Burundi: Belgium has a great historical responsibility in the killings and genocides in the region of the great lakes (fifth part).
We have just taken a small step to try to show that Belgium has played a big role in the history of our country in particular and that of the countries of the sub-region in general (Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, ex Zaire). In the case of Burundi, which concerns us, this colonial power is also at the base of the politico-ethnic divisions which undermine our society to this day.
We said it and we will never stop saying it. The upheaval of the pre-colonial administration (a solid and well organized administration) in violation of the mandate of the League of Nations was the trigger of the hatred of the Hutus towards the Tutsi. Indeed, glorifying the Tutsis by qualifying them as intelligent, elegant, alone capable of leading was not out of love. Denigrating the Hutus by accusing them of notary incapacity was not disenchantment with them. It was simply the implementation of their famous “divide and conquer” policy.
The consequences of this policy were not long in manifesting themselves in Rwanda in 1959 with their famous revolution of the majority (rubandanyamwishi) with Kayibanda. The two brother peoples (Rwanda and Burundi) have always influenced each other in the ethnic conflicts that have shaken them. This is how the Hutus in Burundi kept in mind that this Kayibanda approach was still possible in Burundi; they have always come up against the vigilance of the authorities strongly imbued with the ideology of the unity of the Burundians (from the monarchy to the military powers). This did not prevent multiple attempts which did not lead to the desired objective; that of eliminating the dominant Tutsis. The virus that the colonizer implanted in them.
On the eve of independence, the colonizer who did not want to leave Burundi supported the parties of the common front which did not want immediate independence like the Uprona of Prince Luois Rwagasore. However, these parties for the most part had this divisionism, genocide ideology inherited from neighbouring Rwanda. Fortunately, Rwagasore won the legislative after a fierce fight. He was killed even before the country gained independence. Much writing shows that his assassination was planned at the highest level of the Belgian administration of the day.
Since 1965,1972, 1988,1993,2015 until today (these are the great moments of killings that some qualify as massacres and others as genocides), it is the virus of ethnic divisions that has always been and which is still at the root of the death of thousands of innocent Burundians.
The democratic management of power gave Hutu extremists a golden opportunity to exploit the numerical majority to come to power and thus equip themselves with the means to complete the genocide so long dreamed of. The case of the 1993 genocide is eloquent. As a reminder, these Hutu extremists tried in 1965 and 1972 as we have demonstrated, but they did not succeed as they wished. What is unfortunate is that innocent Burundians, Hutu and Tutsi alike are dying in these killings and that goes unnoticed, no prosecution. In 1993, the genocide of the Tutsi by extremist Hutus from Frodebu and Palipehutu was well planned and executed, but again they failed to do battle with the Tutsi as planned. We have shown that the rebellion of the fdd, cndd fdd which followed the assassination of Melchior Ndadaye only killed innocent Tutsis, under the pretext of defending democracy. They eventually returned through negotiations and won the elections in 2005, again using an ethnic sensitive chord. In 2015, this ethnic extremism reached its peak; Tutsis were killed en masse, but also opposition Hutus. Others have been tortured, imprisoned, raped, and forced into exile.
Today, the virus continues to claim lives despite the tantalizing words of the great liar President Ndayishimiye, a great wolf who masquerades as a lamb. He is one of those great Hutu extremists who dream only of eliminating the Tutsis. Take an account of the ceremonies in memory of the victims of these various crises that shook the country; only the Hutus are concerned, the Tutsis have no value in his power. Yet his language comes out of the words of unifier, of parent of all Burundians. How would he be a man of peace by leaving the interahamwe within the defence and security corps, within the imbonerakure militia, but also by supporting them in their positions firmly established in the Kibira on Burundian soil with the intention of to attack neighbouring Rwanda?
How would he be a man of peace by letting people like Keny-Claude Nduwimana propagate ideologies of ethnic hatred all day long; by insulting the Tutsis, treating them with all evils without worrying? Journalist Antoine Kaburahe, boss of the Iwacu newspaper has just sent an open letter to the president of the National Communication Council (CNC) to castigate this behaviour unworthy of this Keny-Claude who calls himself a journalist, working in Burundi, to whom no sanction was not taken. Antoine Kaburahe forgets (or simply does it on purpose because I remain convince that he is not unaware of it), that the president of the CNC can do nothing against him because what he does is supported by the power in place. He does not do it on his own initiative; he is on a mission from the military power of Ndayishimiye, Bunyoni and Ndakugarika
These are messages of denigration of the Tutsis (dehumanization: one of the stages of the genocide) which prepare the Hutus to complete the genocide of the Tutsis.
URN HITAMWONEZA will never stop shouting to show the international community that this genocide ideology is still in the minds of extremist Hutu in Burundi and the region and that they keep planning another large-scale genocide. The warning signs are visible. Belgium which implanted this virus will have to assume its historical responsibility. The other states or organizations which are in the process of opening up cooperation with Burundi should also know that they will be responsible for what will happen tomorrow because they provide the means to support the preparation for this genocide.