General information
Type of Incompatibility: Government
Comment on Type of Incompatibility: The incompatibility concerned the political power in Burundi. The issue was, to a great extent, whether or not it should be shared between Hutu and Tutsi parties. Since the conflict started in 1990, the country had been ruled by four different Presidents. All of them (both Tutsis and Hutus) had shown a relatively strong willingness to include parties from both the Hutu and the Tutsi ethnic groups in the power institutions. The extremist opposition groups, on the other hand, opposed any degree of power-sharing and reconciliatory politics. Furthermore, it was often suggested that the real power in the country was to be found within the Burundian armed forces. The Tutsi group had a tight grip over the powerful government army. The Hutus opposed this dominance. Nevertheless, the presidents/governments had not been willing to initiate democratic reform of the army. The military itself had no desire to move towards equal ethnic representation. Consequently, a major feature of the dispute was Burundian army reform.
In the run-up to the 2015 elections, new rebel groups appeared on the scene fighting for the end of Nkrunziza's presidency.
Date of first stated goal of incompatibility: 1965-10-18
Comment on date of first stated goals of incompatibility: After elections held on 10 May 1965 the King selected a new Prime Minister, a Tutsi named Leopold Biha. UPRONA won the election but the small Hutu party Parti du Peuple gained 10 seats in the National Assembly. One of the leaders of the party Gervais Nyangoma held a speech at the Independence Day celebrations on 1 July 1965. In the speech Nyangoma criticized the Tutsi domination over Key posts and the worsening economic situation. The coup in October 1965 was led by Nyangoma, aimed at killing the King and taking power.
Date of first use of armed force: 1965-10-18
Comment on first use of armed force: On the night of 18-19 October the Military faction (forces loyal to Gervais Nyangoma) attacked the royal palace.
Date of first battle related death: 1965-10-18
Comment on first battle related death: On the night of 18-19 October the Military faction (forces loyal to Gervais Nyangoma) attacked the royal palace. The rebels succeeded in entering the palace but were soon pressed back. During the fighting 40 rebels and 10 government forces were killed.
Date of conflict reached 25 battle releated deaths: 1965-10-19
Comment on conflict reached 25 battle releated deaths: On the night of 18-19 October the Military faction (forces loyal to Gervais Nyangoma) attacked the royal palace. The rebels succeeded in entering the palace but were soon pressed back. During the fighting 40 rebels and 10 government forces were killed.
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1980
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1988
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1990
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: No foreign troops were involved in the Burundian conflict in 1990.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 7 |
| Best | 7 |
| Low | 7 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1991
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - Palipehutu
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: No foreign troops were involved in the Burundian conflict in 1991.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 551 |
| Best | 272 |
| Low | 272 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1992
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - Palipehutu
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: No foreign troops were involved in the Burundian conflict 1992.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 61 |
| Best | 61 |
| Low | 61 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1993
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 14 |
| Best | 13 |
| Low | 13 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1994
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: No foreign troops were involved in the Burundian conflict in 1994.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 532 |
| Best | 56 |
| Low | 56 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1995
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD, Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: No foreign troops were involved in the Burundian conflict in 1995.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 937 |
| Best | 389 |
| Low | 315 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1996
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD, Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: In 1996 the Burundi: Government conflict was internal, although it was deeply entangled with the wars in Zaire and Rwanda. Part of the fighting between the Burundian government and CNDD took place on Zairian territory, where CNDD maintained bases and received some military cooperation from the Zairean government, which suspected Bujumbura of assisting its enemy, the Rwandan government. Ugandan and Rwandan troops fought alongside Burundian government forces against Hutu extremists, but they also pursued their own security agendas, making it unclear under which incompatibility (Burundi, Zaire, or their own internal conflicts) they were acting. Tanzania was accused by Bujumbura of supporting Hutu rebels. Because no foreign state can be clearly shown to have deployed regular troops explicitly and unambiguously in support of either side in the Burundi government incompatibility, no secondary warring party is coded despite the highly regionalised nature of the fighting.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1463 |
| Best | 988 |
| Low | 788 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1997
