Burundi: The attacks multiply and the power of Gitega is silent
The government led by the military clique keeps telling whoever wants to hear it that there is no war in Burundi, only peace and security are flawless in Burundi. Today, he is working to repatriate the refugees while ensuring their safety and well-being at home.
However, social networks and foreign media have been reporting in recent days of passages of armed groups who kidnap people, who kill; we see corpses and captured people on social networks, but the government does not say a word. The only one who has dared to speak to the media on this matter is the governor of Rumonge, but he has also denied that they are the fighters, he called them thieves. Whoever they are, they loot and kill in their path. The people deserve official information about these attacks.
It all started on the night of August 22 to 23, 2020, when a group of combatants estimated by the population at 80 armed people; these fighters would have disembarked the boats on Lake Tanganyika, they would have moved towards Muhuta and Bugarama of Rumonge province. They would have passed by Kiziba, then by Gahuni where they would have stolen cows and shop items. Everywhere they went, they kidnapped people to transport their booty. Eleven of these carriers would be killed by these fighters. They would then have entered the forest of Monge, which the army would have bombarded with heavy artillery. On social networks, everyone saw images of the burning forest; of a 12-year-old who was arrested and put in a pickup truck by the military saying he was a captured fighter. But, as it turned out, this youngster was known, he was arrested on the route near his home, and he had nothing to do with the fighters. So far, no real fighter has been captured or killed; otherwise the government would have already shown it to the media. Now he preferred to remain silent.
Public opinion still believes that it was the Red Tabara movement that carried out the attack because it released a statement on August 23, 2020 claiming the action. An unreliable document because anyone can write it and stick the signature of the spokesperson for this movement. There is also silence on this side; his spokesperson or chief of staff declined to comment on this attack.
The final destination of such a staggering 80 armed combatants is questionable. For more than three days, we did not talk about this group. People contacted on the spot say they do not know how these fighters vanish into the wild
Suddenly, social media reports once again an attack by armed men in Mukike commune, in Ndayi. It was the night of August 28-29, 2020. They severely wounded people with machetes, and abducted two young men, Jonas and Lameck. According to a local source, Jonas’ corpse would be found this morning. One of the injured is believed to have died in hospital. No one can say where these men went. The population cried out for help, but no intervention by the security forces was known immediately after the action in this locality.
Other information circulating on social media indicates that in Bugarama, in Muramvya province, another group of armed men allegedly attacked residents of Ruhinga locality on the night of August 28-29, 2020 and killed 12 people.
Another armed group was reported by the population on the morning of August 29, 2020 in Mpanda commune in Bubanza. These men are said to have passed through the Mpanda River and are heading towards Musigati. They also allegedly abducted people in their path.
As of this writing, no official authority has said a word about these attacks. Public opinion is satisfied with the audio messages of distress sent via social networks by the population.
Why this attitude adopted by the cnddfdd power? Either way, this isn’t a way to downplay these attacks like he usually does. It may be an attitude of an accomplice
The fact that since the start of these attacks no combatant has been arrested or killed (the government has said nothing, it is considered that nothing has been done), some opinion thinks rather that it is a montage of the cnddfdd power. The so-called fighters are said to be imbonerakure sent to simulate a rebel attack in order to take advantage of it to massacre political opponents or Tutsis. Hence the circuit of these groups remains the areas close to the places where Tutsis or cnl (the sworn enemies of cnddfdd) are concentrated. After this mock attack, the soldiers and police reportedly rushed to the communes of Mugamba, Mukike and Mugongomanga to arrest Tutsis there, accusing them of having hidden the rebels. That was the goal of cnddfdd.
Another section of opinion seems to be upset that Red Tabara issued a statement claiming to attack his elements in Muhuta and Bugarama. People think it is this movement that is fighting the power of Evariste Ndayishimiye; but do not understand why he does not attack imbonerakure and law enforcement. Why does the power not say a word about it? Why do the security forces not do double duty to quickly destroy these elements which were declared in a press release? Why are these elements moving only towards areas inhabited by Tutsis? Those who do not know would believe that Red Tabara is a movement made up mainly of Tutsis and that this is where (in the localities inhabited by many Tutsis) they can hide and easily find supplies. Let them think again. The combatants of this movement are made up of more than 80% of Hutus like its leader (Alexis Sinduhije: of Tutsikazi mother of Mwaro and Hutu father of Kamenge). Everyone knows that he has a visceral hatred towards anything called Ex fab (Burundian armed forces) and anyone from Bururi province; it rivals the cnddfdd on this side.
According to information not yet confirmed, Alexis Sinduhije has already entered into talks with the Ndayishimiye power to let him return to the country. One of the requirements of this power is that it returns with the fighters that Red Tabara has so that some are integrated and others demobilized. The fighters circulating the country who kill whoever they want without worrying are said to be a mixture of imbonerakure and a few elements of Red Tabara. No one is unaware, in his arrogance, that Alexis Sindihije always made it clear to the public that the only rebel movement in existence is Red Tabara. The power game would then be to tell international opinion that the refugees have returned, and that even the rebel groups have laid down their arms; that there is total peace.
URN HITAMWONEZA protests against the use of force to find solutions to Burundian problems. Whether it is the imbonerakure or Red tabara or both at the same time, we demand that the safety of the population is guaranteed. If the Red Tabara movement plays the complicity of the cnddfdd to kill the Tutsis and the opponents, they will share the responsibility for the crimes they have committed. The population must be very vigilant to refuse in time to be a victim of political games of which they do not know the ins and outs.