In a letter sent to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, the acting President of the Community of East African States (EAC), Pierre Nkurunziza accuses Rwanda of supporting the armed movements that destabilize Burundi and urges an extraordinary summit of the EAC to resolve the “open conflict” between the two countries before the region is set on fire.
“Rwanda is the only country in the region that supports the destabilization of Burundi and therefore I no longer consider it a partner country but simply as an enemy” reportedly reads Nkurunziza’s correspondence to his Ugandan counterpart.
Nkurunziza then goes into detail and talks about Kigali’s help in the supervision and arming of the rebel movements that are destabilizing his country. He points to more than 3 attacks against his country from or with the support of Rwanda. He told Museveni that he no longer considers his northern neighbour as a partner country but rather a sworn enemy.
Though he acknowledges the efforts of the larger East African Community to quash the May 2015 putsch, Nkurunziza regrets, however, another EAC member continues to support criminals and coup leaders. “It’s Rwanda,” he says.
The Burundian leader lists a series of incidents to support these accusations: “Attacks were carried out in January 2015 and in June 2015. Military planes also violated our airspace in August 2018 without our permission,” he says.
“These terrorist attacks have already caused several hundred deaths in Mugina and Ruhagarika commune of Cibitoke province, in Kabarore in Kayanza province, in the capital of Burundi and elsewhere,” he says.
Pierre Nkurunziza’s letter to Museveni goes further still: “Burundi and other observers have shown that young people and children are recruited in the refugee camps of Mahama in Rwanda and are enlisted in the armed movements that destabilize our country. The putschists and other criminals reside on the Rwandan territory and there they receive support and military, political and diplomatic assistance to attack Burundi, “ he writes.
In his letter Nkurunziza also grumbles that Rwanda and Belgium have granted travel documents to Burundian refugees, some of whom he considers criminals, enabling them to travel around the world. He regretted that Rwanda had refused to cooperate with a joint verification team from the Great Lakes Region who wanted to conduct field investigations to verify the veracity of all these accusations. Nkurunziza accused the EAC of turning a deaf ear to the suffering inflicted upon Burundi by Rwanda.
Kigali rejects all responsibility for the Burundian conflict
Since the outbreak of the political crisis in Burundi, Rwanda has always declined responsibility for this conflict. Kigali insists that it has no interest in the crisis. It accuses the president of Burundi of trying to create excuses for the crisis by blaming its neighbours.
Two weeks ago, Richard Sézibera, Minister of the Rwandan diplomacy, affirmed in a press conference that the relations with Burundi have always been strained through no fault of Rwanda. “As you well know, relations with our neighbor Burundi are not right for reasons that do not depend on us. This country continues to involve us in its internal problems that do not concern us. But if Bujumbura is cooperative, we are ready to normalize our relationship, “ he said.
At the same time, the high Rwandan authorities accuse Burundi of hosting Interahamwe militiamen who are attacking Rwanda.
Bujumbura also protests against the final report of the inter-Burundian dialogue
The Burundian president told his Ugandan counterpart that he rejects some of the main elements of the content of the final report on the inter-Burundian dialogue, in particular on the deployment of military forces to secure political leaders, the cancellation of the the international arrest warrants issued by Bujumbura against about 30 alleged coup plotters in May 2015 and the release of political prisoners and the general animist. “These measures undermine the independence and integrity of the country,” he says.
Nkurunziza says he can never sit down with criminals and putschists : “If this situation concerned your country, would you agree to sit down with the putschists who wanted to overthrow you? Could their excellencies Kenyatta and Magufuli accept to violate the law of their country and let go of the troublemakers who wanted to attack the democratic institutions elected from their countries? “
Nkurunziza wonders aloud why these presidents want these coup leaders not to be arrested and punished.
Nkurunziza asks another question: “If this is the case and the pressure is hanging over Burundi to violate its laws in dialogue with the putschists, what is preventing President Paul Kagame from negotiating with the Interahamwe and other elements that threaten security and security. integrity of Rwanda” . For him, this is the main reason that pushed the government of Burundi to play the empty chair card during the 5th round of dialogue held in Arusha in Tanzania.
If you recall, the Burundian president refused to take part in the summit of the Heads of State of the EAC on November 30th, which resulted in the session being postponed to the current December 27th. Three presidents made the trip to Arusha. They include Ugandan Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Kenyan Uhuru Kenyatta and Tanzanian John Pombe Magufuli. Rwandan was represented by its Minister of Diplomacy and South Sudan by its Minister of Trade and Industry.[:fr]In a letter sent to Yoweri Museveni, Ugandan President at the same time acting President of the Community of East African States (EAC), Pierre Nkurunziza accuses Rwanda of supporting the armed movements that destabilize Burundi and urges an extraordinary summit of the EAC to solve the “open conflict” between the two countries, before the region is set on fire.
