.svg.png)
Burundi /bəˈrʊndɨ/,
officially the Republic of Burundi (Kirundi: Republika
y'Uburundi, [buˈɾundi]; French: République du Burundi, [byˈʁyndi]),
is a landlocked
country in the Great
Lakes region of Eastern Africa, bordered by Rwanda to
the north, Tanzania to
the east and south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to
the west. Its capital is Bujumbura.
Although the country is landlocked, much of the southwestern border is adjacent
to Lake Tanganyika.
The Twa, Hutu
and Tutsi peoples
have lived in Burundi for at least five hundred years and, for over two hundred
years, Burundi was ruled as a
kingdom. At the beginning of the twentieth century, however,
Germany
and Belgium
occupied the region and Burundi and Rwanda became a European colony known as Ruanda-Urundi.
Social differences between the Tutsi and Hutu have since contributed to
political unrest in the region, leading to civil war in the middle of the
twentieth century. Presently, Burundi is governed as a presidential representative
democratic republic.
Burundi is one of the five poorest countries in the world.
It has one of the lowest per capita GDPs of
any nation in the world. The country has suffered from warfare, corruption, poor access to education and
the effects of HIV/AIDS. Burundi is densely populated and experiences
substantial emigration.
According to a 2012 DHL Global Connectedness Index, Burundi is the least
globalised of 140 surveyed countries.
History
Colonization
After its defeat in World War I, Germany handed control
of a section of the former German
East Africa to Belgium. On
October 20, 1924, this land, which consisted of modern-day Rwanda and Burundi,
became a Belgian League of Nations
mandate territory, in practical terms part of the Belgian
colonial empire, known as Ruanda-Urundi.
However, the Belgians allowed Ruanda-Urundi to continue its kingship dynasty.[9][10]
Following World War II, Ruanda-Urundi was a United
Nations Trust Territory under Belgian administrative authority. During the 1940s, a series of policies caused divisions throughout the country.
On October 4, 1943, powers were split in the legislative division of Burundi's
government between chiefdoms and lower chiefdoms. Chiefdoms were in charge of
land, and lower sub-chiefdoms were established. Native authorities also had
powers. In
1948, Belgium allowed the region to form political parties. These factions would be one of the main influences for Burundi's independence
from Belgium.
Independence and civil war
Independence
Square and monument in Bujumbura.
On January 20, 1959, Burundi's ruler Mwami Mwambutsa IV
requested from the Belgian Minister of Colonies a separation of Burundi and
Rwanda and a dissolution of Ruanda-Urundi.[11]
Six months later, political parties were formed to bring attention to Burundi's
independence from Europe and to separate Rwanda from Burundi .The first of these political parties was the Union
for National Progress (UPRONA).
Burundi's push for independence was influenced to some
extent by the instability and ethnic persecution that occurred in Rwanda. In
November 1959, Rwandese Hutu attacked the Tutsi and massacred
them by the thousands. Many Tutsi escaped to Uganda and Burundi to find freedom
from persecution. The Hutu took power in Rwanda by winning Belgian-run elections in 1960.
The UPRONA, a multi-ethnic unity party led by Prince Louis Rwagasore
and the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) became the most prominent
organizations throughout Burundi-Urundi. After UPRONA's victory in legislative
elections, Prince Rwagasore was assassinated on October 13 in 1961, allegedly
with the help of the Belgian colonial administration.
The country claimed independence on July 1, 1962, and legally changed its name from Ruanda-Urundi to Burundi. Mwami Mwambutsa IV was named king. On
September 18, 1962, just over two months after declaring independence from
Belgium, Burundi joined the United Nations.
Upon Burundi’s independence, a constitutional monarchy
was established and both Hutus and Tutsis were represented in parliament. When
King Mwambutsa appointed a Tutsi prime minister, the Hutus, who were the
majority in parliament, felt cheated. An ensuing attempted coup by the
Hutu-dominated police was ruthlessly suppressed by the Army, then led by a
Tutsi officer, Captain Michel Micombero. When the next Hutu Prime Minister, Pierre Ngendandumwe, was assassinated in
1965, Hutus engaged in a series of attacks on Tutsi, which the government
repressed ruthlessly,[citation needed]
fearing the killings of Tutsis by Hutus, who wanted to follow the "Model
Rwanda".[clarification needed]
The Burundi police and military were now brought under the control of the
Tutsi.
