News

25 Jun

Urgent Appeal for a fair approach to the memory of crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in Burundi

From: the below signatory Burundian civil society organizations:

  1. Action des Chrétiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture au Burundi (ACAT Burundi)
  2. Association des Journalistes Burundais en Exil (AJBE)
  3. Association burundaise pour la protection des droits de l’homme et des personnes détenues (APRODH)
  4. Centre pour le Renforcement de l’Éducation et du Développement de la Jeunesse (CREDEJ)
  5. Coalition Burundaise des Défenseurs des Droits de l’Homme (CBDDH)
  6. Coalition pour la des Défense des droits Humains Vivant dans les Camps des Réfugiés (CDH/VICAR)
  7. Coalition Burundaise pour la Cour Pénale Internationale (CB-CPI)
  8. Coalition de la Société Civile pour le Monitoring Électoral (COSOME)
  9. Collectif des Avocats pour la défense des Victimes de crimes de droit International commis au Burundi (CAVIB)
  10. Ensemble pour le Soutien des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en danger (ESDDH)
  11. Forum pour la Conscience et de Développement (FOCODE)
  12. Forum pour le Renforcement de la société civile au Burundi (FORSC)
  13. Light for all
  14. Ligue ITEKA
  15. Mouvement INAMAHORO
  16. Mouvement des femmes et filles pour la Paix et la Sécurité au Burundi (MFFPS)
  17. Réseau des Citoyens Probes (RCP)
  18. SOS Torture-Burundi
  19. Tournons la Page-Burundi (TLP-Burundi)
  20. Union Burundaise des Journalistes (UBJ)

To the attention of:

  • The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres
  • The United Nations Secretary-General Special Advisor on the prevention of genocide, Ms Wairimu Alice Nderitu
  • The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador Philemon Yang,
  • The United Nations High Commissionner for Human Rights, Mr. Monsieur Volker Türk,
  • The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Mr. Bernard Duhaime
  • Permanent Représentatives to the United Nations

Your Excellencies, with our highest consideration,

We, the Burundian civil society organizations, signatories of this appeal, have been informed of a plan to hold a side event this June 25, 2025, at the United Nations Headquarters, on the topic “The 1972 Genocide against the Hutu of Burundi: from memory to action in the framework of the responsibility to protect.” This title raises serious ethical, legal and political concerns.

It is well known that the recognition of genocide is a highly sensitive process, strictly guided by the 1948 Convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide. To date, no competent international body has legally qualified the events of 1972 in Burundi as genocide according to international law.

Since the political crisis that has been shaking Burundi since 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which has become a political instrument used by the ruling party (CNDD-FDD), has only carried out isolated work that only serves to divide Burundians who were victims of several tragedies that have bereaved both the Twa, Tutsis and Hutus simultaneously or in separate episodes.

Holding such an event under the auspices of the United Nations may end up endorsing a partial, unilateral and politicized reading of Burundian history.

BDI CSOs Urgent Appeal to UN June2025