Burundi: Mysterious cases of dying goats that was given by LVEMP II in Kirundo, Mwaro and Gitega!

There are sometimes some coincidences and others are just to rare to not comment. That in three districts in Burundi, this being Gitega, Mwaro and Kirundo. That within two weeks 3044 goats died. This has been verified by the Ministry of Agriculture in a Press Release made by Dr. Deogratias Nsanganlyumwami on the 12 January 2018.

This is all goats imported from Uganda through a scheme made by the World Bank. This deaths are the reported within the 28th December 2017. These goats came as a part of the AFCC2/RI-Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project. Clearly, they didn’t survive their landing and intent potential.

In the Kirundo District, the LVEMP ceremony of delivery of goats was on 7th November 2017, the project gave to that district about 6659 goats. This was goats that was promised earlier in the year and before Christmas. They reached on their promise as they pledged in September 2017. So the World Bank project did deliver the goats. However, close to half of the them is now dead.

There is something that must be wrong with the project, with the feeding of these goats or if it deliberately destroyed. Since it didn’t take long time from November until the reported deaths of them in and around 28th December. The Local Government, the governors and the officials who was there as the project and give away to farmers. Must have known or seen the death themselves. Since the numbers of dead goats by mysterious virus/sickness/illness. Should be investigated and also give reason for sudden deaths.

That the Burundian government should care is that this was donations given to them and for their people. These goats was part of LVEMP II, which ended on 31st December 2017. That leader Jian Xie should be questioned and the procurement of the goats, should be looked into. Since its weird that 3000 goats die in such short span and part by one WB Project. That Veterinarians have given the living goats some sort of medicine, but if that is the remedy to stops the deaths is uncertainty. The government itself also want to isolate the ones in these districts. That meaning to narrowing who has the sickness and stop the spreading of it.

What is special if the reports of importing Ugandan goats that has created this through the WB Project in November 2017. That ended in massive deaths in the stock in December. That is now reported in January,. That this isn’t big news, is that the WB Project ended on the 31st December and the Burundian government, know they cannot push funding out a stopped project. Unless, the government will try to find blame from the procurement and the imports of it. Then, the Burundian government has a case, since its a big number compared to the numbers officially given by LCEMP II in Kirundo District in November. That means close to half has died since they was given.

It is all mysterious, we will certainly not know why until investigations are done or someone actually talk. Peace.

Burundi: CNARED-GIRITEKA – “Declaration Relative AU Referendum Sur La Constitution” (07.01.2018)

Opinion: We never learn, the conflicts doesn’t stop!

This year has been bloody and the doomsday switch is itching. The trigger fingers are used on dozens of battlefields. Some places with hope of peace and of just rule. It is other places, which is in dire need of change and quickly. The are continuation of wars and conflicts. Internally and across borders. There are possible new problems and making it more hectic. As so many nations have porous borders where militias and armies are floating in between. Since also even with supposed arms blockade to certain conflict zones, the merchants of death is delivering their loads.

The battles continues, the ramifications of innocent lives, villages burnt and kids disappearing. The utter violence and crimes against humanity. That get touched and burned for war-lords, generals and Presidents to stay in power. While AID and NGOs are afraid of sending help and often also stopped. The United Nations might have troops in the nearby area, but easier to get a towing vehicle, than armed supported of a IDP Camp. The insurgency and the escalations, the results is death.

It happens, as the world is looking at Premier League, NBA and Formula One. It is happening while Miss Universe is lost on a God-Forsaken Island. We never know why these innocent lives had to die. We just read the numbers in small notices in the papers and moves on.

That is not justice, that is not right. We didn’t learn anything. Nothing. It continues daily in South Sudan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Yemen, Burma, Burundi, Mali, Niger, Cameroon, Nigeria and the list goes on. To many nations have internal conflicts or conflicts across their borders. Where merchants are securing the deaths of the innocent.

It happen all through the year. It didn’t stop. It continues and we just watch. We let it happen right under our nose for all sort of different reasons. This isn’t the big-man complex within me, this is the man who questions the world order and wonder when will it stop. We should not accept these deaths. It could be me and next time you. Who knows when conflicts will strike our shores and our clan. We never know, the future is not written yet, but we can make sure that doesn’t happen to them. That we shield and stop the aggressors. The endless violence and death. The destruction of society, of families and of basic functions.

Where the men and soldiers with the guns are respected and the law, where the respect and protocol is bypassed. Where the institutions and the general code of law is undermined at any moment. Where the bullet has the final say, where the use of weapons and ammunition; is the final outcome to any trade. The justice is what the guns say and the ones that uses them. The ones that is supplying it, is making sure the vote get heard and the War-Lord get signed off.

The determination and the lack of will, the mismanagement and the international community lack of acknowledge the reality. The blood-thirst and the power-hungry individuals who rule and who uses this to silence the public. Send them packing and fleeing. Take their lands and the resources. Secure their future, while the majority is in utter disgrace in foreign lands. They fear and wonder when peace will be in their village and around their home. If it is safe and if the government will promise their safety.

This is what we should be afraid of, that people are afraid of their homes and their lands. That they are afraid of returning, because they know that they might lose their lives and also their children. This is the evidence of the crime that is committed. What is taken from these people. We learned nothing in 2017, as the conflicts are continuing and no peace in sight. No justice and no respect for human dignity, as more innocent lives are taken away everyday before their time. Peace.

Burundi: CNARED-GIRITEKA – “Declaration Contre Le Referendum Sur La Constitution” (15.12.2017)

Burundi: Declaration du CNARED-Giriteka en Rapport avec la session d’Arusha du 27 Novembre au 8 Decembre, 2017 (09.12.2017)

Opinion: The Inter-Burundian Dialogue was bound to fail, because President Nkurunziza wanted it so!