Mwambutsa was deposed in 1966 by his son, Prince
Ntare V, who claimed the throne. That same year,
Tutsi Prime Minister Captain Michel Micombero deposed Ntare, abolished the
monarchy, and declared the nation a republic, though it was in effect a
military regime.
In 1972, an all Hutu organization known as Umugambwe
w'Abakozi b'Uburundi or Burundi Workers' Party (UBU) organized and carried out
systematic attacks on ethnic Tutsi with the declared intent of annihilating the
whole group. The military regime responded with large-scale reprisals targeting Hutus. The
total number of casualties was never established, but estimates for the Tutsi
genocide and the reprisals on the Hutus
together are said to exceed 100,000 at the very least, with a similar number of
asylum-seekers in Tanzania and Rwanda. In 1976, another Tutsi, Colonel Jean-Baptiste
Bagaza, led a bloodless coup and promoted various
reforms. A new constitution was promulgated in 1981, keeping Burundi a
one-party state.In
August 1984, Bagaza was elected head of state. During his tenure, Bagaza
suppressed political opponents and religious freedoms.
Major Pierre Buyoya, a
Tutsi, overthrew Bagaza in 1987 and suspended the constitution, dissolved the
political parties, and reinstated military rule under the Military Committee
for National Salvation (CSMN). Anti-Tutsi ethnic propaganda disseminated by the remnants of the 1972 UBU,
which had re-organized as PALIPEHUTU in 1981, led to killings of Tutsi peasants
in the northern communes of Ntega and Marangara in August 1988. The death toll
was put at 5,000[citation needed] by
the government, though some international NGOs believe this understates the
losses.
The new regime did not unleash harsh reprisals (as in
1972), but the trust it gained was soon eroded when it decreed an amnesty for
those who had called for, carried out, and taken credit for the killings on
ethnic grounds, which amounts to genocide in international law. Many analysts
consider this period as the beginning of the "culture of impunity."
But other analysts consider the "culture of impunity" to have started
from 1965 and 1972, when the revolt of a small and identifiable number of Hutus
unleashed massive killings of Tutsis on the whole territory.
In the aftermath of the killings, a group of Hutu
intellectuals wrote an open letter to Pierre Buyoya, asking for more
representation of the Hutus in the administration. The signatories were sent to
gaol. Nevertheless, only a few weeks later, Buyoya appointed a new government
with an equal number of Hutu and Tutsi, and a Hutu, Adrien Sibomana, as Prime
Minister. Buyoya also created a commission in charge of addressing the issue of
national unity. In
1992, a new constitution that provided for multi-party system was promulgated, and a civil war sprang up from Burundi's core.
An estimated 250,000 people died between 1962 and 1993. Since Burundi's independence in 1962, there have been two events called genocides in
the country. The 1972 mass killings of Hutus by the Tutsi-dominated army, and the 1993 mass killings of Tutsis by the Hutu populace are both described as
genocide in the final report of the International Commission of Inquiry for
Burundi presented to the United Nations Security Council in
2002.
First attempt at democracy
In June 1993, Melchior
Ndadaye, leader of the Hutu-dominated Front for Democracy in Burundi
(FRODEBU), won the first democratic election and became the first Hutu head of
state, leading a pro-Hutu government. However, in October 1993, Tutsi soldiers
assassinated Ndadaye, which started further years of violence between Hutus and
Tutsis. It is estimated that some 300,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed
in the years following the assassination.
In early 1994, the parliament elected Cyprien
Ntaryamira, also a Hutu, to the office of president. He
and the president of Rwanda both died together when their airplane was shot down.
More refugees started fleeing to Rwanda. Another Hutu, parliament speaker Sylvestre
Ntibantunganya was appointed as president in October 1994.
Within months, a wave of ethnic violence began, starting with the massacre of
Hutu refugees in the capital, Bujumbura, and the withdrawal of the mainly Tutsi Union for National Progress
from the government and parliament.
