government forces and those of the Rwandese Patriotic Front.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: Page 3, Article II:
The cease-fire shall imply:
[...]
6. The withdrawal of all foreign troops after the effective deployment of the Neutral Military Observer Group (NMOG) except for Military Officers serving in Rwanda under bilateral Cooperation Agreements.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: Page 3, Article II:
The cease-fire shall imply:
[...]
4. The release of all prisoners-of-war; the effective release of all persons arrested because and as a result of this war within five days following the entry into force of the Cease-fire Agreement.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: Page 3, Article II:
The cease-fire shall imply:
[...]
5. The possibility of recovering the remains of the dead.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: For the facilitator (the United Republic of Tanzania): Hon. Ahmed Hassan DIRIA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

In the presence of the Representative of the Secretary-General of the OAU, M. T. MAPURANGA, Assistant Secretary-General in Charge of Political Affairs
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: Page 3, Article I:
1. A cease-fire is hereby established throughout the territory of the Republic of Rwanda/ between the Government Forces and those of the Rwandase Patriotic Front. The cease-fire shall enter into force at midnight (Rwanda time) on 31st July 1992 at the same time as the deployment of the Neutral Military Observer Group.

Page 4, Art III:
1. The verification and control of the cease-fire shall be conducted by the neutral military observer group under the supervision of the Secretary-General of OAU;
2. The Neutral Military Observer Group shall be composed of:
10 Officers from Nigeria;
10 Officers from Senegal;
10 Officers from Zimbabwe;
10 Officers from an African country to be chosen by the current Chairman of the OAU in collaboration with the President of the United Republic of Tanzania;
5 Officers from the Government of Rwanda;
5 Officers from the Rwandese Patriotic Front;
3. The Neutral Military Observer Group shall report any violation of the cease-fire to the Secretary-General of OAU and a joint political military commission;
4. The Neutral Military Observer Group shall set up the organs and machinery required for the control and verification of the cease-fire. It shall draft its own rules of procedure. It shall enjoy a status that would enable it to perform its mission as provided in the Cease-fire Agreement; including privileges and immunities enjoyed by the OAU personnel as enshrined in the general agreement;
5. The Neutral Military Observer Group shall have full communication and other equipment it deems necessary to perform its mission. The NMOG officers may have specific uniforms with insignia for easy identification, and light weapons for self-defence.
Enforcement mechanism: Page 5, Article IV:
[…]
3. The Joint Commission shall have the following mandate:
- To ensure the follow-up of the implementation of the Cease-fire Agreement;
- To ensure the follow-up of the implementation of the peace Agreement to be signed at the conclusion of the political negotiations;
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: http://peacemaker.un.org

N’sele Cease-fire Agreement between the Government of the Rwandese Republic and the Rwandese Patriotic Front As amended at Gbadolite on 16 September 1991 and at Arusha on 12 July 1992.

We, the representatives of the Government of the Rwandese Republic and of the Rwandese Patriotic Front:

Mindful of the unfortunate incidents that have occurred between the Rwandese and have affected peace and public order in the country;

Referring to the Communiqués issued by the Heads of State of the Region, meeting in Mwanza (Tanzania) on 17 October 1990, in Gbadolite (Zaire) on 26 October 1990 and in Goma (Zaire) on 20 November 1990;

Considering that all these Summit meetings specifically emphasized the prior need for a ceasefire;

Considering the acceptance of the ceasefire in principle by President Juvenal HABYARIMANA in Zanzibar on 17 February 1991 following his meeting with Presidents Yoweri MUSEVENI of Uganda and Ali Hassan MWINYI of Tanzania;

Mindful of the fact that Presidents Pierre BUYOYA of Burundi, Juvenal HABYARIMANA of Rwanda, Ali Hassan MWINYI of Tanzania, Yoweri MUSEVENI of Uganda and Prime Mininster Lunda BULULU of Zaire, assisted by the Secretary-General of the OAU and a delegate of the UN High Commission for Refugees adopted the Dar-Es-Salaam Declaration of 19 February 1991 mandating President Mobutu SESE SEKO of Zaire to take urgent and immediate steps to usher in dialogue which should culminate in a formal ceasefire agreement between the Government of Rwanda and the Rwandese Patriotic Front;

Mindful of the fact that the ceasefire should facilitate the establishment of negotiations between the Rwandese Government and the Rwandese Patriotic Front aimed at national reconciliation and restoration of lasting peace;

Considering that the two Parties reaffirmed their political will during their meeting in Paris from 6th to 8th June 1992 to find through negotiations a solution to the current conflict as well as related problems;

Considering that both parties are committed to conduct direct negotiations:

Mindful of the fact that both parties reaffirmed the validity of the ceasefire agreement signed at N’sele on 29th March 1991 and as amended on 16th September 1991 in Gbadolite subject to up-dating the agreement by making necessary amendments;

Have on this 12th day of July 1992, agreed on and accepted the following provisions with respect to the ceasefire:

Article I 1.

A cease-fire is hereby established throughout the territory of the Republic of Rwanda, between the Government Forces and those of the Rwandese Patriotic Front.

