Burundi ambassador says “Coup plotters will face law” (Youtube-Clip)

Joint Communique (PSC/AHG/COMM.3(DLXXI): African Union on the Burundian Crisis (06.02.2016)

Burundi PSC JC P1 06022016Burundi PSC JC P2 06022016Burundi PSC JC P3 06022016Burundi PSC JC P4 06022016

Rwandan gov. trained militia to topple Burundian gov,; UN confidential note to the UN Security Council on the matter; Rwandan gov. denies, while Burundian gov. verifies

Burundi-Museveni-Nkurunziza

Here today I am going through some worrying reports, the leaked note I have read, have been discussed in other media, therefore my article is thicker and deeper. As I want to show the results and responses of the governmental officials from Burundi and Rwanda on the matter. Some of it should be expected, as Rwandan response would never say that actually tried to topple President Pierre Nkurunziza, which President Kagame could have that in him, would not be new considering how he together with Uganda President Museveni went and toppled Mobutu Seko Seko.

The recent news has also been questioned by some sources; I will add that tape in the end where that journalist asks if it is manufactured. You can have your take on it. The matter of violence that President Kagame has in the past and near present time in DRC, he could have had the capacity to pull it off. He has it in his veins just like President Museveni. Therefore we should not be shocked if this is facts and that the Burundian authorities is aggravated, the way the Burundian government has gone against their own opposition is not a just, but the cause of stopping a neighboring country trained militia or guerilla force should be reasonable. That proves the fragile situation in Burundi and that behind the scenes the powers around try to earn coins on it. Here take a look!

Kivu Provines

Training of militia to topple Nkurunziza:

The Group spoke with 18 Burundian combatants, not associated with the Front National de Liberation (FNL) in Uvira Territory of South Kivu Province. They told the Group that they had been recruited in the Mahama Refugee Camp in eastern Rwanda in May and June 2015 and were given two months of military training by instructors, who included Rwandan military personnel, in a forest camp in Rwanda. Their training included military tactics and the maintenance and use of assault rifles and machine guns, as well as ideological and morale-building sessions. Some told the Group that they were also trained in the use of grenades, anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. They were transported around Rwanda in the back of military trucks, often with Rwandan military escort. The Burundian combatants told the Group that there were least four companies of 100 recruits each being trained at the camp while they were there. Six of the trained combatants that the group spoke with were minors. They told the Group that the military training instructors at the camp knew that they were minors. The Burundian combatants showed the Group fake DRC identification cards that had been produced for them in Rwanda, so they could avoid suspicion while in the DRC. They crossed the Rusizi River in small groups at night from Rwanda into the DRC just south of the Kamanyola border post, with the assistance of a network based within the DRC. Like the FNL, they reported that their ultimate goal was to remove Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza” (UN, 2016).

BurundiNTVNews

Arms to the trained militia:  

“Several individuals were arrested in October to November 2015 in Goma, North Kivu Province, on suspicion of involvement in arms smuggling from the DRC to other countries. The perpetrators are Rwandan or Congolese nationals and were caught at the Congolese-Rwandan border post with the weapons. Some of the weapons were hidden in bags of green beans or manioc, and other were hidden in the chassis of a car. The Group interviews the perpetrators some of whom confirmed the weapons were to be used in support of armed groups in Burundi” (UN, 2016).

Burundian embassy to Hauge stated this:

“Burundi welcomes the fact that the international community is beginning to discover that the source of the insecurity afflicting Burundi is Rwanda. Information available to the government of Burundi and credible information from some media (France 24) and investigative reports by some International Experts, including UN Experts have confirmed that Rwanda which is a neighboring country to Burundi recruits, trains and arms Burundian citizens including minors in the MAHAMA Refugees Camp in Rwanda and sends them into to the territory of Burundi to commit armed attacks against civilians, security and military targets” (…)”   We know that some countries and some components of the international community have suspended or even stopped economic cooperation in order to force the democratically elected institutions by the sovereign people of Burundi and validated by the national and sub-regional judicial powers to submit and hand over power to anti-democratic Burundian forces. On the basis of credible information pointing to unprovoked acts of hostility and destabilization sponsored by Rwanda and executed by the violent opposition as the direct causes of the violence in Burundi, the Burundi Embassy in The Hague urges the countries which suspended economic cooperation with Burundi to review their positions” (Diplomat Magazine, 2016).

