How United are Burundians today?
The Briefing, Issue #30, Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Dear Readers,
Burundians celebrate this Wednesday, February 05, 2020, the 29th anniversary of the Charter of National Unity. A Charter approved by referendum on February 05, 1991, by a majority of 89.21%. The Charter is well written, comprehensive and prohibits any discrimination whether regional, religious, ethnic or sexual.
In October 1989, after years of tension, confrontation and massacres—President Pierre Buyoya created a Commission to investigate inter-ethnic violence and make recommendations for national reconciliation.
The Commission, composed of Hutus and Tutsis—in equal numbers, presented its report in April 1990. Towards the end of the year, the question of national unity was the subject of debate throughout the country however, it was closely monitored by hard-liners, and did little to satisfy the demands of opposition groups of the time.
While the Charter embraced a national reconciliation spirit, the incidents of November 1991 clearly confirmed that not all Burundians have accepted and believed in its content.
In the 1990s, Burundi experienced political turmoil, war, violence brought about mainly by ethnic tensions and a feeling of exclusion. The various conflicts in Burundi lasted on-and-off for over two decades. However, in 2000, most major actors involved in conflict episodes signed the Arusha Agreement.
The purpose of the Burundi peace agreements was to respond to the root causes of the country’s conflict, namely the political and economic exclusion of the larger part of the population and healing the rifts between the various groups.
While many researchers cited the Charter of National Unity as a political tool that was designed to satisfy the expectations of international public and to serve as tangible proof of the Buyoya regime’s good intentions—the content of the charter is seen today as an ideal dear to every Burundians who aspires to peace and tranquility.
As Burundians celebrating this Unity Day, we need to do a self-assessment and see if we have walked the right path. This question needs to be asked: “How United are Burundians today?”
The bitter experience of the past has reinforced distrust and suspicion, there is always an urgent need to condemn the use of violence as a means of political struggle to gain or maintain power.
With the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CVR) nowadays revealing how deep are the wounds of Burundians ( over 4000 mass graves have been recently discovered), the call to intensify the spirit of forgiveness for national reconciliation is still relevant.
As the 1992 Unity Charter puts it— Burundians should embark on a new era to build a more promising future, free from hatred and mistrust.
“The strongest communities are formed by uniting people who share the same values, not the same opinions.” - Richard Millington, Writer
One of the great challenges Burundians face today when it comes to Unity is to believe that everyone should have the same opinion. An “opinion” is a belief that a person has formed about a topic or an issue, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
On the other hand, a “value” is deeper. It's an ingrained belief acquired through upbringing, personal experiences. Values describe the personal qualities we choose to embody to guide our actions; the sort of person we want to be — the manner in which we treat ourselves and others, and our interaction with the world around us.
Sometimes it is no easy to tolerate other people's opinions, especially about sensitive subjects, like what Burundians have strong feelings about. There is always a need to approach strife in a calm fashion. The better way to deal with disagreements should be trying to find common ground because even someone who's opinion is vastly different from yours may share certain core values.
When we act in accordance with values, we experience a satisfaction. When we don't, we experience uncomfortable dissonance—acceptance and respect become hard to give. It feels like defeat and no one wants to be defeated.
In Burundi, there are still challenges, post-election expectations will lead certainly to polarization especially on what should be the priorities for the upcoming administration.
But diversity can contribute to unity in terms of opinions and acceptance.
Happy Unity Day!
Fabrice Iranzi,
Founding Editor, RegionWeek.com
IN THE HEADLINES
The Delegation of the European Union published this Tuesday the following declaration in agreement with the Heads of Mission of the EU member states in Burundi:
“At the start of this year, when several parties have already nominated their candidates for the presidential election of May 20, 2020, the European Union welcomes the gradual establishment of the electoral process. The European Union wishes it to be credible, inclusive and peaceful in transparency and respect for freedom of association and of the press.”President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced a period of national mourning following the death of retired president Daniel Arap Moi, who died this Tuesday morning. In a statement released shortly after Moi's death, “the period of national mourning will be observed from today until the day of Moi’s funeral. "Daniel Arap Moi, Kenya’s second president, died on Tuesday at the age of 95. (Citizen, Nation)
Mr. Faustin Ndikumana, the president of the Parcem association, "Word and Action for the Awakening of Consciousness and the Evolution of Mentalities", a local NGO suspended by the Burundi Ministry of the Home Affairs, presented this Tuesday, February 4, 2020, a book on his social project. Faustin Ndikumana, who introduces himself today as an independent expert in economics, titled the book, "Kira Burundi" and it focuses on his vision for development, it denotes projects and strategies to get the Burundian economy back on track. According to him, he is not running for president in the May 2020 elections, but he believes that his book will help the one who will be chosen. (Iwacu)
East Africa Locust Invasion— Burundi Update: The Minister of Agriculture, Déo Guide Rurema informed in a press conference that Burundi has not yet been attacked by locusts. He announced that among strategies, chemical control is not privileged to avoid human intoxication and environmental pollution. He recalled that, since December, the countries of the region such as Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia have experience the “Unprecedented” Locust Invasion crisis. During the last locust invasion in 1986, one of the control options was to collect and eat the swarms, indicates Minister Deo Guide Rurema who recalls that Burundi experienced the most devastating invasion of insects during the reign of King Mwezi Gisabo (1840–1908).
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