Well, it is not strange that the Inter-Burundian Dialogue done with help of Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and with former Tanzanian President Benjamin William Mpaka. These two did it under the East African Community (EAC) umbrella and with support of the African Union (AU). The continued oppression of opposition to the President Pierre Nkurunziza and his ruling party CNDD-FDD, who changed the constitution and also allowed the President to start his third term in 2015.

Therefore, the Inter-Burundian Dialogue that has gone since the crisis and crackdown on opposition occurred. Haven’t created peace, neither dialogue that has made any sense. That is why the recent reports of even Mpaka being ‘disappointed’ with the results. Nkuruniziza and CNDD-FDD had no interests in changing their paradigm. As they have the Courts, Parliament and Society in general. In Burundi, Nkurunziza is the law and it will be bent to his needs.

That is why this is the recent result from the last meetings, which has lasted and where the venue and the people showing up has been decided by the President and his men. Therefore, many vital opposition groups not been involved, neither has bigger civil society, therefore just by that sense the whole negotiations and sessions. They have not delivered anything substantial. Just like Nkurunziza would prefer.

In his speech before all the participants in the inter-Burundian dialogue in Arusha, Facilitator Benjamin William Mkapa, has announced “there will be no agreement, declaration or binding document” after the two-week session expected to end this 8 December. In the 7 December plenary session that lasted thirty minutes, some points of convergence that could a form an agreement as well as points of divergence that could be the subject of dialogue and negotiation in the future have been identified” (…) “Benjamin Mkapa says the points of divergence require more consultation among the stakeholders so that there should be a way out of the political impasse that Burundi has been through since 2014 as soon as possible” (Uwimana, 2017).

While that was happening, another plenary sessions in the Inter-Burundian Dialogue that has steadily happen since 2015. With nothing to show for, in the midst of it, there been more arrests, assassinations and exile for leadership in the opposition. The CNDD-FDD Youth League, the militant and violent arm of the government, the Imbonerakure who has also taken part in killings and kidnapping individuals who is opposing the regime.

As that is still happening, there been workings on new changes to the Constitution to give the President, yet more time in power. His plan is to not leave and stay for life. He does it with all means to oppress and control all parts of society. Therefore, they are holding a ceremony on the 12th December 2017 at Commune Bugenda in the Province of Githara. Where they are planning a referendum to fix it ready for the President. This will be celebration to secure the future legally for Nkurunziza.

So with that initial change, the Arusha Accord of 2000 is officially buried somewhere inside Burundi. It is totally dead and has no return while Nkurunziza and CNDD-FDD are ruling. They just used the EAC and the mediation to stall for time. They just used the Inclusive Inter-Burundian Dialogue, to use time to consolidate more power and make sure they knew of all their enemies. That is why there are less of them, if there are people who stand against them. They will crush them. Just like when one of the Opposition Parties got a new leader, his Hotel was destroyed the day after. That wasn’t a coincidence. That is the CNDD-FDD leadership in action.

Pierre Nkurunziza has no plan of leaving and he uses all tools to stay there. No stone left unturned. The EAC Dialogue and Sessions was wasting time, but giving him time to change the constitution. Through a Referendum. So that he can elect himself again in 2020. This with a lavish ceremony on the 12th December, the next steps for his re-election and his possible fourth term. With all the bloodshed and the destruction of the opposition. Even in the refugee camps inside Tanzania has certain leaders of the opposition been arrested and detained in Burundi. Also people have disappeared and vanish from the surface of the earth.

The Inter-Burundian Dialogue was built on wrong direction, as Museveni as peacemaker has a stake in the young leader in Burundi. He wants loyal friends in the presidency around him. At one point in 2015, when the crisis was at its worst and the uprising was starting. There was reports of Ugandan Army and helicopters flying to secure his movement. Therefore, he had a useful measure and provider to secure Nkurunziza legitimacy. As well, as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission provided the technical aspects of the election. This was to show that the International Community, foreign forces had their stakes in the process. Still, it was more for show, than for what charade that was going on.

If all the violence and deaths, all the refugees and people in exile is showing. Is that Nkurunziza are controlling and taking advantage of his position. The use of Mpaka and EAC is also really a proof of Museveni, to not take alone ownership. But using the EAC as a mediator, but him giving way. Mpaka has been told who to invite and minutes to discuss. Therefore, the control from the government has ruled out any results or changes that would question the third term and also the rule of Nkurunziza.

This was bound to fail, because it was made to do so. Nkurunziza and Museveni, haven’t had any interests in other results or making accords in accordance with Arusha Agreement of 2000. They just wanted to secure the CNDD-FDD and Nkurunziza. To say something else, is just to lie or make a alternative story. With all the time passed and all the reports coming. There haven’t been any concessions or any significant proof of will, to divert or even discuss anything that would question the breaches of a third term and now a possible fourth. Peace.

Reference:

Uwimana, Diane – ‘Arusha: “There will be no agreement, declaration or binding document”, says Facilitator’ (07.12.2017) link: http://www.iwacu-burundi.org/englishnews/arusha-there-will-be-no-agreement-declaration-or-binding-document-says-facilitator/

Burundi: Declaration de la Coalition Burundaise des Defenseurs des droits de l’Homme (CBDDH) sur l’Arrestation et l’Emprisonnement du Defenseur des droits Humains Nibitanga Nestor (06.12.2017)

Burundi: FPB letter to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – “Subject: The disapperance of FPB leaders in Tanzania and the role of this country in the Inter-Burundian Dialogue” (29.11.2017)

Burundi: MSD Declaration on the Inter-Burundian Dialogue (01.12.2017)

RDC: CENI – Communique de Presse (27.11.2017)