Burundi: The current situation of members of the Tutsi ethnic group, including members of the Union for National Progress (Union pour le progrès national, UPRONA) and measures taken by the Tutsi government to protect them from Hutu extremist militias

Reports indicate that since November 2001, power within Burundi's government is shared between an almost equal number of Hutus and Tutsi (IRIN 27 Nov. 2001; ibid. 1 Nov. 2001; AFP 1 Nov. 2001).

According to Country Reports 2001. "the Vice President and 15 of the 26 cabinet ministers are members of the G-7 Hutu-based political parties. The cabinet also is composed of 11 Tutsis" (2002, sect. 2.d).

During a 25 March 2001 telephone interview, the Executive Secretary of the Burundese League for Human Rights (the Ligue burundaise des droits de l'homme, ITEKA) a human rights affiliated with the Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH), provided the following information. The interview was conducted in French.

During Hutu insurgent attacks, both members of the Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups are at risk. However, in several cases, especially during ambushes on main roads in various parts of the country, Tutsis are specifically selected and killed by Hutu extremists. Generally, in such circumstances, security forces often arrive on the scene a few hours after the attacks.

Since 1993, in order to protect themselves against such attacks, people in some regions started moving into government-designated sites where they are under the army's protection. However, with regard to the effectiveness of this measure, the ITEKA representative stated that in the past, because of simultaneous attacks on both military camps and civilian sites, Hutu insurgents injured or killed people living in such sites. He cited the cases of Teza in Muramvya province, Bugendana in Gitega, Butezi in Ruyigi and Buta in Bururi province where civilians died while there were under military protection.

Citing United Nations sources, Country Reports 2001 stated the following:

[T]here were more than 353,000 IDP's living in 212 sites at year's end, which represents approximately 5 percent of the total population. Many were Tutsis who fled to other parts of the country starting in 1993 because of ethnic violence and never returned home. Soldiers did not restrict the movement of residents of IDP camps. Soldiers guarding these camps provided a measure of protection to camp inhabitants; however, they sometimes committed human rights abuses against them. There were no reports of abuses committed against IDP's during the year. Camp inhabitants often were required to perform labour for the soldiers without compensation (2002, sect. 2. d).

Information on the situation of UPRONA members could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to an IRIN report, five members of the UPRONA party are among the 26 ministers who form the power-sharing government named on 1 November 2001 (1 Nov. 2001). The UPRONA's anti-Buyoya [Burundi's President] faction is, on the other hand, among Tutsi political parties that are opposed to all or part of the Arusha agreement (Africa Confidential 26 Oct. 2001, 6).

According to Country Reports 2001, "during the year, the Government banned several meetings by mainly Tutsi groups critical of government policy and the peace process" (2002, sect. 2.b).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Africa Confidential [London]. 26 October 2001. Vol. 42, No. 21. "Burundi/Congo-Kinshasa: Piecemeal: Nelson Mandela's Plan Annoys almost Everyone But There's No Alternative in Sight."

Agence France Presse (AFP). 1 November 2001. "Début de transition au Burundi: le partage du pouvoir mais sans la paix (lever de rideau)." (NEXIS).

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001. 2002. Department of State (DOS). [Accessed 25 Mar. 2002]

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). 27 November 2001. "Burundi Army Launches Push Against Rebels." (NEXIS)

_____. 1 November 2001. "Burundi: Transitional Government's Cabinet." [Accessed 25 Mar. 2002]

Ligue burundaise des droits de l'homme (ITEKA), Bujumbura. 25 March 2002. Telephone interview with Executive Secretary.

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential November 2001-February 2002.

Amnesty International. 2001.

IRB Databases.

Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent November 2001-March 2002.

La Lettre hebdomadaire de la FIDH 1998-2001.

LEXIS/NEXIS.

Resource Centre country file. Burundi. 2001.

Intenet sites, including:

Amnesty International.

FIDH.

Human Rights Watch Online.

International Crisis Group (ICG).

Ligue burundaise des droits de l'homme (ITEKA).

Missionary Service News Agency (MISNA).

Observatoire de l'Afrique centrale.

Office fédéral des réfugiés (ODR) de la Suisse.

Panafrican News Agency (PANA).

ReliefWeb.

War Resisters International.

Search engines, including:

Fast.

Google.

Hotbot.

Lycos.