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD, Frolina, Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: In 1997 the Burundi: Government conflict was internal, even though it remained closely intertwined with the wars in Zaire and Rwanda. Part of the fighting between the Burundian government and the opposition (CNDD and Palipehutu‑FNL) took place on Zairian territory, where these groups maintained bases and, while Mobutu was still in power, received some military cooperation from the Zairian government, which suspected Bujumbura of assisting its enemy, the Rwandan government. Ugandan and Rwandan troops fought alongside Burundian government forces against Hutu extremists, but they also pursued their own security agendas, making it unclear whether particular clashes should be attributed to the Burundi, Zaire or Rwanda conflicts. The Burundian government also accused Tanzania of supporting Hutu rebels. Because no foreign state can be clearly shown to have deployed regular troops explicitly and unambiguously in support of either side in the Burundi government incompatibility, the precise level of foreign involvement cannot be disentangled and no secondary warring party is coded.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1944 |
| Best | 1159 |
| Low | 1048 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
1998
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD, CNDD-FDD , Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: In 1998 the Burundi: Government conflict was internal, despite its highly regionalised character. Part of the fighting between the Burundian government and its Hutu rebel opponents (CNDD, CNDD‑FDD and Palipehutu‑FNL) took place on Congolese territory, where these groups had bases and received some military cooperation from the DRC government, which suspected Bujumbura of assisting the Rwandan government. Since the mid‑1990s, the Rwandan, Burundian and DR Congo wars had become so intertwined that it is often unclear which incompatibility, Burundi, Rwanda, or DR Congo, particular clashes should be attributed to, or in what capacity Ugandan and Rwandan troops were fighting alongside Burundian government forces, given that they also pursued their own interests in combating Hutu extremists. As allies of the DR Congo government and Burundian Hutu militias, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Chad and Angola may at times have fought Burundian forces, but their intentions and the incompatibility under which they were acting cannot be clearly established; Tanzania was likewise accused by Bujumbura of supporting Hutu rebels. Because no foreign state is clearly documented as having deployed regular troops in aid of the Burundian rebels and explicitly taken their side in the incompatibility against the Burundian government , which is required to code an internationalized internal conflict , no secondary warring party is coded for 1998.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 933 |
| Best | 843 |
| Low | 732 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Declaration by the participants to the peace negotiations on Burundi,
involving all the parties to the Burundi conflict
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 1998-06-21
Comment of peace agreement: Peace Process Agreement
This declaration is an agreement to continue negotiations between the warring parties in Burundi. The agreement resulted from the first session of negotiations, hosted by Tanzania. The agreement primarily commits the parties to a future round of negotiations and sets the agenda for the talks. They also declare a suspension of hostilities to take place from 20 July 1998. The means of implementation for the suspension of hostilities are delegated to future negotiations.
With regard to the incompatibility, this agreement states the parties' determination to create "conditions for peaceful coexistence on the basis of democratic values and security for all" and to undertake negotiations to find a just solution. The agenda items set speak to general themes around the incompatibility, namely commitment to address democracy, good governance issues and related systems.
The parties state (1) they are committed to resolve the conflict by peaceful means and to end all forms of violence, (2) they commit to resume peace talks within a month, (3) they set the agenda for comprehensive negotiations, and (4) they appoint committees to address the agenda items. Parties also agree that the inclusion of civil society in the talks should be continued.
Signatories: Annex I:
- Government of Burundi (Signed) Ambrose NIYONSABA, Head of delegation
- National Assembly (Signed) Alphonse NAHINDAVYI-NDANGA, Head of delegation
- Front pour la democratie au Burundi (Signed) Jean MINANI, Head of delegation
- Union pour le progrès national Express reservations (Signed) Libère BARARUNYERETSE, Head of delegation
- Conseil national pour la défense de la démocratie (Signed) Leonard NYANGOMA, Head of delegation
- Parti pour le redressement national (Signed) Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA, Head of Delegation
- Alliance burundo-africaine pour le salut (Signed) Nsanze TERENCE, Head of Delegation
- AV-INTWARI (Signed) André NKUNDIKIJE, Head of delegation
- Front pour la libération nationale (Signed) Joseph KARUMBA, Head of delegation
- INKINZO (Signed) Kamo PASCAL, Head of delegation
- Parti pour la libération du peuple hutu du Burundi (Signed) Antoine SEZOYA, Head of delegation
- Parti indépendant des travailleurs (Signed) Etienne NYAHOZA, Head of delegation
- Parti libéral (Signed) Gaetan NIKOBAMYE, Head of delegation
- Parti du peuple (Signed) Schadrack NIYONKURU, Head of delegation
- Parti pour la réconciliation du peuple (Signed) Mathias HITIMANA, Head of delegation
- Parti social democrate (Signed) Godefroy HAKIZIMANA, Head of delegation
- Rassemblement du peuple burundais (Signed) Balthazar BIGIRIMANA, Head of delegation In the presence of representatives of civil society: the Chamber of Commerce, the Women’s Association and the Youth Organization
Annex II:
- For the Union pour le progrès national (UPRONA) (Signed) Libère BARARUNYERETSE
- For the Parti pour la réconciliation du peuple (PRP) (Signed) Albert GIRUKWISHAKA
- For INKINZO (Signed) Kamo PASCAL
- For the Parti indépendant des travailleurs (PIT) (Signed) Etienne NYAHOZA
- For the Parti social democrate (PSD) (Signed) Godefroy HAKIZIMANA
- (Signed) André NKUNDIKIJE President of Av-Intware
- (Signed) Joseph NTIDENDEREZA
Secretary-General of the Parti libéral
Comment of signatories: Dyadic peace agreement signed in Arusha, Tanzania on 21 June 1998.
The Burundi government, 12 political parties and three rebel groups - including the National Council for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD), the National Liberation Front (FROLINA) and the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People (PALIPEHUTU) - signed the accord.
CNDD-FDD, which split from CNDD earlier in 1998, was not invited to participate in the talks.
