12 January 2008
Bujumbura — About 1500 families from Musigati commune in Bubanza province are now in dire need of assistance. These families lived close to the Kibira forest and were displaced by the recent fighting between FNL combatants and the national army.
The displaced people are gathered at the parish of Musigati and the administrative headquarters of Musigati commune. They have received no assistance since January 9th, 2008 when they fled their homes after the escalation of skirmishes which claimed the lives of five FNL combatants and wounded three soldiers from the National Defence Force. The displaced people of Kivyuka zone, where the clashes took place, have been denied access to their farms by FNL combatants. These combatants continue to harvest fields as though they were theirs to get food supplies.
The governor of Bubanza visited the displaced families today as part of his pacification campaign after the fighting. The security and defence forces in this province remain on high alert in fear of retaliation from FNL combatants. Three patrolling policemen were wounded by the National Defence Forces who mistook them for FNL combatants.
In the meantime, each side puts the blame on its opponent. PALIPEHUTU-FNL has refused to claim responsibility for the attack that was carried out in Kivyuka on 9 January 2008. They claim that the National Defence Force soldiers were the first to fire at FNL combatants. The spokesman for the army has blamed PALIPEHUTU-FNL combatants for having targeted military positions throughout Musigati commune. PALIPEHUTU-FNL has already reverted to its old practice of using force to obtain food and contributions from all its strongholds.
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