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Burundi: Cibitoke - Students Protest the Relocation of So-Called FNL Combatants
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Burundi Réalités (Bujumbura)
13 November 2007
Posted to the web 13 November 2007
Bujumbura
The relocation of more than 800 so-called FNL combatants to Cibitoke province has given rise to protests. Students of Lycée Cibitoke took to the streets this morning. They also staged a protest last Saturday following the move of the FNL dissidents who had eaten food prepared for students.
The dissidents are stationed less than 200 meters from the school in a place where there are no water and sanitation facilities. They have to share the same facilities with students of the lycée. These dissidents often terrorize students. More than three students have been injured following altercations between these two sides. Students now demand to go back home to escape the insecurity caused by the dissidents. Provincial administration, police and army officials have failed to satisfy the students.
The top provincial, police and army officials were not consulted prior to the relocation of these combatants to a location less than a kilometre from the city of Cibitoke. They still wait for orders from top authorities of the country. The spokesman of the army, Lt Colonel Adolphe Manirakiza, indicates that they relocated the combatants to Karurama because there is water facility but unfortunately the tub is out of order. The spokesman of the army adds that they will reinforce security for the students.
This leaves a lot to be desired. Neither the dissidents nor the regular army should be stationed close to students, for it is hardly possible that people with pens and people with weapons can cohabitate peacefully. These dissidents were relocated from Rugazi on 8 November 2007. This relocation was made as part of the scheme set up by the facilitation team on the demand of the chairman of the regional initiative for peace in Burundi and the government of Burundi. The scheme is aimed at inspiring dissidence in a bid to sideline the leadership of FNL-PALIPEHUTU. The facilitation team and the government of Burundi have however failed to mete out the impact of this scheme. After the attack that targeted the dissidents at Buterere last September, the defence minister, General Germain Niyoyankana, after a long silence on the government's part, acknowledged that stationing combatants close to civilians was a mistake.
On the demand of the chairman of the regional initiative for peace, more than 350 dissidents were transferred from Rugazi to Gakungwe in the south of the capital city of Bujumbura. On 21 October, an attack that the FNL-PALIPEHUTU claimed responsibility for caused 11 casualties according to the army and more than 30 according to independent sources.
This attack also caused a wave of internal displacements as dissidents started to hunt collaborators of Agathon Rwasa. In 2005, shortly after the accession of the CNDD-FDD to power, Gakungwe was one of the places that were set up by the government in a bid to put an end to the FNL rebellion without negotiations and to host combatants that would have surrendered. But, following massive violations of human rights that resulted from this policy, human rights activists and the international community's pressure made the government give it up. The relocation of these dissidents to Cibitoke has also created worries among the population of this area. This population fears that these dissidents can be attacked by other combatants who are still loyal to Agathon Rwasa, the leader of FNL-PALIPEHUTU.
Cibitoke has been a recruiting area of the FNL-PALIPEHUTU for many decades. This movement was active Cibitoke in 80's and early 90's. It would be recalled that in November 1991, the first grand scale attack carried by FNL combatants started in Cibitoke and Bujumbura provinces and the government had to mobilize heavy artillery to overcome the â-šinsurgents".
Burundi is struggling to come out of more than a decade of open war. Different peace deals have resulted in a ceasefire between all belligerent parties. A year ago a truce between the government and FNL-PALIPEHUTU was brokered. Following a series of blunders and biases on the behalf of the South African mediation, talks between the two opposing sides are on halt. The attempt of the mediator, Charles Nqakula, to boost the talks within the truce monitoring commission failed as members of FNL-PALIPEHUTU boycotted the meeting. The move of the mediation to favour FNL dissidents have not paid off as expected. Prominent leaders of the dissidents were attacked while they were meeting in Bujumbura to choose their representatives in the truce monitoring commission.
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While the government of Burundi and the mediation are favouring the dissidents, signs that the peace deal is starting to be derailed are reappearing on the ground.
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