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: No third parties signed the agreement. However, the agreement states the presence of civil society organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, Women's Association, and Youth Organization. Further, it states Tanzania facilitated and hosted the negotiations, and that the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and UN provided encouragement and support at the beginning of the negotiations.
Full-text peace agreement
1999
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD-FDD , Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: To some extent, the fighting between the Government of Burundi and the opposition took place in the DR Congo (Zaire), as the CNDD-FDD and the Palipehutu-FNL had their bases on Congolese territory. The Government of DR Congo (Zaire) cooperated militarily with the CNDD-FDD and the Palipehutu-FNL, partly because it suspected the Burundian government of helping the Rwandan government with whom it was in conflict. With the Rwandan, the Burundian and the DR Congo (Zaire) conflicts having become intertwined in the mid 90s, the foreign involvement in the Burundian conflict cannot easily be unraveled. It was not evident in what incompatibility the warring parties had in mind when fighting; the Rwandan conflict, the DR Congo (Zaire) conflict or their own intrastate one. Accordingly, the accurate degree of foreign involvement in the Burundian conflict/incompatibility cannot be ascertained. Since the conflict in DR Congo (Zaire) started, Ugandan and Rwandan troops have indeed been fighting for and with the Burundian government army. However, these states also have their own interests in fighting the Hutu extremists. It is therefore unclear in what incompatibility Uganda and Rwanda were allies to Burundi. Furthermore, being allies to the government of DR Congo (Zaire) and the Burundian Hutu militias, it is possible that also Zimbabwe, Namibia, Chad and Angola have fought Burundi. Once again, the parties intention with their participation in the battles cannot be ascertained. Apart from this problem, when determining the foreign involvement, it was also not clear exactly what parties (what constellations) that actually have clashed on the battlefield. In addition, the Burundian government accused Tanzania of supporting the Hutu rebels.
In spite of the highly regionalized character of the conflict was internal and not internatioalized. This is due to the fact that no country sent regular troops in aid of the rebels and clearly sided with them in their incompatibility against the government of Burundi, which is a prerequisite for coding a conflict as internationalized.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 953 |
| Best | 781 |
| Low | 545 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2000
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD-FDD , Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: To some extent, the fighting between the Burundian government and the opposition took place in the DRC, as the CNDD and the FNL had their bases on Congolese territory. The DRC government cooperated militarily with the CNDD and the FNL, partly because it suspected the Burundian government of helping the Rwandan government with whom it was in conflict. With the Rwandan, the Burundian and the DRC conflicts having become intertwined in the mid 90s, the foreign involvement in the Burundian conflict cannot easily be unravelled. It was not evident in what incompatibility the warring parties had in mind when fighting; the Rwandan conflict, the DRC conflict or their own intrastate one. Accordingly, the accurate degree of foreign involvement in the Burundian conflict/incompatibility cannot be ascertained. Since the conflict in Zaire/the DRC started, Ugandan and Rwandan troops have indeed been fighting for and with the Burundian government army. However, these states also have their own interests in fighting the Hutu extremists. It is therefore unclear in what incompatibility Uganda and Rwanda were allies to Burundi. Furthermore, being allies to the DRC government and the Burundian Hutu militias, it is possible that also Zimbabwe, Namibia, Chad and Angola have fought Burundi. Once again, the parties intention with their participation in the battles cannot be ascertained. Apart from this problem, when determining the foreign involvement, it was also not clear exactly what parties (what constellations) that actually have clashed on the battlefield. In addition, the Burundian government accused Tanzania of supporting the Hutu rebels.
In spite of the highly regionalized character of the conflict, was internal and not internationalized. This is due to the fact that no country sent regular troops in aid of the rebels and clearly sided with them in their incompatibility against the government of Burundi, which is a prerequisite for coding a conflict as internationalized.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 2247 |
| Best | 1530 |
| Low | 1358 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2000-08-28
Comment of peace agreement: Full peace agreement
Despite disagreements on key issues during Arusha negotiations, an agreement was signed on 28 August 2000. Three of the parties signed in September. All in all, 19 parties acceded to the agreement, including the former warring parties CNDD, FROLINA and PALIPEHUTU. However, both the CNDD-FDD and the FNL denounced the peace agreement.
