{jcomments on}18/6/1997 -©D.C.I.M.I news 1997

by M.Ndiho Jérome

The Spokesman’s Office

COMMUNIQUE N°88

Total war against HUTU populations

1. The military regime in Bujumbura is preparing for a total war against HUTU populations and the CNDD’s freedom-fighters (FDD) in the following manner :

1.1. The regime’s Ministry of Defence has ordered a huge number of Mortar 60 as many as to equip every section of 6 soldiers of their army. The first consignment has already arrived via ANGOLA.

1.2. After receiving all the mortars, there will be a generalized attack against the population and against the CNDD positions all over the country.

1.3. The said invasion will lead the army into an invasion of TANZANIA directed at the Burundian refugee camps. The army plans to kill as many healthy men as possible, then to proceed a compulsory and forced repatriation for the men who would have survived the slaughter plus women, children and old people exactly like it happened in ZAIRE/CONGO recently.

1.4. The junta minister of the Interior, Epitace BAYAGANAKANDI said on May 19, 1997 in Gitega town that Laurent KABILA of Congo-Zaïre has promised to help them.

1.5. Civilians TUTSI are being trained in secret. Their role will be to remain the rear base of the army and to guard TUTSI population against retaliation and to guard the strategic points in the absence of the army which will be up-country and in Tanzania.

1.6. Some people say that prior to the general attack, the army will first topple down the junta leader major Pierre BUYOYA from power.

2. The intention is to make sure that the problem of Burundi is reduced to an antagonism and civil war between HUTU and TUTSI, so as to gain sympathy for the minority TUTSI as an endangered ethnic group. This intention of tribalizing the problem is confirmed by the request made by the military regime to the UN Security Council to set up an International Tribunal on Burundi to judge any crime committed by a HUTU after 1993 but not judging any other crime committed before 1993 (The 1972 genocide) or any other perpetrated by the TUTSI.

3. Please keep always in mind that in Burundi, up to 600 000 people have been massacred since independence; out of them are 580 000 Hutu killed by the army or by local administration or by their Tutsi neighbours, while 20 000 are Tusti who have been killed in inter-ethnic massacres by their Hutu neighbours as retaliation for the army’s massacres or retaliating against the killing of their kin by the same Tusti in 1965,1972, 1988, 1991, 1993.

On behalf of the CNDD, Jérôme NDIHO, Spokesman, Member of the Executive Committee.

 

News Reporter