Kagame Nkurunziza 2011

Burundi response to the news:

“The CNDD-FDD Party condemns Rwanda over its neocolonial purposes for having implemented the plan of Burundi occupation so as to lead the country through an ethnical vision which Paul Kagame would have used as he had done it during the period of FPR Inkotanyi . The Burundian democrats remind him that if there had been no complicity and the politico –military support of the MINUAR, the FPR -Inkotanyi would have never taken the power in Rwanda and Paul Kagame has made use of genocide, sacrificing his own brothers to take the power. It is what he wanted to do in Burundi, while outrageously overusing the word genocide as experienced in his country” (…)”It is also unbelievable that the aggressor KAGAME has never been blamed by organizations such as the African Union, the United Nations , the European Union and other international organizations and that on the contrary, most of those organizations and States have not done nothing but connived, imposing him an international force. Burundian People cannot be mistaken taking into consideration what MINUAR has done to help Kagame take the power. KAGAME wanted and want to apply the same experience he has lived in his country. He has created a rebellion under the blessing of some politico- mafia settings among others Louis Michel, and his friends to bring back the G7 and the G10 of Buyoya to the power by the cheating of a putsch and a government of transition. Therefore, the dangerous use of the word genocide and ethnic are nothing but shields for those pseudo nostalgic politicians with bad ideas” (Nyabenda, 2016).

StampBurundi

Burundian Opposition claims:

”The opposition Burundi Democratic Rally (Radebu) chairman Jean de Dieu Mutabazi echoed the remarks, saying Rwanda was behind the war in a sister EAC member state and was worsening the unrest that has so far claimed hundreds of lives. “There’s this neighbour of ours, Rwanda, under the warmonger President Paul Kagame, who has been fighting in DR Congo and recently wanted to fight Tanzania,” Mr Mutabazi charged. “He is the one providing arms and logistical support to the rebels attacking Burundi.” Jacques Bigirimana, president of the FNL party, said although the belligerents were keen on national dialogue in a bid to end the political crisis, the country was under siege from what he termed as “destabilisation forces sponsored by Rwanda” (Ihucha, 2016).

Rwandan reaction:

“Last December, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame dismissed as “childish” allegations that Rwanda had stoked instability in Burundi and said Rwandan troops would play no part in any intervention in the neighbouring country” (Ihucha, 2016).

Rwandan Foreign Minister counters the report:

“Speaking to reporters on Friday, Louis Mushikiwabo, Rwanda foreign minister said that allegations were baseless and lies. “Rwanda hosting a big number of Burundian refugees in various refugee camps in the country does not mean training them to overthrow Burundian government? We cannot chase them back to their home country if they are not sure of their safety. Burundian government is in better position to look for a possible lasting solution to bring peace in Burundi,” she said” (China.org.cn, 2016).

Monuc

MONUSCO statement recently:

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sovereign and primary responsibility for the protection of its citizens.  MONUSCO stands ready to support the Government in these efforts, in line with its mandate to protect civilians. In this regard, MONUSCO welcomes the Government’s acceptance of the Mission’s proposal to resume coordinated offensive operations, which resulted in an agreed arrangement for military cooperation on 28 January 2016. With regard to cooperation with the FARDC, MONUSCO is confident that the measures put in place with the Government to mitigate risk and provide appropriate monitoring where necessary will ensure that MONUSCO-supported operations against ADF, FDLR and other armed groups are undertaken in line with the United Nations Human Rights Due Diligence Policy” (MONUSCO, 2016).