The agreement firstly stipulated a ceasefire and a cessation of all hostile attacks, acts of violence against civilians, the supply of armaments and an end to hostile propaganda. The ceasefire entailed no concessions of territory, and all troops remained in situ, or were to be encamped in prearranged sites to await demobilization or integration into the new armed forces. A joint ceasefire commission was created in order to monitor and supervise the ceasefire and was composed of government delegates, members of the warring parties, the United Nations, the OAU and the Regional Peace Initiative for Burundi. See Third Parties for more details on this commission. The encampment of the warring parties was to be followed by a general demobilization for those forces that were not incorporated into the restructured armed forces. The parties agreed to reform the armed forces on the basis of an ethnic quota, stating that the armed forces would be composed of 50% Hutus and 50% Tutsis. The same modality was provided for the security forces, providing an equal proportion of employment vacancies for the ethnic groups within the police force. For those not incorporated into these new branches of the armed forces a demobilization package was created with the purpose of providing socio-professional training to those demobilized
The peace agreement also provided for arrangements for a pre-transition, and then transition, period, which would be followed by democratic elections. The transitional period contained elements of a power-sharing arrangement, assuring the signatories and members of the civil society seats in a transitional National Assembly. A created Senate would be elected on an ethnic basis, ensuring ethnic balance in the higher levels of government. A range of procedures for the assembly and the senate were agreed upon, to ensure that no single political or ethnic group could receive a complete domination of the political system. The agreement further contained a number of amendments to the political and judicial system, all with the goal of creating a democratic state with the traits associated with good governance. An Implementation Verification Commission was created to oversee and supervise the implementation of the provisions of the agreement.
The transitional period was to end with elections for the National Assembly, the Presidency and the Senate according to the principles of free and fair elections.
Certain provisions for demobilization were given, the most important being demobilization allowances for all demobilized troops, and a general amnesty applicable to all those who had not committed crimes against humanity or crimes relating to the genocide.
Reconstruction and development, and the return of refugees and displaced persons were important issues in the agreement, and extensive reconstruction programs for economic and social development were formed, as well as an extensive program for the resettling of those uprooted by the conflict.
The agreement also stipulated the creation of a number of commissions and committees, charged with the responsibilities of investigate alleged crimes of genocide, explore ways to reach National Reconciliation and to administer ethnic harmony.
Signatories: Ambrosie Niyonsaba for the government of Burundi, Léonce Ngendakumana for the National Assembly, Térence Nsanze for ABASA, Patrice Nsababaganwa for ANADDE, André Nkundikije for AV-INTWARI, Léonard Nyangoma for CNDD, Jean Minani for FRODEBU, Joseph Karumba for FROLINA, Alphose Rugambarara for INKINZO, Etiénne Karatasi for PALIPEHUTU, Jean-Baptiste Bagaza for PARENA, Nicéphore Ndimurukundo for PIT, Gaëtan Nikobamye for PL, Shadrack Niyonkuru for PP, Mathias Hitimana for PRP, Godefroy Hakizimana for PSD, Joseph Nzeyimana for RADDES, Balthazar Bigirimana for RPB and Libère Bararunyeretse for UPRONA.
Comment of signatories: Dyadic peace agreement
The peace agreement was signed in Arusha, Tanzania, on 28 August 2000. Three of the parties signed in September. All in all, 19 parties acceded to the agreement, including the former warring parties CNDD, FROLINA and PALIPEHUTU. However, both CNDD-FDD and Plipehutu-FNL denounced the peace agreement.
Third parties: Former South African President Nelson Mandela, Ugandan President Yoweri Museweni, Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi, Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim, EU representative Charles Josselin, Executive Director of the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation Joseph Waryoba Butiku, the Implementation Monitoring Commission
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: Mandela acted as a facilitator during the last year of negotiations leading to the peace agreement. President Museveni, President arap Moi, President Mkapa, UN SG Annan, OAU SG Salim, EU representative Josselin and Executive Director of the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation Butiku were cosignatories to the peace agreement. The Implementation Monitoring Commission, an international force established under UN leadership to assist the transition, was created under the Arusha Agreement.
Comment of Duration: None of the signatories took up the fighting or declared the peace agreement invalid. However, it proved impossible to carry out the provisions of the transitional phase, due to intensification in the fighting between the government and the two extremist groups; the CNDD-FDD and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL. The fighting between these parties continued immediately after the government had signed the Arusha agreement on 28 August.
Full-text peace agreement
2001
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD-FDD , Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: To some extent, the fighting between the Burundian government and the opposition takes place in the DRC, as the CNDD-FDD and the FNL have bases on Congolese territory. The DRC government cooperates militarily with the CNDD-FDD and the FNL, partly because it suspects the Burundian government of helping the Rwandan government with whom it is in conflict. With the Rwandan, the Burundian and the DRC conflicts having become intertwined in the mid 90s, the foreign involvement in the Burundian conflict cannot easily be unraveled. It is not evident what incompatibility the warring parties have in mind when fighting; the one of the Burundian conflict, the one of the DRC conflict or their own intrastate one. Accordingly, the accurate degree of foreign involvement in the Burundian conflict/incompatibility cannot be ascertained. Since the conflict in Zaire/the DRC started, Ugandan and Rwandan troops have indeed been fighting for and with the Burundian government army. However, these states also have their own interests in fighting the Hutu extremists. It is therefore unclear in what incompatibility Uganda and Rwanda are allies to Burundi. Furthermore, being allies to the DRC government and the Burundian Hutu militias, it is possible that also Zimbabwe, Namibia, Chad and Angola have fought Burundi. Once again, the parties intention with their participation in the battles cannot be ascertained. Apart from this problem, when determining the foreign involvement, it is also not clear exactly what parties (what constellations) that actually have clashed on the battlefield. In addition, the Burundian government accuses Tanzania of supporting the Hutu rebels.
