Burundi: Still notorious injustices within the FDNB soldiers of the 60th and 61st Amisom Battalions
There are 46 of them, they were struck off the list of soldiers who should participate in a peacekeeping mission in Somalia. They are soldiers of all categories, an officer in the rank of Major, non-commissioned officers and enlisted men, who have been unpleasantly surprised in recent days when they have seen themselves withdrawn from the list of soldiers already assembled in the form the 60th and 61st Battalions chosen to participate in a peacekeeping mission in Somalia.
Both battalions were stationed in Mudubugu in Bubanza province awaiting deployment to Somalia. Following the tensions and even confrontations observed late last week and early this week, they were urgently deployed, one to Kayanza and the other to Cibitoke. The 61st Battalion moved on foot, full gear on their backs, into Kayanza; these soldiers spent a day there and turned back, this time with military trucks. They are currently in Mudubugu awaiting further orders. The 60th Battalion has meanwhile joined Camp Cibitoke. These soldiers are still on standby within the unit. They had the opportunity to play sports on March 6, 2021 to keep them in good physical shape. But, morale is not good. First, there is this fear of being at any time deployed to the battle camp on the border between Rwanda and Burundi to fight against an unknown enemy, when the FDRL / FLN are behind in the Kibira on the Burundian side without worrying; then there is the risk of being struck off the list of those who should go to Somalia.
We sought to find out why the 46 were removed from the list, the answer was not easy. All speak of a nameless injustice and corruption of the military authorities. The chiefs tell some that they have terminal illnesses, others that they have many days in dungeon. However, before putting them on the lists, the selections made are based on all these files (discipline and health). These people are replaced by others selected on criteria not known to anyone, but only to military leaders; and this from the base unit to personnel officers at the General Staff as well as to the Chief of the General Staff himself. By pushing the investigations, we had information that these soldiers who replace others withdrawn from the lists like the 46 must pay 3 million Burundian francs each; which totalize an amount of 138 million Burundian francs.
These soldiers cry injustice because these criteria of discipline and state of health are in their eyes only pretexts to collect this money. The example they gave was one that was struck off the 90-day dungeon list while there are others who have 105 dungeon days and don’t care. The worst part is that they have no recourse level because this kind of mafia is organized up to the high level of command. They regret that the supposedly well-organized army is affected by such corruption. The same soldiers have told us that what is discipline is now a matter of the past; soldiers in the camps come and go as they please without permission, as long as we are not on duty, they say. Only soldiers in training and those awaiting a mission outside the country are the only ones who still scrupulously respect the military regulations.
URN HITAMWONEZA finds it incomprehensible that President Ndayishimiye keeps shouting stop corruption and economic malfeasance when they are noticed even within the defence and security corps. It is known to all that his words only remain at the level of words because the first corrupt and corrupters are the big fish around him. He can never stop them from doing it because they have more money and therefore more power than him. With force of arms and money, they were able to impose his candidacy for the presidential elections in May 2020, they were able to change the results so that he was the winner when he was beaten; he owes them obedience. It is these outlaws who have the destiny of the country in hand. Burundians should realize that they are ruled by criminals, corrupters and bribes and should come together to free themselves from this tyranny. WhatsApp contact: +31685638237
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