EALA statement on Burundi:

“Leontine Nzeyimana, Minister for EAC Affairs in Burundi however included a mix of representatives from government, political parties, and civil society. On her part, the minister noted: “As it has been happening in Burundi since the early 1960’s, the electioneering period was marked by negative propaganda intended to create in Burundi a political and institutional instability” (…)”The importance of this crisis to the EAC, the Report added, was brought home by accusations leveled against a Partner state by the Government-led delegation. Except for one Report, the delegation was unable to provide adequate evidence to the Committee to validate the claim that the Republic of Rwanda is hosting and militarily training Burundi refugees” (EALA, 2016).

The promised youtube-clip:

There is lots of statement that is hard to verify or grasp. Certainly all of the actors have a place in the motions and want to achieve something to prove their worth. The Government of Burundi is the one that is under fire, and for the moment they will be as long as the attacks on the opposition and way to civil war is continuing, while the refugees goes into DRC, Tanzania and Rwanda, even in Uganda.

The conflict and crisis has made the inter-dialogue stifled and the African Union hasn’t made any progress on the issues in the country. While Rwandan government might have seen it as it golden hour; as they saw it in the DRC back in day. So here we are in this day where Burundi is a pawn while the Government and Burundian National Forces, does not only fight their own public to stay in power, but might also fight against foreign trained forces; which it might happen and wouldn’t surprise me as the history of President Kagame lingers on. As he centers more and more power in Rwanda around himself in neo-Museveni way, he looks more and more like President Museveni, just a Rwandan counter-part. So President Nkurunziza is under fire and has a lot of work to generate peace, but this seems like a way to get there.

The results of this are that we can question if the Rwandan government wanted to bring down the Government of Burundian one. If not so the United Nations wanted this to slip out so their wish for peacekeepers could gain foothold in the UN Headquarters in New York, as they have seen the African Union have given-up the direct African answer to the conflict. Peace.

Reference:

China.org.cn – ‘Rwanda dismisses UN report on training Burundi rebels’ (05.02.2016) link: http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2016-02/06/content_37747742.htm

Diplomat Magazine – ‘Burundi’ statement on current situation’ (05.02.2016) link: http://www.diplomatmagazine.nl/2016/02/05/25834/

East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) – ‘EALA concerned about Republic of Burundi’ (05.02.2016) link: http://www.eac.int/news-and-media/press-releases/20160205/eala-concerned-about-republic-burundi

MONUSCO – ‘Press Statement of MONUSCO Regarding Operations Against Armed Groups in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’ (02.02.2016) link: http://monusco.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=10662&ctl=Details&mid=15045&ItemID=21686&language=en-US

Nyabenda, Pascal – ‘The 26th summit of the African Union Heads of State has proven that they have understood, Burundian People is deeply indebted to them’ (02.02.2016) Chairman of CNDD-FDD

Ihucha, Adam – ‘EALA declines to summon Rwanda over rebel claims’ (30.01.2016) link: http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/EALA-declines-to-summon-Rwanda-over-rebel-claims/-/2558/3055230/-/76bvilz/-/index.html

United Nations – ‘Security Council Committee Established Persuant to Resolution 1533 (2004) Concerning the Democratic Republic of Congo – !5th January 2016 (S/AC.43/2016/GE/OC.2) – Gaston Gramjo

Burundi’s opposition calls for AU intervention (Youtube-Clip)

“The main opposition group in Burundi has urged the international community and the African Union to approve plans to send an AU peacekeeping force to the country despite President Pierre Nkurunziza opposing the move. The country was plunged into crisis in April when Nkurunziza decided to stand for a third term, a move the opposition said was illegal and contravened the Arusha agreement of the year 2000 ending a civil war that left 300,000 people dead” (AfricaNews, 2016)

Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on “Empowerment of Woman and the silencing of guns in Africa” (Youtube-Clip)

“African Union chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, says that should the violence in Burundi persist, the continental bloc can still deploy peacekeepers to Burundi” (SABC, 2016).