In 1996, Pierre Buyoya, a
Tutsi, took power through a coup
d’état. He suspended the constitution and was sworn
in as president in 1998. In response to the rebel attacks, the population was
forced by the government to relocate to refugee camps. Under his rule, long peace talks started, mediated by South Africa. Both
parties signed agreements in Arusha, Tanzania and Pretoria,
South Africa, to share power in Burundi. The agreements took four years to
plan, and on August 28, 2000, a transitional government for Burundi was planned
as a part of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement. The transitional
government was placed on a trial basis for five years. After several aborted
cease-fires, a 2001 peace plan and power sharing agreement has been relatively
successful. A cease-fire was signed in 2003 between the Tutsi-controlled
Burundian government and the largest Hutu rebel group, CNDD-FDD (National
Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy).
In 2003, FRODEBU Hutu leader Domitien
Ndayizeye was elected president. In
early 2005, ethnic quotas were formed for determining positions in Burundi's
government. Throughout the year, elections for parliament and president
occurred and Pierre Nkurunziza,
once a leader of a Hutu rebel group, was elected president. As of 2008, the
Burundian government is talking with the Hutu-led Palipehutu-National
Liberation Forces (NLF) to
bring peace to the country.
Peace agreements
African leaders began a series of peace talks between the
warring factions following a request by the United Nations Secretary General Boutros
Boutros-Ghali for them to intervene in the humanitarian
crisis. Talks were initiated under the aegis of former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere in
1995; following his death, South African President Nelson Mandela
took the helm. As the talks progressed, South African President Thabo Mbeki
and United States President Bill Clinton
also lent their respective weight.
The peace talks took the form of Track I mediations.
This method of negotiation can be defined as a form of diplomacy involving
governmental or intergovernmental representatives, who may use their positive
reputations, mediation or the “carrot and stick” method as a means of obtaining
or forcing an outcome, frequently along the lines of “bargaining” or
“win-lose”.
The main objective framing the talks was a structural
transformation of the Burundian government and military as a way to bridge the
ethnic gap between the Tutsis and Hutus. This would be accomplished in two
ways. First, a transitional power sharing government would be established, with
the presidents holding office for three-year terms. The second objective involved
a restructuring of the military, where the two groups would be represented
equally.
As the protracted nature of the peace talks demonstrated,
there were several obstacles facing the mediators and negotiating parties.
First, the Burundian officials perceived the goals as “unrealistic” and viewed
the treaty as ambiguous, contradictory and confusing. Second, and perhaps most
importantly, the Burundians believed the treaty would be irrelevant without an
accompanying cease fire. This would require separate and direct talks with the
rebel groups. The main Hutu party was skeptical of the offer of a power-sharing
government; they alleged that they were deceived by the Tutsis in past
agreements.
In 2000, the Burundian President signed the treaty, as
well as 13 of the 19 warring Hutu and Tutsi factions. However, disagreements
persisted over which group would preside over the nascent government and when
the ceasefire would commence. The spoilers of the peace talks were the
hardliner Tutsi and Hutu groups who refused to sign the accord; as a result,
violence intensified. Three years later at a summit of African leaders in
Tanzania, the Burundian president and the main opposition Hutu group signed an
accord to end the conflict; the signatory members were granted ministerial
posts within the government. However, smaller militant Hutu groups – such as
the Forces for National Liberation – remained active.
UN involvement
Between 1993 and 2003, many rounds of peace talks,
overseen by regional leaders in Tanzania,
South Africa, and Uganda, gradually established
power-sharing agreements to satisfy the majority of the contending groups.
Initially the South African Protection
Support Detachment was deployed to protect Burundian leaders
returning from exile, which then became part of the African Union Mission to
Burundi, deployed to help oversee the installation
of a transitional government. In June 2004, the UN stepped in and took over
peacekeeping responsibilities as a signal of growing international support for
the already markedly advanced peace process in Burundi.
The mission’s mandate, under Chapter VII of the UN Charter,
has been to monitor cease-fire; carry out disarmament, demobilization, and
reintegration of former combatants; support humanitarian assistance and refugee
and IDP return; assist with elections; protect international staff and
Burundian civilians; monitor Burundi’s troublesome borders including halting
illicit arms flows; and assist in carrying out institutional reforms including
those of the Constitution, judiciary, armed forces, and police. The mission has
been allotted 5,650 military personnel, 120 civilian police, and about 1,000
international and local civilian personnel. The mission has been functioning
well and has greatly benefited from the existence of a fairly functional
transitional government, which is in the process of transitioning into a more
legitimate, elected entity.
