EngRegional
Burundi turns into state sponsor of terrorism
Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
In
2021, relations between Rwanda and Burundi had seemingly been getting back on
track. However, at the beginning of the year, the Government of Burundi
unilaterally decided to again close its borders with Rwanda, putting a fresh
thorn in the rapprochement process.
Beyond
the unfortunate decision which restricted free movement of people and goods
between the two countries, Burundi decided to support and arm the FLN militia,
a terror group whose aim is to attack and destabilize Rwanda. The FLN is a
splinter group of FDLR, a genocidal militia group formed by the remnants of the
masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The
FLN has more than 400 combatants, led by Maj Gen Antoine Hakizimana, alias
Jeva. The terrorists are still active in South-Kivu Province in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC), and Burundi. Lately, the terrorist group is getting
unconditional support from both countries.
The
Burundian national army, FDNB, on June 16, supplied the militia with military
equipment including ammunitions, machine gun bullets, medicines, and
communication gadgets. The equipment was delivered from Bujumbura to Mabayi
commune in Burundi.
Sources
from Gitega reveal that these military supplies to the FLN terrorists were
authorized by Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye who sent his forces’
commander Gen Prime Niyomugabo to deliver them and hold a meeting with the
militia’s top commanders.
However,
this support from the Burundian government went with strings attached. Sources
further revealed that the FLN have strict orders to await direct orders from
FDNB to attack Rwanda, instructions the militia is likely to defy given that
they already have what they needed from Gitega.
Burundi
knows that FLN is a terror group that has done much damage in the region, and
Ndayishimiye is ready to fund their terrorism.
The
FLN was responsible for attacks in south-western Rwanda between 2018 and 2019.
On December 15, 2018, about eight kilometres into Nyungwe National Park, the
FLN attacked two civilian buses and set them on fire. Nine people were killed
on spot while one died of injuries, later. The Nyungwe incident in Nyamagabe
District was one of the attacks by the FLN which also targeted Nyabimata in
Nyaruguru District, and Rusizi District.
In
September 2021, the Rwandan High Court Chamber for International and
Cross-border Crimes, convicted 21 individuals for their role in these terror
attacks.
During
the trial, the combatants revealed how they were supported by Burundi, which
gave them space for maneuver without any fear. The terrorists were actually
facilitated by senior Burundian military officers to conduct the terror attacks
on Rwandan territory.
Today,
the Burundian government is proving that it has turned into a state that
sponsors terrorism, and does not realize that the preservation of such an armed
group only poses ideological, security and economic threats to all countries in
the region, and their own country is at risk too.
"Ndayishimiye and his FLN partners aught to understand that attacking Rwanda will backfire. They need to know that their actions have grave consequences. Sadly, however, as it seems, no one is advising them against what they are plotting," said the source from Gitega who is bothered by the developments in the country.