Confidential: Note to the Security Council on Contigency Planning for Uniformed Personnel related to the Situation in Burundi (06.01.2016)

Security Council Note P1 UN BurundiSecurity Council Note P2 UN BurundiSecurity Council Note P3 UN BurundiSecurity Council Note P4 UN BurundiSecurity Council Note P5 UN BurundiSecurity Council Note P6 UN BurundiSecurity Council Note P7 UN Burundi

U.S. Gov. condems Rwandan President Kagame; Proves the double-standard; It’s okay for the U.S. ally President Museveni and wrong for President Kagame

 

East-Africa

We live in interesting times. The U.S. Government has condemned the Rwandan Government for giving the opportunity to have a third term for their President Kagame. President Museveni did the same in 2004 and the U.S. Government at that time couldn’t care or give two cents since him where their loyal ally. We didn’t hear anything last year when President Nkurunziza added to his two terms and only we’re late to the party when the news of the election-violence and assassinations came to broad light than the tune changed.

US Magazine Zaire LR

The same nation and government that supported the now deceased Mobutu Sese Seko in Democratic Republic of Congo then called Zaire. He we’re in charge of the country from about 1965 to 1997; when Laurent-Desire Kabila together with President Kagame’s and President Museveni’s armies; brought down the American sponsored and supported dictator. Who they needed through the cold-war to have a presence in the area, and not give that away to Soviet. We’ll they didn’t give him an army worth anything; when his neighbor countries invaded and took him down. That is just a sidebar.

Since the U.S. have supported dictators when they have needed them. The irony now for attacking Paul Kagame for doing his thing to get a third term seems a bit farfetched. We can see that U.S. trying to do something worth a damn in the area, since they have recently visited Kenya and Ethiopia. Well, recently U.S. reacted to Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza violence against opposition after an election for a third term and also going against the 2000 Arusha Peace Agreement, that we’re accepted by the courts as the first term; we’re accepted as adnominal since he was voted to power by parliament and not directly by the people! Even so, the public demonstrated and still is in turmoil and violence ever since March 2015 and we are in January 2016. The only thing U.S. did we’re to cut them from AGOA and that is zappy and looking meaningless in the big picture. They did not even have the ammunition to say it was wrong from the get-go for President Nkurunziza, surely because he is from a zip-code even the U.S. can’t care about.

Paul Kagame. P3jpg

 

U.S. Reaction on the 19th December 2015:

“The United States is disappointed that a referendum was called on short notice to amend the Rwandan constitution and introduce exceptions to term limits. While we commend the people of Rwanda for peacefully exercising their civic rights, we regret that the arrangements for the referendum failed to provide sufficient time and opportunity for political debate on the merits of the proposed provisions” (…)”The United States continues to be concerned by long-standing restrictions on peaceful assembly, association, and free expression in Rwanda. We urge the Government of Rwanda to enable the full and unfettered exercise of these fundamental freedoms as the country moves toward local elections in 2016, presidential elections in 2017, and parliamentary elections in 2018″.

This must have touched some nerves… So here is what he said back to them after the new-years.

So, the track record of recent is not beautiful. That President Kagame answers on twitter back we’re he was answering the U.S. Reaction on the 4th January 2016:

“So,…’diappointing?’ as a people and a leader/choices?? Uhm …it hurts!!! I promise we don’t intend to disappoint…esp ourselves!!”.

The issue is really, why the international bandwagon is reacting to him and not to all the other ones who keeps steady and sitting in power until death. Like the brother in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Zimbabwe and Sudan. Ugandan leader got some comments on the Barrack Obama visit in Africa in 2015, but they didn’t more or say since they need President Museveni sometimes it seems.

KabilaCartoon

The world is not reacting to the change of laws to make it happen in Democratic Republic of Congo where the son of Laurent-Desire Kabila, Joseph Kabila who does what he can to have a third-term as a president in the DRC. He seems he can move in silence and as he please not even the foreign affairs brother from Belgium reacting as he have done so much when it comes to Burundian President Nkurunziza. President Kablia seems like somebody who is not worth stressing about even when the news came out last year and the public reacted with #Telema demonstrations.