In spite of the highly regionalized character of the conflict, it was internal and not internationalized. This is due to the fact that no country sent regular troops in aid of the rebels and clearly sided with them in their incompatibility against the government of Burundi, which is a prerequisite for coding a conflict as internationalized.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 2598 |
| Best | 1246 |
| Low | 1211 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2002
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD-FDD , Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
Comment on Dimension: In spite of the highly regionalized character of the conflict, it was internal and not internationalized. This is due to the fact that no country sent regular troops in aid of the rebels and clearly sided with them in their incompatibility against the government of Burundi, which is a prerequisite for coding a conflict as internationalized.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1680 |
| Best | 1293 |
| Low | 940 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Ceasefire Agreement between the Transitional Government of Burundi and the Conseil national pour la défense de ladémocratie-Forces pour la défense de la démocratie
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2002-12-02
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
The Ceasefire Agreement between the Transitional Government of Burundi and CNDD-FDD brought the CNDD-FDD into the Arusha Accords process, which the rebel group had opposed in 2000. Most of the implementation process was specified under the Arusha Accords, and the agreement can be seen as a continuation of a process begun under that agreement.
The conflict behavior of the parties was regulated through the establishment of a ceasefire, which stipulated a withdrawal of forces from the frontline to assembly areas. The ceasefire further entailed the release of all prisoners, the withdrawal of all foreign troops and a cessation of all hostile acts, both practical and verbal. A joint commission, comprised of the warring parties and the African mission, was set up to implement and verify the ceasefire.
Further, rebel troops were to be integrated into the national army, or be demobilized. The modalities for these actions were specified in the Arusha Accords from the year 2000. CNDD-FDD forces were to integrate into both the army and the security forces. The agreement reiterated the need for reintegration and rehabilitation programs.
The incompatibility was regulated through allowing the CNDD-FDD to become a legal and valid political party, and through allowing them to take part in a power-sharing arrangement within the Burundian political structure. The structure of this power-sharing arrangement, and other outstanding issues were to be agreed upon at a later stage in negotiations, but would be in the form of an inclusive transitional government.
Signatories: President Pierre Buyoya, representative of the CNDD-FDD Pierre Nkurunziza
Grantors President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,
Third Parties: President of Tanzania Banjamin Mkapa, Facilitator Zuma
For the UN: Ambassador Dinka
Comment of signatories: Dyadic peace agreement
The peace agreement was signed at Arusha, Tanzania on 2 December 2002 by the government and CNDD-FDD. Palipehutu-FNL continued to stay outside the peace process.
Third parties: Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda and the UN
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda was host of the talks. President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania, and President El Hadj Omar Bongo of Gabon assisted, and the South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma functioned as facilitator with strong support from President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.
Full-text peace agreement
2003
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - CNDD-FDD , Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1425 |
| Best | 913 |
| Low | 886 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Pretoria Protocol on Political, Defence and Security Power Sharing in Burundi
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2003-10-08
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
The government of Burundi and the CNDD-FDD signed this agreement on 8 October 2003, to resolve some of the outstanding issues that were listed, but not regulated, in the agreement reached on 2 December 2002.
The agreement contained no ceasefire arrangements, seeing that these issues had already been resolved. The key issues were instead power-sharing arrangements in the political and military spheres.
Concerning the military forces the agreement specifies a 60/40 quota of General Staff and Officer Corps to be shared between the government and the CNDD-FF. The quota for the rank and file is to be agreed upon by the integrated General Staff. A similar quota is applied for the police force, with 65% for the transitional government, and 35% for the CNDD-FDD. The new police force would be guided by the principles of inclusion and integration and ethnicity was to be balanced. The Gendarmerie would be treated as part of the army. Elements of the Gendarmerie may be deployed to either the new defense or police forces. Militias would be disarmed according to the December 2002 Ceasefire Agreement under the supervision of the African Mission. The parties also agreed on the establishment of a Ministry of Intelligence under the Presidency. The composition of the Ministry would give the government 65% representation and the CNDD-FDD 35% representation, and it would be ethnically balanced in the same manner as the police force.In the political sphere extensive powersharing arrangements were formed, with CNDD-FDD participation at most levels of government. The main provisions in this sphere were that the CNDD-FDD secured four ministerial posts, one of which is that of Minister of State. CNDD-FDD will also have the posts of Second Vice President and Deputy Secretary General and 15 members in the National Assembly and at provincial and local government level, three Governors, 30 Administrators and five Advisors. In addition the CNDD-FDD secured a 20% representation in Burundian public enterprises; they were given two ambassadorships and six advisors’ posts within the Diplomatic Corps.
Other outstanding issues were to be discussed at a later stage.