“Rwanda is the only country in the region that supports the destabilization of Burundi and therefore I no longer consider it a partner country but simply as an enemy” , at least that is the summary of Pierre Nkurunziza’s correspondence to his Ugandan counterpart at the same time president of the East African community.
Nkurunziza does not go to extremes and talks about Kigali’s help in the supervision and arming of the rebel movements that are destabilizing his country. He points to more than 3 attacks against his country from or with the support of Rwanda. He told Museveni that he no longer considers his northern neighbor as a partner country but rather a sworn enemy.
Acknowledging the efforts and other initiatives of the EAC to quash the May 2015 putsch, Nkurunziza regrets, however, the part of a country of the EAC that continues to support criminals and coup leaders. “It’s Rwanda,” he says.
It lists a series of elements to support these accusations: “Attacks were carried out in January 2015 and in June 2015. Military planes also violated our airspace in August 2018 without our permission,” he says.
“These terrorist attacks have already caused several hundred deaths in Mugina and Ruhagarika commune of Cibitoke province, in Kabarore in Kayanza province, in the capital of Burundi and elsewhere,” he says.
Pierre Nkurunziza’s correspondence goes further. “Burundi and other observers have shown that young people and children are recruited in the refugee camps of Mahama in Rwanda and are enlisted in the armed movements that destabilize our country. The putschists and other criminals reside on the Rwandan territory and there they receive support and military, political and diplomatic assistance to attack Burundi, “ he writes.
Nkurunziza reports that Rwanda and Belgium grant travel documents to Burundian refugees, whom he considers criminals, to circulate around the world without worrying. He regretted that the neighbor of Kanyaru had refused to cooperate with a joint verification team from the Great Lakes Region who wanted to conduct field investigations to verify the veracity of all these accusations.
And to ask Museveni why the EAC is a deaf ear to all the suffering inflicted by Rwanda to the Burundian people?
Kigali rejects all responsibility for the Burundian conflict
Since the outbreak of the political crisis in Burundi, Rwanda has always declined responsibility for this conflict. Kigali said he has no interest or profit in the crisis, and said the president of Burundi struggling to find solutions to the crisis seems to want to endorse the neighbors.
Two weeks ago, Richard Sézibera, Minister of the Rwandan diplomacy, affirmed in a press conference that the relations with Burundi are always strained but that Kigali is there for nothing. “As you well know, relations with our neighbor Burundi are not right for reasons that do not depend on us. This country continues to involve us in its internal problems that do not concern us. But if Bujumbura is cooperative, we are ready to normalize our relationship, “ he said.
At the same time, the high Rwandan authorities accuse Burundi of hosting Interahamwe militiamen who are attacking Rwanda.
Bujumbura also protests against the final report of the inter-Burundian dialogue
The Burundian president told his Ugandan counterpart that he rejects some of the main elements of the content of the final report on the inter-Burundian dialogue, in particular on the deployment of military forces to secure political leaders, the cancellation of the mandates of international judgments issued by Bujumbura against about 30 alleged coup plotters in May 2015 and the release of political prisoners and the general animist. “These measures undermine the independence and integrity of the country,” he says.
Nkurunziza says he can never sit down with criminals and putschists : “If this situation concerned your country, would you agree to sit down with the putschists who wanted to overthrow you? Could their excellencies Kenyatta and Magufuli accept to violate the law of their country and let go of the troublemakers who wanted to attack the democratic institutions elected from their countries? “
The Burundian wonders why these presidents want these coup leaders not to be arrested and punished.
And Nkurunziza to ask an equation. “If this is the case and the pressure is hanging over Burundi to violate its laws in dialogue with the putschists, what is preventing President Paul Kagame from negotiating with the Interahamwe and other elements that threaten security and security. integrity of Rwanda “ . For him, this is the main reason that pushed the government of Burundi to play the empty chair card during the 5th round of dialogue held in Arusha in Tanzania.
Recall that the Burundian president refused to take part in the summit of the Heads of State of the EAC, on November 30th, which made that the session is postponed illico for the current December 27th. Three presidents made the trip to Arusha. They include Ugandan Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Kenyan Uhuru Kenyatta and Tanzanian John Pombe Magufuli. The Rwandan was represented by his Minister of Diplomacy and South Sudan by his Minister of Trade and Industry.
