BURUNDI-POLITICS: ETHNIC VIOLENCE MOUNTS

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

CHARLES WACHIRA

NAIROBI, Nov 16 1994 (IPS) - SOLDIERS IN SOUTHERN BURUNDI KILLED 16 GUNMEN WHO TOOK TWO CHILDREN HOSTAGE AND ATTACKED AN ARMY POSITION, THE NATIONAL NEWS AGENCY ABP REPORTED THURSDAY.

ABP SAID THE CHILDREN WERE KILLED AND ONE SOLDIER WAS WOUNDED IN THE FIGHTING ON MONDAY NIGHT AT BUYENGERO, SOME 100 KMS SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL BUJUMBURA.

THE CLASH BROUGHT THE NUMBER OF VCOLENT DEATHS IN BURUNDI TO AT LEAST 124 SINCE OCTOBER, ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT.

THE SMALL CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNTRY IS ON THE BRINK OF AN DISASTER WITH LOCAL POLITICIANS AND FOREIGN DIPLOMATS PREDICTING A BLOODBATH AKIN TO THE HORROR IN RWANDA.

BURUNDI’S ARMY IS OVERWHELMINGLY TUTSI AND SAYS IT FACES ALMOST DAILY ATTACKS BY REBEL GROUPS RECRUITED FROM THE HUTU MAJORITY.

IN MUYINGA PROVINCE, IN THE NORTHEAST, THE LOCAL GOVERNOR TOLD ABP ON TUESDAY THAT ARMED GROUPS WERE TRAINING IN THE REGION AND TERRORISING CIVILIANS. HE SAID THEY WERE SUPPORTERS OF FORMER INTERIOR MINISTER LEONARD NYANGOMA, NOW EXILED IN ZAIRE.

NYANGOMA’S POLITICAL PARTY, THE HUTU-DOMINATED NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF DEMOCRACY IN BURUNDI (CNDD), IS DEMANDING THE ARRIVAL OF AN INTERNATIONAL PEACE-KEEPING FORCE TO PREVENT A RWANDA-STYLE CATASTROPHE.

CNDD SPOKESMAN JEROME NDIHO TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN THE KENYAN CAPITAL NAIROBI ON MONDAY THAT THE PARTY’S MILITARY WING, THE FORCES FOR THE DEFENCE OF DEMOCRACY (FDD), HAD KILLED 364 GOVERNMENT TROOPS IN TWO ATTACKS LAST MONTH. THE CASUALTY FIGURE IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT GIVEN BY THE ARMY, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION.

BURUNDI HAS HAD TWO HUTU PRESIDENTS ASSASSINATED IN THE PAST 13-MONTHS. IT IS GOVERNED UNDER A FRAGILE ETHNIC POWER-SHARING AGREEMENT.

OFFICIALS IN BURUNDI SAY NYANGOMA IS ALLIED WITH MEMBERS OF THE DEFEATED HUTU RWANDAN ARMY, ACCUSED OF BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MASSACRES OF UP TO ONE MILLION PEOPLE IN RWANDA BETWEEN APRIL AND JULY THIS YEAR.

BURUNDI HAS BEEN IN TURMOIL SINCE MELCHIOR NDADAYE, THE HUTU PRESIDENT ELECTED IN THE FIRST FREE POLLS AFTER DECADES OF TUTSI ARMY RULE, WAS MASSACRED BY RENEGADE SOLDIERS IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR. AT LEAST 50,000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE ENSUING ETHNIC BUTCHERY.