"Despite what the U.N. says, 2006 is a year of despair for us because they have not brought the killers to justice."
From Reuters
BUJUMBURA, June 19 ( Reuters) - Refugees in Burundi called on Monday for the killers of 160 people at a camp there two years ago to face justice.
United Nations investigators had incriminated Burundi's last remaining Hutu rebels, the Forces for National Liberation (FNL), in the Aug. 2004 attack, when victims were hacked, burned and bludgeoned to death at a desolate U.N. transit camp.
The refugees -- Banyamulenge Tutsis -- had fled to Burundi to escape warfare in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
On Sunday, the FNL and Burundi's government agreed to stop fighting and sign a comprehensive ceasefire in two weeks.
A day before the U.N.'s World Refugee Day, survivors of the Gatumba massacre said they seen no prosecutions or arrests.
"We are here now for over two years after fleeing war in Democratic Republic of Congo," said David Munyamahoro, a leader of the ethnic Banyamulenge refugees in Burundi.
"Two months after our arrival our people were massacred. Up to now nothing has been done to find who was responsible."
After the attack, Burundi's government said it had proof a coalition of FNL rebels, Congolese Mai Mai fighters and Rwandan Hutu militiamen were responsible.
"There are people who have claimed the massacre, but they are not worried, no inquiry has been carried out," Munyamahoro said. "Despite what the U.N. says, 2006 is a year of despair for us because they have not brought the killers to justice."
At least 300,000 people were killed in the tiny central African country's civil war, which began in 1993.
Take action - Fax your MP!
Take action - sign the Gatumba petition
Burundi, human rights, Current Affairs, Politics, Africa
BUJUMBURA, June 19 ( Reuters) - Refugees in Burundi called on Monday for the killers of 160 people at a camp there two years ago to face justice.
United Nations investigators had incriminated Burundi's last remaining Hutu rebels, the Forces for National Liberation (FNL), in the Aug. 2004 attack, when victims were hacked, burned and bludgeoned to death at a desolate U.N. transit camp.
The refugees -- Banyamulenge Tutsis -- had fled to Burundi to escape warfare in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
On Sunday, the FNL and Burundi's government agreed to stop fighting and sign a comprehensive ceasefire in two weeks.
A day before the U.N.'s World Refugee Day, survivors of the Gatumba massacre said they seen no prosecutions or arrests.
"We are here now for over two years after fleeing war in Democratic Republic of Congo," said David Munyamahoro, a leader of the ethnic Banyamulenge refugees in Burundi.
"Two months after our arrival our people were massacred. Up to now nothing has been done to find who was responsible."
After the attack, Burundi's government said it had proof a coalition of FNL rebels, Congolese Mai Mai fighters and Rwandan Hutu militiamen were responsible.
"There are people who have claimed the massacre, but they are not worried, no inquiry has been carried out," Munyamahoro said. "Despite what the U.N. says, 2006 is a year of despair for us because they have not brought the killers to justice."
At least 300,000 people were killed in the tiny central African country's civil war, which began in 1993.
Take action - Fax your MP!
Take action - sign the Gatumba petition
Burundi, human rights, Current Affairs, Politics, Africa
posted by R | 4:12 PM
1 Comments:
this sucks man , twenty years ago , i talked to some burundi beat drummers , the shitty terror and killing , so the mess is still going on ,
the world says , talk to the hand , cos the face aint listening.
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