The main difficulty the operation faced at first was the
continued resistance to the peace process by the last Hutu nationalist rebel
group. This organization continued its violent conflict on the outskirts of the
capital despite the UN’s presence. By June 2005, the group had stopped fighting
and was brought back into the political process. All political parties have
accepted a formula for inter-ethnic power-sharing, which means no political
party can gain access to government offices unless it is ethnically integrated.
The focus of the UN’s mission had been to enshrine the
power-sharing arrangements in a popularly voted constitution, so that elections
may be held and a new government installed. Disarmament, demobilization and
reintegration were done in tandem with elections preparations. In February
2005, the Constitution was approved with over 90% of the popular vote. In May,
June, and August 2005, three separate elections were also held at the local
level for the Parliament and the presidency.
While there are still some difficulties with refugee
returns and securing adequate food supplies for the war-weary population, the
mission has managed to win the trust and confidence of a majority of the
formerly warring leaders as well as the population at large. It
has also been involved with several “quick impact” projects including
rehabilitating and building schools, orphanages, health clinics, and rebuilding
infrastructure such as water lines.
Reconstruction efforts in Burundi started to practically
take effect after 2006. The UN shut down its peacekeeping mission and
re-focused on helping with reconstruction. Toward achieving economic
reconstruction, Rwanda, D.R.Congo and Burundi relaunched
the regional economic bloc: The Great Lakes Countries Economic Community. In
addition, Burundi, along with Rwanda, joined the East
African Community in 2007.
However, the terms of the September 2006 Ceasefire
between the government and the last remaining armed opposition group, the FLN (Forces for National
Liberation, also called NLF or FROLINA), were not totally implemented, and
senior FLN members subsequently left the truce monitoring team, claiming that
their security was threatened. In
September 2007, rival FLN factions clashed in the capital, killing 20 fighters
and causing residents to begin fleeing. Rebel raids were reported in other
parts of the country. The rebel factions disagreed with the government over disarmament and the
release of political prisoners. In
late 2007 and early 2008, FLN combatants attacked government-protected camps
where former combatants were living. The homes of rural residents were also
pillaged
The 2007 report of
Amnesty
International mentions many areas where improvement is
required. Civilians are victims of repeated acts of violence done by the FLN.
The latter also recruits child soldiers. The rate of violence against women is
high. Perpetrators regularly escape prosecution and punishment by the state.
There is an urgent need for reform of the judicial system. Genocide, war crimes
and crimes
against humanity remain unpunished. The establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission
and a Special Tribunal
for investigation and prosecution has not yet been implemented. The freedom of
expression is limited; journalists are frequently arrested for carrying out
legitimate professional activities. A total of 38,087 Burundian refugees have
been repatriated between January and November 2007.
In late March 2008, the FLN sought for the parliament to
adopt a law guaranteeing them ‘provisional immunity’ from arrest. This would
cover ordinary crimes, but not grave violations of international humanitarian
law like war crimes or crimes against humanity . Even though the government has granted this in the past to people, the FLN has
been unable to obtain the provisional immunity.
On April 17, 2008, the FLN bombarded Bujumbura. The
Burundian army fought back and the FLN suffered heavy losses. A new ceasefire
was signed on May 26, 2008. In August 2008, President Nkurunziza met with the
FLN leader Agathon Rwasa,
with the mediation of Charles Nqakula,
South Africa’s Minister for Safety and Security. This was the first direct
meeting since June 2007. Both agree to meet twice a week to establish a
commission to resolve any disputes that might arise during the peace
negotiations.
Refugee camps are now closing down, and 450,000 refugees
have returned. The economy of the country is shattered – as of 2011 Burundi has
one of the lowest per capita gross incomes in
the world. With the return of refugees, amongst others, property conflicts have
started.
Burundi now participates in African Union peacekeeping
missions, including the mission to Somalia against Al-Shahab militants.