While the nuisances’ towards Rwanda and President Kagame seems like a doubled game, because you haven’t given a rats ass before and now you cry foul. I wonder if they will say anything if President Salva Kiir Mayardit stays in power after his second term of 6 years that will stretch to 2017. Since he have been in power of the nation since 2005 and when he continues from 2017 it will already be 12 years and with one more term will get 18 years; and that is a long time!

Salva Kiir Poster

President Kagame has been in power for a long time and people should be allowed to question his actions. Rwandan government and country is sovereign. As the same use of sovereign state Burundi have used against having an AU Peacekeepers in the country because that will take their freedom and justice as a nation because they can handle the turmoil internally. President Nkurunziza says so and the international community doesn’t speak up against that.

U.S. Government might have forgotten that Franklin Delano Roosevelt had three terms he was in power from 1932 to 1945. He would have if he didn’t die of health problems actually could have served a fourth term. Unprecedented in American history, still it proves they can do it to!

And when they need somebody they can support them even when they are undemocratic, but the U.S. doesn’t need President Kagame. They do not fear the turmoil of Burundi even though the Inter-Burundian dialogue that happens in Uganda, issued and led by the President Museveni. Who have no plan to step-down even though he have run the country since 1986. He follows suit of former fellows. President Museveni would if he could; Help out the son of Jomo Kenyatta and get a bigger suit in East Africa. President Musveni might even give him lessons on how to keep power in Kenya to President Uhuru Kenyatta; who is currently working on his campaign and party structure of the new Jubilee Party in the country. Preparing for a second term and campaign to secure that! Nothing is meantioned about the issues of the growing tension, the embezzlement and the corruption in Kenya; That is not an issue for the U.S. Since they need Kenya to fight Al-Shabab as well! Therefore they let all the other issue to the side.

President Museveni is allowed to do as he need and can. The U.S. would never say anything crazy unless he bans the gay community and put fire unto the “Anti-Gay-Bill” again! President Kagame can be taken and punished since he doesn’t have a role to play that U.S. need. President Kabila in DRC trades rare-earth minerals and other commodities cheaply so if he wants to stay; hell; he can stay! President Nkurunziza is only an issue when starts to harass and assassinate people in his own country, if he we’re silent about it, the U.S. government would not care. But President Kagame is the issue. Hope there anybody else who see something wrong with that picture?

Peace.    

Inter-Burundian Dialague happens on wrong terms with the off-target ” Ugandan Mediation Team” as the Power-Hungry President Nkurunziza lingers on

Burundi Cartoon

This years ending is in a bit of limbo when it comes to Burundi. It started earlier in the year with the court ruling accepting the third term for the second term president Pierre Nkurunziza. He had an election that was without major opposition, they didn’t except the terms that we’re set for the elections. The inauguration we’re done in secret and secrecy. The incoming we’re written in stone.

There we’re massive protest, even a coup d’état attempt by certain army figures that dwindled into water and dust and trace. Some of the main men in central government flee the country with the estimated 220.000 people following them. 22.000 of them alone in Uganda and big numbers in major refugee camps in Tanzania. This is worrying for the 2016.

BurundiElection

The fragile state and build-up of a military state again in Burundi; where the army and politics is mended together to oppress those who does not fit the regimes power-structure. We can see that with the instances of the opposition leaders who have been assassinated or killed during recent months. That is worrying and the world leaders are mostly silent.

Burundi-Museveni-Nkurunziza

Recent day’s actions by the African Union where they wish for peace operation in the country and that will be served by other African nations. That is argued by President Museveni of Uganda and President Nkurunziza that it is a breach of sovereignty of the state. Since the Burundi is a sovereign and can’t accept to be attacked by that principal. The Burundian president has even promised to attack the armies who enter the country. There was rumors when the coup d’état we’re occurring that he got help from Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) and their helicopters to get him back into power. So if it helps him and his foes then it is okay to bring the power structure. The African Union forces would not serve under the President Nkurunziza therefore he fears this and would attack them.

