Declaration of the Alliance of Burundians of Canada, ABC
Two years ago to the day, the world woke up to cries and tears in Burundi; an unspeakable horror, as many described it. “A bloodbath” was the expression on everyone’s lips that morning of December 12, 2015, when the full scale of the horror perpetrated by the regime’s forces and the Imbonerakure came to light. The toll was heavy and revolting: over 200 people, mostly young residents of the neighborhoods of Nyakabiga, Musaga, Ngagara, and Cibitoke, lost their lives.
The modus operandi of the death squads, composed of regime forces—especially the police—and the Imbonerakure, was identical: a bullet to the head, hands tied behind the back, and hasty burials in mass graves.
In the wake of this massacre, there was a surge in cases of rape, causing deep trauma for victims and their families, along with arbitrary imprisonments, abductions, enforced disappearances, torture, and inhumane and degrading treatment. Adding tragedy to tragedy, the bodies of the victims were not returned to their families for proper burials. Instead, they were labeled either as coup plotters or enemies of democracy—cynical and deadly terms used by the illegal and illegitimate regime in Bujumbura to describe a youth that was the least receptive to its hate-filled and discriminatory rhetoric.
Two years after this carnage, those suspected of committing these crimes against humanity remain untouched by the Burundian judiciary, which remains dependent on and subservient to the orders of the regime. The only hope now lies with the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has recently launched investigations following a damning report from the United Nations Commission of Inquiry. This report found compelling evidence that crimes were committed by security forces and the Imbonerakure militia, serving the government since April 26, 2015.
Despite the existence of these heinous crimes, for which it is accountable, the tyrannical regime in Bujumbura insists that peace has returned to Burundi!
On this day of remembrance for the victims of the December 12 massacre, ABC once again expresses its comfort and support to the grieving families.
While awaiting the restoration of an independent Burundian judiciary, ABC urges the international justice system to accelerate investigations so that those responsible for the December 12, 2015, tragedy can be identified and brought to justice.
ABC also takes this opportunity to denounce the Bujumbura regime’s current narrative that peace has returned. Any keen and honest observer can see that Burundi is sitting on a time bomb that could ignite at any moment. The reason for this is that the Bujumbura regime is determined to avoid any compromise with the true opposition, which it labels a breeding ground for coup plotters—an attitude that carries great risks.
The most recent proof of this is the dialogue that came to an abrupt end on December 8, 2017, in Arusha, without any compromise being reached. The maneuvers and bad faith of Nkurunziza’s regime successfully blocked any chance of resolving the crisis, which can only be achieved through dialogue. The authorities in Bujumbura have only one goal: to reshape the constitution to their liking, regardless of the human, political, and economic costs that these maneuvers may bring.
At the time of writing, invitations have already been sent for a referendum aimed at authorizing constitutional changes and ultimately burying the Arusha Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Burundi!
In light of these ominous developments, ABC makes the following demands:
To the East African Community (EAC):
– Acknowledge that dialogue is impossible due to the lack of a mediation team capable of rising above partisanship and conducting this process with method, neutrality, and effectiveness;
– Have the courage to admit its failure to carry out this mission and hand it over to more competent, honest, and committed actors in order to save peace in Burundi;
– Spare the region from this festering wound, which risks becoming even more dangerous if left untreated.
To the international community:
– Take all necessary measures to dissuade the Bujumbura regime from its attempts to bury the Arusha Agreement by manipulating the constitution;
– Keep in mind that failure to resolve the Burundian crisis sets the stage for other similar crises;
– Make the Burundian authorities understand that silencing dissenting voices indefinitely offers no way forward.
At the end of this declaration, ABC appeals to human conscience, particularly that of international decision-makers, urging them to come to the rescue of a country held hostage by a lawless and ruthless oligarchy that seeks to erase this crisis by killing, raping, and looting behind closed doors.
Done in Ottawa on December 11, 2017
© The Alliance of Burundians of Canada, ABC