Burundi: When Ndakugarika is concerned about the repatriation of refugees in Rwanda and the reintegration of internally displaced persons
When we talk about General Ndakugarika (I’m going to spread out stiff), the audience directly understands General Gervais Ndirakobuca. He is this General known worldwide for the crimes he allegedly committed in Burundi and who is under international sanctions. Yet he is a super minister in the government of Marshal Allain Guillaume Bunyoni (also under sanctions) and General Evariste Ndayishimiye at the head of state. A trio who rule the poorest country on the planet with an iron fist and who have no hope of getting back on their feet because their priority is elsewhere. A country excessively militarized as if it is in a time of war. Apart from the trio, a clique of cnddfdd officers support these three in decision-making. They have in hand the life and death of a whole people.
The Minister of the Interior, Security and Community Development yesterday gathered representatives of these former ministries, now all under his responsibility, to establish contact and give them new directives.
What emerges from the media on this meeting is the will to change the personnel of his ministry and especially the first leaders in angels. We heard him forbid them bribes, preferential treatment in the files. The determination displayed in his speech might lead people to believe that he is someone who is falling from the sky, who has not been in the business of the state for a long time. Why hasn’t he done this before? Was he not aware of the corruption that plagues the police forces, when he was a great responsible in this police force for a long time, then in the presidency of the Republic? Let him not push us to say like the philosopher Georges Courteline ‘’ Being clever is the property of any fool ’’. Let’s just say to be more courteous “A malin, malin et demi” (French proverb).
What struck us as more interesting about his speech was his determination to repatriate the refugees who are in neighboring Rwanda. Burundian refugees are not only in this country. They are all over the world. The most unhappy and the most numerous are in Rwadan, Tanzania, DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya, etc.
Why did he care so much about those who are in Rwanda? Why did he not talk about those who are mistreated every day by the Tanzanian authorities? Why did he not allude to those who are still in transit sites in DR Congo, who are not receiving sufficient assistance and who are screaming?
He knows very well that those who are in Tanzania are under threats planned by mutual agreement with the government of Magufuli, and that from time to time they will force them back. The Tanzanian authorities have already destroyed their markets, all trade is now forbidden to them, they are stuck, deprived of their refugee rights. Some are killed without any legal action, others are regularly taken from their homes by people dressed in Tanzanian police uniforms and theirs cannot be found. The Tanzanian police, in collaboration with imbonerakure (militia of the cnddfdd) who pretend to be refugees harass them all day long. Sooner or later they will be forced to return home. Ndakugarika can do whatever he wants with them. Who to kill, who to imprison, it will be up to him to decide.
In DR Congo, most of the refugees have just spent more than a year in the transit camps of Kavimvira, Sange and Monge Monge. They lack food, clean water; destitute of everything. Refugees’ rights associations do not stop shouting, but their situation remains unchanged.
Those who have settled in Rusenda camp live in fear. They are in danger of being attacked at any moment. In recent days, they have been accused of participation in the rebel groups that swarm in this part of Congolese territory. Their officials reject the accusation, but it doesn’t hold water. It is believed by some to be a plan concocted by the Gitega government with those in charge of this sector to drive these refugees out, to force them to return to the country.
In a few words, Ndakugarika has no difficulty in repatriating refugees who are in Tanzania and DR Congo. He has already paid for them; they’ll come back whenever he wants, whether they want it or not.
That’s why he has too many worries for those in Rwanda. He knows why these Burundians fled the country. There is a great deal of responsibility. He also knows that he will not be able to pay for those in Rwanda to be forcibly repatriated. But, he still wants them to come home. What love!!!! Bernard Minier said: ‘’’People are like icebergs. Beneath the surface lies an enormous mass of unspoken words, pain and secrets. Nobody is really what it seems’’
In addition to these Burundian refugees in Rwanda, he expresses a great desire to reintegrate the IDPs into their households. According to Ndakugarika, the government will do everything possible to ensure that they are resettled on their original hills. Another crazy ‘’ A clever, clever and a half ’’. They have just spent 27 years in these sites, the cnddfdd has just spent 15 years in power, Ndakugarika and the clique in power could not reintegrate them into their homes. What is this magic wand he is bringing to do it today?
General Ndakugarika’s non-statements are then very clear. When he talks about refugees in Rwanda and internally displaced people, he means Tutsis. He would like to see them all come in so that he would do to them what he couldn’t do before fleeing. They fled Ndakugarika and his men, most of whom narrowly escaped death.
We have written it several times already. The installation of purely military power does not bode well. The military clique is preparing for the irreparable. He wants to bring them all together; he knows that this time, once returned, they will not be able to escape him because he controls all sectors. “To give the evil one your little finger is to give up your hand”; said Henri-Frédéric Amiel.
URNHITAMWONEZA once again draws the attention of Burundians to the words of the Gitega military clique. What they say is contrary to what they plan; they have a hidden agenda. To the international community, we recommend keeping a watchful eye on Burundi. And those who rush to open the doors of cooperation to this military power must also prepare to assume their responsibility for genocide in preparation.