Burundi's political system is that of a presidential representative
democratic republic based upon a multi-party state. The
President of Burundi is the head of state
and head
of government. There are currently 21 registered parties in Burundi. On
March 13, 1992, Tutsi coup leader Pierre
Buyoya established a constitution, which provided for a multi-party political process and reflected multi-party competition. Six years later, on June 6, 1998, the
constitution was changed, broadening National
Assembly's seats and making provisions for two vice
presidents. Because of the Arusha Accord,
Burundi enacted a transitional government in 2000.
Burundi's legislative branch is a bicameral
assembly, consisting of the Transitional National Assembly and the Transitional Senate.
As of 2004, the Transitional National Assembly consists of 170 members, with
the Front for Democracy in Burundi holding 38% of seats, and 10% of the
assembly is controlled by UPRONA. Fifty-two seats are controlled by other
parties. Burundi's constitution mandates representation in the Transitional
National Assembly to be consistent with 60% Hutu, 40% Tutsi, and 30% female members,
as well as three Batwa members.[8]
Members of the National Assembly are elected by popular vote and serve for
five-year terms.
The Transitional Senate has fifty-one members, and three
seats are reserved for former presidents. Due to stipulations in Burundi's
constitution, 30% of Senate members must be female. Members of the Senate are
elected by electoral colleges, which consist of members from each of Burundi's
provinces and communes. For each of Burundi's seventeen provinces, one Hutu and one Tutsi senator are
chosen. One term for the Transitional Senate is five years.
Together, Burundi's legislative branch elect the
President to a five-year term. Burundi's president appoints officials to his Council of Ministers, which is
also part of the executive branch. The president can also pick fourteen members of the Transitional Senate to
serve on the Council of Ministers. Members of the Council of Ministers must be approved by two-thirds of Burundi's
legislature. The president also chooses two vice-presidents. As
of 2010, the President of Burundi is Pierre
Nkurunziza. The First Vice President is Therence
Sinunguruza, and the Second Vice President is Gervais Rufyikiri.
The Court Supreme (Supreme Court) is Burundi's
highest court. There are three Courts of Appeals directly below the Supreme
Court. Tribunals of First Instance are used as judicial courts in each of
Burundi's provinces as well as 123 local tribunals.
Provinces, communes and
collines
One of the smallest countries in Africa, Burundi is
landlocked and has an equatorial climate. Burundi is a part of the Albertine Rift,
the western extension of the East African Rift.
The country lies on a rolling plateau in
the center of Africa. The average elevation of the central plateau is 5,600
feet (1,707 m), with lower elevations at the borders. The highest peak, Mount Heha at
8,810 feet (2,685 m), lies to the southeast of the capital, Bujumbura. The source of the Nile River is
in Bururi province, and is linked from Lake Victoria to its headwaters via the Ruvyironza River[clarification needed] Lake Victoria is
also an important water source, which serves as a fork to the Kagera River. Another major lake is Lake Tanganyika,
located in much of Burundi's southwestern corner.
Burundi's lands are mostly agricultural or pasture.
Settlement by rural populations has led to deforestation, soil erosion
and habitat loss. Deforestation of the entire country is almost completely due to overpopulation,
with a mere 230 square miles (600 km2) remaining and an ongoing
loss of about 9% per annum.There are two national parks, Kibira
National Park to the northwest (a small region of rain
forest, adjacent to Nyungwe
Forest National Park in Rwanda), Ruvubu
National Park to the northeast (along the Rurubu River,
also known as Ruvubu or Ruvuvu). Both were established in 1982 to conserve wildlife
populations.
Economy,Burundi
is one of the world's poorest countries, owing in part to its landlocked
geography, poor legal system, lack of economic freedom, lack of access to education, and
the proliferation of HIV/AIDS. Approximately 80% of Burundi's population lives
in poverty. Famines
and food shortages have occurred throughout Burundi, most notably in the 20th
century, and according to the World
Food Programme, 56.8% of children under age five suffer
from chronic malnutrition. One scientific study of 178 nations rated Burundi's population as having the
lowest satisfaction
with life in the world. As
a result of poverty, Burundi is dependent on foreign aid.