Signatories: For the Transitional Government of Burundi,His Excellency Domitien: Ndayizeye, President of the Republic of Burundi
For the: CNDD-FDD Movement, Mr. Pielrre Nkurunziza’ Legal Representative of the CNDD-FDD Movement
In the presence of: His Excellency Jacob Zuma, Deputy president of the Republic of South Africa, Facilitator of the Burundi Peace Process
Comment of signatories: Dyadic peace agreement
The peace agreement was signed in Pretoria, South Africa on 8 October 2003.
Third parties: South Africa
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: Facilitated the agreement
Full-text peace agreement
Name of peace agreement: Forces Technical Agreement (FTA) between the Transitional Government of the Republic of Burundi and the CNDD-FDD
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2003-11-02
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
The Forces Technical Agreement (FTA) between the Transitional Government of the Republic of Burundi and the CNDD-FDD was signed in a process that brought the CNDD-FDD into the Arusha Accords, which the rebel group had opposed in 2000. The FTA referenced both the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement and the Ceasefire Agreement signed between the same parties on the same dates.
Regarding the incompatibility, the FTA regulated the roles and principles for the new armed forces of Burundi in complement to the Pretoria Protocol on Political, Defence and Security. The agreement specified that members of the army and the police were not to be affiliated to political parties or any other organisation of a political nature, although they may exercise their civil right to vote in elections. Members of CNDD-FDD were to be integrated into the armed forces but so as to keep the ethnic diversity within Arusha, the agreement stipulates that Burundi National Defence Force (BNDF) shall not consist of more than 50% of any of the ethnic groups.
Signatories: For the Transitional Government of Burundi, His Excellency Domitien Ndayizeye, President of the Republic of Burundi
For the CNDD-FDD Movement, Mr. Pielrre Nkurunziza’ Legal Representative of the CNDD-FDD Movement
In the presence of His Excellency Jacob Zuma, Deputy president of the Republic of South Africa, Facilitator of the Burundi Peace Process
Comment of signatories: Dyadic peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa on 2 November 2003.
Representatives of Palipehutu-FNL were not included.
Full-text peace agreement
Name of peace agreement: The Pretoria Protocol on Outstanding Political, Defence and Security Power Sharing Issues in Burundi
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2003-11-02
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
On 2 November a partial peace agreement, solving the outstanding issues of the 8 October agreement, was signed in Pretoria between CNDD-FDD (Nkurunziza) and the government.The agreement reaffirmed the ceasefire agreement signed on 2 December 2002 and called for the continuation of the process of cantonment of the military. The specifications for the integration of CNDD-FDD forces into the Burundian armed forces were reaffirmed, providing the CNDD-FDD with power-sharing arrangements in the military sphere (see 2003-08-10 for further details regarding the integration). A detailed plan for military restructuring, cantonment and demobilization was also drawn up in the form of a forces technical agreement.
Further it was stipulated that the transitional government of Burundi would be reconstituted within three weeks following the agreement to include the CNDD-FDD. The CNDD-FDD would also be transformed into a political party, and its members would receive temporary immunity. Another important political issue was the indication from the CNDD-FF that they would not be able to participate in the transitional senate, and that this complication would be discussed before the elections.
The parties also agreed to call for a national and inclusive dialogue to bring the conflict to a speedy end. Finally there would be established an International Criminal Tribunal and a National Truth and Reconciliation Commission in order to deal with war criminals and the process of national reconciliation.
Signatories: His Exellency Domitien Ndayizeye President of the Republic of Burundi
Mr. Pierre Nkurunziza Legal Representative of the CNDD-FDD Movement
His Excellency Jacob Zuma Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa Facilitator of the Burundi Peace Process.
Comment of signatories: Dyadic peace agreement
The Peace agreement was signed in Pretoria, South Africa on 2 November 2003.
Third parties: South Africa
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: Facilitator of the agreement.
Full-text peace agreement
Name of peace agreement: Global Ceasefire agreement between Transitional Government and the Forces pour la defence de la democratie (CNDD-FDD) of Mr. Nkúrunziza
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2003-11-16
Comment of peace agreement: Full peace agreement
The agreement signed on 16 November 2003 finalized the Burundian peace process, binding the parties to all the agreements signed from the 2 December 2002 ceasefire agreement up to the Pretoria protocols on outstanding issues. The agreement brought the CNDD-FDD into the Arusha process, leaving only Palipehutu-FNL outside the peace deals. One should view this agreement as the finalization of a process that begun with the Arusha Accords in 2000.
The Global Ceasefire agreement reaffirmed the earlier agreements reached, and thus provided the CNDD-FDD with extensive powersharing arrangements in both the military/security sector and the political sector. Further details can be found in the partial peace agreements leading up to this finalized deal, but the most important provisions granted to the CNDD-FDD were a 40% share in the army, a 35% share in the police, several ministerial portfolios and other government posts and 20% of Burundian national enterprises.
In the agreement the signatory parties urged the Palipehutu-FNL to accede to the agreement, or fact the consequences of being viewed by all as a threat to the peace process and be treated as such.
