A/HRC/9/14 page 8 Social programmes 19. On the social and cultural fronts, the current Government has taken some commendable steps to implement programmes that have contributed to the realization of certain economic, social and cultural rights. Notable examples in this regard are decisions to provide universal primary education and free medical assistance to expectant mothers and children under five years of age, which were implemented in 2006. These programmes were announced by the Government without adequate preparation, but are being partially implemented with the support of the development partners of Burundi. 20. The little progress that recent Governments of Burundi have made in the social sector is the result of collaboration with the international community. Such examples have been noted by the independent expert and are covered in his previous reports. The independent expert interpreted his mandate as entailing work with, rather than against, the Burundian authorities, with a view to helping them realize the goal of the promotion and protection of human rights. The Government of Burundi deserves to be congratulated on the efforts that they have made to find solutions to these difficult problems within a relatively short period of time. III. POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT 21. Relations between the Government and opposition parties deteriorated in the second half of 2007. The situation was characterized by the harassment of members of the opposition, dissenting members of the ruling party and tension between the Government and Parliament. Opposition political parties issued statements against the ruling party and called on members of their own parties who had been appointed to ministerial positions in the Government to leave them. The National Assembly was also paralyzed during that period owing to the absence of opposition parliamentarians. The situation worsened in August 2007, when the residences of five prominent opposition political figures were attacked with grenades in Bujumbura by unidentified individuals. The main opposition party, the Front pour la démocratie au Burundi (FRODEBU), publicly accused the Government of having carried out the attacks. Three of the targeted members of the opposition belonged to a group of 67 Members of Parliament who had addressed a letter to the President on 16 August 2007, expressing concern at the tense political situation and urging him to reopen dialogue with the opposition. 22. At the time of the independent expert’s visit in December 2007, the situation had improved. The President of Burundi and political parties from the opposition had reached an agreement to form a new Government to reflect the composition of Burundian society and, to some extent, the provisions of the interim Constitution. The agreement provided for the allocation of ministries on the basis of the number of seats that a party had won in Parliament in the elections. The new Government is composed of ministers and deputy-ministers representing both genders and different political parties and ethnic groups. 23. In February 2008, shortly after the agreement was reached, the situation worsened when a political crisis erupted at the National Assembly. Parliamentarians from the opposition boycotted all sessions to protest against the methods used by the ruling party to dismiss the First Vice-President of Parliament at the end of January 2008.