The cease-fire shall enter into force at midnight (Rwanda time) on 31st July 1992 at the same time as the deployment of the Neutral Military Observer Group.

The entry into force of the cease-fire shall be preceded by a truce, that is, the cessation of fighting, which shall enter into force at midnight (Rwanda time) on 19th July 1992.

The present Cease-fire Agreement is the first stage of a peace process which shall culminate in a Peace Agreement to be signed at the conclusion of the political negotiations.

Article II The cease-fire shall imply:

The cessation of all hostilities for the purpose of dialogue and serious negotiations between the two parties udder the auspices of the Mediator or a Facilitator;

The suspension of supplies of ammunition and weaponry to the field;

The supply of non-lethal logistical needs to the military forces in the field;

The release of all prisoners-of-war;

the effective release of all persons arrested because and as a result of this war within five days following the entryinto force of the Cease-fire Agreement;

The possibility of recovering the remains of the dead;

The withdrawal of all foreign troops after the effective deployment of the Neutral Military Observer Group (NMOG) except for Military Officers serving in Rwanda under bilateral Cooperation Agreements;

A ban on infiltration of troops and on the conveyance of troops and war material to the area occupied by each party;

A ban on any mine-laying operations or the hindering of operations to remove the mines;

The establishment of the Neutral Corridor separating the areas occupied by the two respective forces.

This corridor meant to facilitate the monitoring of the cease-fire by the Neutral Military Observer Group shall be determined in consideration of the front-lines of both armies.

The demarcation on the field shall be established by the representatives of the two armies in the presence of the Neutral Military Observer Group.

Article III 1.

The verification and control of the cease-fire shall be conducted by the neutral military observer group under the supervision of the Secretary-General of OAU.

The Neutral Military Observer Group shall be composed of:

· 10 Officers from Nigeria;

· 10 Officers from Senegal;

· 10 Officers from Zimbabwe;

· 10 Officers from an African country to be chosen by the current Chairman of the OAU in collaboration with the President of the United Republic of Tanzania;

· 5 Officers from the Government of Rwanda;

· 5 Officers from the Rwandese Patriotic Front;

The Neutral Military Observer Group shall report any violation of the cease-fire to the Secretary-General of OAU and a joint political military commission.

The Neutral Military Observer Group shall set up the organs and machinery required for the control and verification of the cease-fire.

It shall draft its own rules of procedure.

It shall enjoy a status that would enable it to perform its mission as provided in the Cease-fire Agreement;

including privileges and immunities enjoyed by the OAU personnel as enshrined in the general agreement.

The Neutral Military Observer Group shall have full communication and other equipment it deems necessary to perform its mission.

The NMOG officers may have specific uniforms with insignia for easy identification, and light weapons for self-defence.

Article IV 1.

A Joint Political Military Commission composed of 5 representatives of the Rwandese Government and 5 of the Rwandese Patriotic Front is established;

The OAU and the following countries are invited to participate, as observers, in the Joint Commission:

Burundl, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire, Belgium, France and the United States of America;

The Joint Commission shall have the following mandate:

- To ensure the follow-up of the implementation of the Cease-fire Agreement;

- To ensure the follow-up of the implementation of the peace Agreement to be signed at the conclusion of the political negotiations;

The Joint Commission shall be based at the OAU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Commission’s Headquarters may be moved upon agreement by both parties;

The Joint Commission shall hold its inaugural meeting not later than 26th July 1992.

Article V The signatories of the present agreement accept the following principles whose modalities of implementation shall be specified during the political negotiations:

Establishment of the rule of law, that is, based namely on national unity, democracy, pluralism, and respect for human rights;

Formation of a national army consisting of Government forces and those of the Rwandese Patriotic Front;

Establishment of power-sharing within the framework of a broad-based transitional government.

Article VI The political negotiations culminating in the peace agreement shall proceed pursuant to the following calendar:

Commencement of the political negotiations:

10th August 1992;

Completion of the political negotiations and signing of the peace agreement:

not later than 10 October 1992;

Completion of the implementation of the mechanisms and conclusions agreed upon pursuant to the peace Agreement:

not later than 10 January 1993.

Article VII In the present Agreement:

1. “

Cease-fire” shall mean the cessation of all hostilities between the forces of the Government of the Rwandese Republic and those of the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF) throughout the national territory of Rwanda.

2. “

Cessation of hostilities” shall mean the end of all military operations, all harmful civil operations and denigrating and unfounded propaganda through the mass media.

3. “

Violation of the Cease-fire” shall mean the non-observance of one of the points mentioned in Article II.

4. “

Violation of the Cease-fire Agreement” shall mean the non-observance of any provision of the agreement.

Done in Arusha on 12th July 1992.

For the Rwandese Government:

(Signed) Boniface NGULINZIRA Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation For the Rwandese Patriotic Front:

(Signed) Pasteur BIZIMUNGU Member of the Executive Committee for Information and Documentation For the Facilitator (the United Republic of Tanzania) (Signed) Hon.

Ahmed Hassan DIRIA (MP) Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation In the presence of the Representative of the Secretary-General of the OAU (Signed) M. T. MAPURANGA Assistant Secretary-General in Charge of Political Affairs