Signatories: 1. Signatories:
For the Transitional Government of Burundi
(Signed) His Excellency Domitien NDAYIZEYE President of the Republic
For the National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defence of Democracy
(Signed) Mr. Pierre NKURUNZIZA Legal Representative
- Co-signatories:
(Signed) His Excellency Jacob ZUMA Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Facilitator
(Signed) His Excellency Joachim CHISSANO President of the Republic of Mozambique and current President of the African Union
(Signed) His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI President of the Republic of Uganda and President of the Regional Peace Initiative for Burundi, guarantor of the implementation of the Global Ceasefire Agreement
(Signed) His Excellency Alpha Oumar KONARE Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union
(Signed) His Excellency Ali MOHAMED SHENI on behalf of His Excellency Benjamin William MKAPA President of the United Republic of Tanzania
(Signed) His Excellency Berhanu DINKA
Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations
Comment of signatories: Dyadic peace agreement
The peace agreement was signed in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania on 16 November 2003.
Third parties: Jacob Zuma, Deputy president of the Republic of South Africa
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: The agreement was signed in the presence of His Excellency Jacob ZUMA, Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Facilitator for the negotiation of the Ceasefire Agreement
His Excellency Joachim CHISSANO, President of the Republic of Mozambique and current President of the African Union
His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI, President of the Republic of Uganda and President of the Regional Peace Initiative for Burundi
His Excellency Dr. Ali Mohamed SHENI, Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania
His Excellency Joseph KABILA, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
His Excellency Méles ZENAWI, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
His Excellency Ambassador Berhanu DINKA, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations
His Excellency Patrick MAZIMPAKA, Vice-Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union
His Excellency Charles MURIGANDE, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda
His Excellency Ondo METHOGO, Deputy Prime Minister of the Gabonese Republic
His Excellency Ngunjiri NJUGUNA, Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to Tanzania
His Excellency Joshua M. SIMYANDI, Ambassador of the Republic of Zambia to Tanzania
Full-text peace agreement
2004
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 474 |
| Best | 436 |
| Low | 414 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Accord de Partage de Pouvoir au Burundi ("Burundi Power-Sharing Agreement")
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2004-08-06
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
This agreement lays out political power-sharing steps to be taken in line with the 2000 Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement and 2003 Global Ceasefire Agreement. Reforms are stipulated for executive, legislative, and judicial systems as well as constitutional and security sector reforms. These steps are aimed at establishing national unity and reconciliation and political, economic, and social inclusivity and stability.
Regarding the incompatibility, the agreement stipulates percentages of power-sharing to be held by different ethnic groups and political parties. These aspects are further extended to ensure participation of women and guarantee minority rights in the political process. Legal principles seek to include minority political parties, and percentages for seats in government are to reflect ethnic balances. Specific seat percentages are detailed, especially with respect to designating a balance to exist between Hutu and Tutsis in government systems at national and municipal levels. The National Assembly, as agreed in Arusha, was to have 60-40 power sharing between Hutu and Tutsi, with 3 members of Twa ethnicity and 30% of members to be women.
Signatories: (Signatures illegible)
Parties to the Arusha Agreement and ceasefire agreements:
(Signed)
ABASA, CNDD, FNL-ICANZO, FRODEBU, FROLINA, GREEN PARTY, KAZE-FDD, PALIPE AGAKIZA, PIT, PL, PP, RPB
(Non signature parties)
NADDEBU, PADER, PAJUDE, PPDRR, RUSANGI, SONOVI, UPD
The transitional government of Burundi
Witnesses:
Facilitator to the process (South Africa, President Thabo Mbeki)
AU
UN
Comment of signatories: Dyadic peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South African on 6 August 2004.
In total 29 political parties comprised the Burundi Transitional Government delegation, led by President Domitien Ndayizeye. Nineteen parties signed the agreement, while 10 parties are listed as non-signatories. CNDD-FDD did not attend the talks because of a "clash with their party's congress."
Third parties: South Africa, AU, UN
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: The South African facilitaiton delegation was led by President Thabo Mbeki, and included Deputy President Jacob Zuma and Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Full-text peace agreement
2005
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 380 |
| Best | 298 |
| Low | 298 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2006
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 141 |
| Best | 141 |
| Low | 141 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Agreement of Principles Towards Lasting Peace, Security and Stability
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2006-06-18
Comment of peace agreement: Peace process agreement
On 18 June 2006 the government and the last remaining rebel group, Palipehutu-FNL, led by Agathon Rwasa, signed a peace process agreement and ceasefire agreement in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This was the first ever agreement signed by the Palipehutu-FNL and the government. The agreement contained nine articles and two annexes and negotiations took place between 29 May and 18 June.
The parties agreed to stop all hostilities and start negotiations on a comprehensive ceasefire. From the start of the ceasefire the agreement provided for provisional immunity of members of the Palipehutu-FNL and for the relese of political prisoners and prisoners of war. Regarding the Defence and Security Forces they were to act in a manner fostering national reconciliation and national unity, they were to be subject to the national agenda in Burundi for democracy, peace, justice, reconciliation, security, stability, development and prosperity.
