The contemporary political history of the Republic of Burundi

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U.S. relief agencies urge Clinton to take additional action to prevent further loss of life in Burundi
NGO Letter to Clinton, 7 September 1996. US NGOs, especially religious organizations, argue that UN has insufficient power and influence to rally Burundi's neighbors to prevent a repeat of the Rwandi catastrophe, and so US military should act in its place.
Deposed President Comes out of Hiding
By Jean Baptiste Kayigamba, InterPress Service, 11 June 1997. On July 25, 1996 an army coup brought ex-military ruler Major Pierre Buyoya back into power and deposed Burundi President Sylvestre Ntibantunganya. Ntibantunganya had sought US protection from Hutu rebels.
Government carries out political executions after grossly unfair trials
By Amnesty International, 1 August 1997. Criticism of President Major Pierre Buyoya for the summary execution of participants in killings following the assassination of the first democratically elected president of Burundi, Melchior Ndadaye, on 21 October 1993; there may be political and ethnic motivations.
War-Ravaged Burundi Flooded with Foreign Weapons
Inter Press Service, 9 December 1997. International arms dealers are flooding Burundi with weapons, despite an embargo, and tens of thousands of innocent non-combatants have died. It names the United States as one important supplier, although Washington officially ended assistance in 1996.
Burundi parliament approves new political framework
BBC News, 5 June 1998. The leader of Burundi's mainly Hutu opposition party, FRODEBU, has criticised the constitutional changes approved by parliament.
New enlarged parliament for Burundi
BBC News, Thursday 16 July 1998. Parliament in Burundi has been enlarged by forty seats, as part of reforms designed to make the government more representative. Only the two main parties—Frodebu and Uprona—were represented in the previous parliament.
Burundi opposition denies Rwanda link
BBC News, 25 September 1999.The main opposition group in Burundi, the National Council for the Defence of Democracy or CNDD, has dismissed government allegations that they are working with Rwandan militias.
Peace Seems Further and Further Away
An Analysis by Chris Simpson, IPS, 27 September 1999. Escalating violence creating dozens of civilian casualties. The war between a Tutsi-dominated government army and Hutu rebels rumbles on. But the mediator-in-chief, former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere is falling victim to leukaemia.
Civilians dying around the capital while hundreds of thousands are forcibly moved
Amnestry International news release, 30 September 1999. Virtually the whole population of Rural Bujumbura has been forcibly moved from their homes as a counter-insurgency measure.
Defence minister goes in Burundi reshuffle
BBS News, 12 January 2000. The Burundian President, Pierre Buyoya, has replaced his defence minister, Colonel Alfred Mkurunziza, by a military adviser to the president, Cyrille Ndayirukiye, as part of a shuffle of over fiften other ministers.
Mandela highlights Burundi crisis
BBC News, Wednesday 19 January 2000. Mr. Mandela said the Burundi Government had a responsibility to defend and protect the Burundian population, and not just a given part of it.