The Burundian President has fought against his fellow countrymen since March and now the realization of the African brothers happens. Just as we enters a new year than they start to do something! The Belgium foreign minister have complained for a while in the darkness and the American have stopped their participation in the AGOA and put sanctions on the top officials of the country.

So certain movements have happen. There we’re in this week a second try of mediation between the Government of Burundi, certain opposition parties, four former presidents of the country, civil society of Burundi and the mediation team appointed by President Museveni. Who have told the media that the Government of Burundi can’t set the terms, though they are the ones going after the opposition leaders and harassing those who believes their power is not righteous. While the country turns into more turmoil and distress. Burundi doesn’t turn to the better, instead the violence and aggression continues and more people will flee or die in the hands of the army and the security organizations controlled by the President Nkurunziza. That is happening while the world is turning the blind eye.

Burundi ZediFeruzi

Agathon Rwasa the FNL leader we’re assassinated this year and can’t be in the mediation. It is with sadness that main opposition leader is gone. That proves to what extent the President Nkurunziza goes to secure power. Gervais Rufyikiri the second vice-president fled the country this year. Also Zedi Feruzi was assassinated by government forces this year! 

The worry is the reports of torture, death-squads and military operations forcing people to flee while cholera outbreaks in refugee camps in Tanzania. The mediation and Inter-Burundian Dialogue is supposed to find a peaceful path for the people of Burundi, but that will not take away the crimes committed by the Government against their own people and the breeches of justice that has happen. The fear that is spread and the unjustified violence against the protesters against a illegitimate government who forces themselves to a third term. This here is all about the matter of a power-hungry President who won’t leave power and he is seeking advice and mediation through African Union from another President Museveni who have kept himself in power since 1986. That the African Union is rubberstamping this mediation from a government who have done precisely what President Nkurunziza wishes to achieve. Domination and control of his fellow countrymen; this either by law or by force for him at this point it doesn’t matter. The intimidation and killings should not be happening in the shadows and mist of darkness.

Kagame Nkurunziza 2011

The talks in Kampala right now is more formalities for the Government of Burundi to scan their opposition then actual talks and the former presidents is more puppets then actually initial force of changes to the better. Inter-Burundian Dialogue by the rouge regime of NRM and Uganda will just justify the Burundian governments stance and they will get time to learn from their masters and friends in country. Rwandan President Paul Kagame who just won a right to a new rounds of election and a third term possibility will not interfere in Burundi unless he have to, because the wounds and closeness to Burundi is to near. President Kagame also doesn’t want international interference or questions to his power. Since he himself will do what he can to stay in power, as President Nkurunziza does. The only difference it’s that President Kagame might not need to use as much force since he has silenced the critics since 1994 and kept the lid on the opposition ever since. Something President Nkurunziza didn’t have the time to do since the civil war that ended in 2005.

Therefore the 2016 will bring more violence and more fleeing refugees to Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. The Burundian people will continue to be oppressed. The African Union will struggle to breech the sovereignty in the country as they did in Rwanda in 1994. Back in the day in Rwanda where even the United Nations Peacekeepers looked like tin-soldiers and not like men of honor; if the world doesn’t do anything fruitful and knows about the actions happening in Burundi. The world and it’s bodies of peace will be responsible for acting towards justice for the people since its own leaders have gone against them, instead of serving them, they are serving their own will and own wish to keep power. That have to be some ways of keeping this at bay, if not the ideals and dreams of fruitful peace be more in the wind. The blood and the loss of lives will be redeemed in eternity while we living will remember those lives in sorrow, as they died for nothing while the powers to be ate their souls to keep power. That is not something we can let happen in 2016 in Burundi, as the mediation talks lingers and the actions lingers, while the forces of Burundian army and security outfits continues, the deaths, the tortured, the jailed and the forgotten would need your support in the new year to come. Peace!

Press Release: The African Union Welcomes the Resumption of the Inter-Burundian Dialogue and teh Reiterates its call to the Parties to Extend Full Cooperation to the Mediation (29.12.2015)

AU Burundi 29.12.15

Museveni: Burundi government can’t set conditions (Youtube-Clip)