Burundi's largest industry is agriculture, which
accounted for just over 30% of the GDP. Subsistence
agriculture accounts for 90% of agriculture. The nation's largest source of revenue is coffee, which makes up 93% of
Burundi's exports. Other agricultural products include cotton, tea, maize, sorghum,
sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, and
hides. Some of Burundi's natural resources include uranium,
nickel, cobalt,
copper, and platinum. Besides agriculture, other industries include: assembly of imported components;
public works construction; food processing, and light consumer goods such as
blankets, shoes, and soap. Burundi's currency is the Burundian franc
(BIF); as of May 26, 2012, 1,371.00 Burundian franc were equivalent to one
United States dollar.
Lack of access to financial services is a serious problem
for the majority of the population, particularly in the densely populated rural
areas: only 2% of the total population holds bank accounts, and fewer than 0.5%
use bank lending services. Microfinance,
however, plays a larger role, with 4% of Burundians being members of
microfinance institutions – a larger share of the population than that reached
by banking and postal services combined. 26 licensed microfinance institutions
(MFIs) offer savings, deposits, and short- to medium-term credit. Dependence of
the sector on donor assistance is limited.
Burundi is part of the East
African Community and a potential member of the planned East
African Federation.
As of July 2012, Burundi is projected to have an
estimated population of 10,557,259 people. This estimate explicitly takes into
account the effects of AIDS, which has a significant effect on the demographics
of the country. Over 500,000 have been displaced due to the disease.
Many Burundians have migrated to other countries as a
result of the civil war. In 2006, the United States accepted approximately
10,000 Burundian refugees.
Most Burundians live in rural areas, while 13% of the
population lived in urban areas in 2013. The population density of around 315 people per square kilometer (753 per
sq mi) is the second highest in Sub-Saharan
Africa. Roughly 85% of the population are of Hutu ethnic
origin, 15% are Tutsi, and fewer than 1% are
indigenous Twa/Pygmies.Burundi has the fifth highest total
fertility rate in the world, at 6.08 children born/woman
(2012 estimates).
Religion
|
Religion
|
percent
|
|||
|
Christianity
|
|
75%
|
||
|
|
20%
|
|||
|
Islam
|
|
5%
|
||
Sources estimate the Christian population to be 75%, with
Roman Catholics representing the largest group at 60%. Protestant
and Anglican
practitioners constitute the remaining 15%. An estimated 20% of the population
adheres to traditional indigenous religious beliefs. The Muslim population is
estimated to be at 5%, the majority of whom live in urban areas. Sunnis
make up the majority of the Muslim population, the remainder being Shi'a.
Health
Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an
underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural;
agriculture accounts for just over 30% of GDP and employs more than 90% of the
population. Burundi's primary exports are coffee and tea, which account for 90%
of foreign exchange earnings, though exports are a relatively small share of
GDP. Burundi's export earnings - and its ability to pay for imports - rests
primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. An
ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000
deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000
others internally. Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one
in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short
supply. Less than 2% of the population has electricity in its homes. Burundi's
GDP grew around 4% annually in 2006-12. Political stability and the end of the
civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but
underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal
system, a poor transportation network, overburdened utilities, and low
administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. The
purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not
kept up with inflation. Burundi will remain heavily dependent on aid from
bilateral and multilateral donors - foreign aid represents 42% of Burundis
national income, the second highest rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Burundi joined
the East African Community in 2009, which should boost Burundi's regional trade
ties, and also in 2009 received $700 million in debt relief. Government
corruption is hindering the development of a healthy private sector as
companies seek to navigate an environment with ever changing rules.[9]
Culture
Burundi's culture is based on local tradition and the
influence of neighboring countries, though cultural prominence has been
hindered by civil unrest.
Since farming is the main industry, a typical Burundian meal consists of sweet potatoes, corn,
and peas.
Due to the expense, meat is eaten only a few times per month. When several
Burundians of close acquaintance meet for a gathering they drink impeke, a
beer, together from a large container to symbolize unity. Notable Burundians
include the footballer Mohammed Tchité
and singer Jean Pierre Nimbona, popularly known as Kidumu (who is based in
Nairobi, Kenya).
Crafts are an important art form in Burundi and are
attractive gifts to many tourists. Basket weaving is a popular craft for
Burundian artisans. Other
crafts such as masks, shields, statues and pottery are made in Burundi.
