BUJUMBURA February 1st (ABP) The Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi Mr. Prosper Bazombanza received in audience on Friday June 28, 2022, the Executive Office of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), who came to present to him the report of stage exercise 2021.
At the end of the hearing, the president of the TRC, Mr. Pierre Claver Ndayicariye indicated that this report submitted is rich in information and enabled them, on December 20, 2021 at the Kigobe congress center, to present the of the activities carried out but also, the report qualifying the crimes committed in 1992-1993 in Burundi.
On that occasion, he announced to the Vice-President that today, the TRC is moving towards other activities. But he pointed out to him that there are other provinces in which the 1972 investigations are not completed. This is the case of Ngozi, Kayanza, Cibitoke, Bubanza, Ruyigi, Cankuzo and Rutana, he said.
In the coming days, he continued, the TRC will work on these provinces so that all the provinces come out with the reality of the tragedy of 72-73. He announced that after the work in the provinces, there is a great activity that the CVR will carry out with the support of the public authorities, with the resources of the State. That activity is the census of people missing or murdered during all the crises that Burundi has experienced, indicating that it is a legal obligation.
According to Mr. Ndayicariye, this work must be carried out with the support of the territorial administration and the population, because Burundi needs to know the human damage especially caused by the various crises. He estimates that this census will be carried out around the months of May – June 2022.
In 2022 the TRC has planned another activity which consists of investigating the killings and massacres of Ntega-Marangara. He informed that if this step is completed in time, the TRC will be able to begin the investigation into the 1993 killings but, he pointed out, that will depend on the means and the work found on the ground.
The Executive Bureau of the TRC asked the Vice-President of the Republic to accompany them. Mr. Ndayicariye specified that there is a need for political support for the technical activity of the TRC, so that Burundians understand that the truth sought by the TRC is a truth that must be at the service of reconciliation.
He also pointed out that the qualification stage imposes other debates, in particular on how Burundians hear the word forgiveness, the word reconciliation and other questions on the monuments of memory and reconciliation as well as reparations. All these concepts are in the law of November 2018, he informed.
The President of the TRC also indicated that the TRC must address all these themes with the contribution of all the institutions of the Republic because it is a question of detraumatizing a society which has dragged pain and suffering for nearly 50 years.
The Vice-President of the Republic has meanwhile indicated that the report filed by the TRC, presented in the form of documents of more than 5000 pages is an obligation of the law which governs it. For him, it is an opportunity to appreciate the work done last year.
He added that his institution asks the TRC that the truth sought each time be a source of cohesion and not of division, especially for young people and to avoid globalization, either negative or positive, to avoid a form of collective guilt.