Rwanda and Burundi are two small neighboring countries in East-Central Africa that share the same ethnic composition and sometimes called sister nations and before independence in 1962 it was one nation called Rwanda-Urundi under one administration.
Their topography, population density (the highest in the region and the second highest in Africa) respectively is almost identical. Predominantly agrarian economy, religion, language, and history are also very similar. Most significant, they both have their main ethnic groups which in 1994 resulted in the genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda in which almost one million people were butchered.
Given these similarities, it is no surprise that most analysts approach mass violence in both countries in an almost an identical manner. Kupper describes Rwanda and Burundi separately but treats them as examples of the same process of polarization based on overlapping inequalities.
As already mentioned above Comparative political scientists almost always lump Rwanda and Burundi together. Gurr treats them both as “ethonclass” conflicts. Harff categorizes them both as politicides against politically active communal groups” and Stavenhagen treats them as resulting from the overlap of both socioeconomic and ethnic divisions.
Both countries were characterized with typical discrimination and unevenly distribution of both power and economic resources within the predominantly ethnic groupings of both countries. As the discrimination took place largely along ethnic lines, the violence and counter violence became ethnic too.
Apparently in Rwanda the dividing line between the haves and have- nots is widening and surprisingly the leaders have continued exploitation not necessarily on ethnic lines but rather on nepotism and historical political background. In Rwanda the post independent regimes created divide and rule approach which resulted in discontent between the Tutsi-Hutu elite. However, the affirmation of Hutu anti Tutsi ethnicity and its institutionalization in public policy were key components of the ruling elite’s strategy of legitimization and control over the State.
Whenever, this elite governing class was threatened, it exacerbated ethnic divisions to thwart democratization and power sharing. Rwanda provides an almost perfect example of the dynamics that have been discussed by scholars of genocides, the existence of long-standing, widespread, and institutionalized prejudice, the radicalization of animosity and routinisation of violence, the moral exclusion of a catering of people, allowing first their “social death” and then their physical death”. Unfortunately the same and to certain extent worse than the short live government of Sindikubwaho, Habyarimana, and Kayibanda combined together. Political and social assassinations have characterized the RPF regime.
While Burundi has recognized the ethnic groupings of their country, Rwanda has continued to live in a political limbo and Dilemma as far as ethnic groupings are concerned. They have vehemently disputed the existence of ethnicity in Rwanda, yet they have recognized the genocide of the Tutsi which in my opinion is a rubber stamp of the existence of ethnic groupings in Rwanda. Unfortunately RPF has interchangeably used these ethnic groupings whenever, it is politically suitable for them to do so.
Does the RPF have the monopoly of ethnicing the Rwanda society? What moral authority RPF have on the clean politics when it has physically or politically exterminated any person perceived to have a different political vision of our country? Rwandan courts, security forces, and the whole of RPF machinery have been used to settle personal and political scores, corruption and political arrogance has dominated the RPF political establishment.
Unlike Rwanda, Burundi has embraced the ethnicity groupings and the government has not shied away in recognizing their ethnic groupings but most importantly have managed to harness their destiny. The Burundi government has allowed all the former leaders to participate in the political and economic development of their country, the former daughter of the King has been nominated as a senator. Unfortunately in Rwanda the government incarcerated the former President Pasteur Bizimungu who is not only a former President but also a former RPF cadre who worked hard to bring down the murderous regime of President Habyarimana.
Rwanda should learn from her sister country which has almost undergone the same political trauma but put behind the bad politics that divided their country on the political cards of ethnicity. We should also learn that ethnicity is not the root cause of the political upheavals in both countries, rather the elite class which uses ethnicity in order to achieve their political ambitions. Therefore, the RPF regime should borrow a leaf of peace from our neighbor Burundi and President Pierre Nkurunziza personally for the conventional reconciliation that has seen him allowing the remains of the former King of Burundi (Mwambutsa) brought for a decent and honorable burial in Burundi.
Please Mr. President of Rwanda (Paul Kagame) the Rwandan King would be a uniting factor in the hot and volatile political landscape of our country Rwanda. It will be a sad day for Rwanda and the whole community of Rwandans in Rwanda and in the Diaspora if the Rwandan King dies in exile when you Mr. President you don’t only have a duty to return him but also being related to that King. Bravo Burundi, Bravo President Pierre Nkurunziza.
Jacqueline Umurungi
Brussels.