Drumming is an important part of the Burundian cultural
heritage. The world-famous Royal
Drummers of Burundi, who have performed for over forty years,
are noted for traditional drumming using the karyenda,
amashako, ibishikiso, and ikiranya drums. Dance often accompanies drumming performance, which is frequently seen in
celebrations and family gatherings. The abatimbo, which is performed at
official ceremonies and rituals, and the fast-paced abanyagasimbo are some
famous Burundian dances. Some musical instruments of note are the flute, zither, ikembe,
indonongo, umuduri,
inanga, and the inyagara.
Football
in Burundi.
Kirundi,
French, and Swahili
are spoken throughout Burundi. Burundi's oral tradition is
strong, relaying history and life lessons through storytelling, poetry, and
song. Imigani, indirimbo, amazina, and ivyivugo are types of literary genres
existing in Burundi.
Basketball and track and field are noted sports in
Burundi. Martial arts are popular, as well. There are five major judo clubs:
Club Judo de l'Entente Sportive, in Downtown, and four others throughout the
city.Football
(soccer) is a popular pastime throughout the country, as are mancala
games.
Most Christian holidays are celebrated in Burundi, with
Christmas being the largest. Burundian Independence Day is celebrated annually on July 1. In
2005, the Burundian government declared Eid al-Fitr,
an Islamic holiday, to be a public holiday.
In April 2009, the government of Burundi changed the law
to criminalise homosexuality. Persons found guilty of consensual same-sex
relations risk two to three years in prison and a fine of 50,000 to 100,000
Burundian francs. Amnesty International has condemned the action, calling it a
violation of Burundi’s obligations under international and regional human
rights law, and against the constitution, which guarantees the right to
privacy.
Education
In 2009, the adult literacy
rate in Burundi was estimated to be 67% (73% male and 61% female), with a
literacy rate of 77% and 76%, respectively, for men and women between the ages
of 15 to 24. Literacy among adult women in Burundi has increased by 17% since 2002.Burundi's literacy rate is low due to low school attendance and because
literacy in Kirundi only provides access to materials printed in that language.
Ten percent of Burundian boys are allowed a secondary education.
Burundi has the University
of Burundi. There are several museums in the cities,
such as the Burundi
Geological Museum in Bujumbura
and the Burundi
National Museum and the Burundi
Museum of Life in Gitega.
References
4. "Distribution of family
income – Gini index". The World Factbook.
CIA. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
6. b c d e f g h i j k Background Note: Burundi. United States Department of State.
February 2008. Retrieved on June 28, 2008.
8. MacDonald,
Fiona; et al. (2001). Peoples of Africa. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall
Cavendish. p. 60. ISBN 0-7614-7158-8.
9. Cook,
Chris; Diccon Bewes (1999). What Happened Where: A Guide to Places and
Events in Twentieth-Century. London, England: Routledge. p. 281. ISBN 1-85728-533-6.
11. Marc
Manirakiza, Burundi : de la révolution au régionalisme, 1966–1976,
Le Mât de Misaine, Bruxelles, pp 211–212, 1992.
12. Hagget,
Peter. Encyclopedia of World Geography. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall
Cavendish, 2002. ISBN 0-7614-7306-8.
13. Staff.
pastgenocides, Burundi
resources on the website of Prevent Genocide International
lists the following resources:
§ Michael
Bowen, Passing by;: The United States and genocide in Burundi, 1972,
(Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1973), 49 pp.
§ René
Lemarchand, Selective genocide in Burundi (Report – Minority Rights
Group ; no. 20, 1974), 36 pp.
§ Rene
Lemarchand, Burundi: Ethnic Conflict and Genocide (New York: Woodrow
Wilson Center and Cambridge University Press, 1996), 232 pp.
§ Edward
L. Nyankanzi, Genocide: Rwanda and Burundi (Schenkman Books, 1998), 198
pp.
§ Christian
P. Scherrer, Genocide and crisis in Central Africa : conflict roots,
mass violence, and regional war; foreword by Robert Melson. Westport,
Conn. : Praeger, 2002.
§ Weissman,
Stephen R. "Preventing Genocide in Burundi
Lessons from International Diplomacy", United States Institute of Peace
.svg.png&description=HISTORY OF BURUNDI){kind=link}
Social Plugin