Regarding the incompatibility Palipehutu-FNL was allowed to become a political party after the separation of the political and the military branch of the movement. A Truth, Forgiveness and Reconciliation Commission would be formed by all components of the Burundian society with the aim of rewriting the Burundian history and establish a social contract.
The agreement provided for the repatriation of refugees and return of the displaced and regrouped people. The Regional Initiative should be guarantors of the peace process and ensure the security of the repatriated persons.
Signatories: For the government of Burundi: H.E. Evariste Ndayishimiye
Head of the Burundi Government Delegation
For the Palipehutu-FNL: H.E. Agathon Rwasa Chairman
Co-signatories
H.E. Charles Nqakula, Facilitator
H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Deputy Chair person, Regional Initiative
H.E. Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa
H.E. Ambassador Mamadou Bah, Representative of the chairperson of the African Union Commission
H.E. Ambassador Nureldia Satti, Acting Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in Burundi
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive peace agreement
The agreement was signed by the last active rebel group in Burundi the Palipehutu-FNL. The agreement was signed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 18 June.
Third parties: South Africa, Tanzania (Regional Initiative on Burundi)
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: South Africa played the role of mediator and facilitator in the talks from 29 May up until the signing of the agreement. The talks and the signing took place in Dar es Salaam, under the auspices of the Tanzanian government.
Full-text peace agreement
Name of peace agreement: Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement between the Government of Burundi and the Palipehutu-FNL
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2006-09-07
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
The Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement between the Palipehutu-FNL and the government of Burundi was signed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 7 September 2006 following negotiations since the end of May, which also lead up to the signing of the "Agreement of Principles Towards Lasting Peace, Security and Stability", a peace process agreement of which this agreement is the final outcome.
The agreement consisted of six articles and four annexes.
The agreement stipulated a ceasefire and a cessation of hostilities, to be monitored and verified by the JVMM (Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism), which was to be consisted of the AU, the UN and the warring parties. This mechanism was responsible for the assembly of Palipehutu-FNL combatants and their demobilisation, creation of criteria for integration into the army, or the reintegration into society of ex-combatants.
Regarding the incompatibility the parties agreed to cease all propaganda between the parties and the incitement of ethnic hatred both within and outside the country. One of the main obstacles for Palipehutu-FNL with previous peace processes in the country has been reform of the Burundian armed forces. Therefore one of the main points of the agreement (which to a certain degree regulated the incompatibility) was to further outline the stipulated reform of the Defense and Security forces, a process that was begun in the peace process agreement signed in June the same year.
Other important points in the agreement were the granting of provisional immunity to Palipehutu-FNL combatants, which was implemented in November 2006, the release of prisoners and calls for the repatriation of all refugees and IDPs to their places of residence.
Signatories: For Burundi: President Pierre Nkurunziza
For Palipehutu-FNL: Chairman Agathon Rwasa
Guarantors:
For Tanzania: President Jakaya Kikwete (Vice-Chairperson of the Regional Initiative)
For Uganda: Yoweri Museveni (Chairperson of the Regional Initiative)
For South Africa: President Thabo Mbeki
For the AU: P Mazimhaka
For the UN: Special Representative of the Secretary General in Burundi N Satti
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive peace agreement
The agreement was signed by the last active rebel group in Burundi the Palipehutu-FNL and the government of Burundi in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 7 September 2006.
Third parties: UN (BINUB), AU, Tanzania, South Africa (Regional Initiative on Burundi)
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: South Africa acted as a mediator and facilitator in the peace talks, which took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The AU and the UN were obliged to take part in the JVMM to verify the ceasefire.
Full-text peace agreement
2007
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 5 |
| Best | 5 |
| Low | 5 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2008
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - Palipehutu-FNL
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 233 |
| Best | 226 |
| Low | 226 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Joint PALIPEHUTU-FNL and Government of the Republic of Burundi Declaration on Cessation of Hostilities
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2008-05-26
Comment of peace agreement: Partial Peace Agreement
The Joint Palipehutu-FNL and Government of the Republic of Burundi Declaration on the Cessation of Hostilities was agreed in Bujumbura. It ended the war through a ceasefire and recommitted parties to the peace process. The parties reaffirmed the Agreement in Principle of 18 June 2006 and the Global Ceasefire Agreement of September 2006.
The agreement requests assistance of the Political Directorate to expedite steps toward disengagement of the armed forces and to organize a meeting to decide on the provision of necessary supplies and support for this process.
Regarding the incompatibility, the agreement recommitted to such earlier agreements that stipulated a cessation of propaganda, incitement of ethnic hatred, and facilitated the process by which the FNL could become a political party. These earlier agreements further outlined a process for reform of the Defense and Security Forces.
Signatories: The Government of Burundi represented by: General Major Evariste Ndayishimiye
The Palipehutu-FNL represented by: Mr Pasteur Habimana
The Guarantors: the Political Directorate represented by: Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive peace agreement signed in Bujumbura, Burundi on 26 May 2008.
Full-text peace agreement
Name of peace agreement: Magaliesburg Declaration on the Burundi Peace Process
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2008-06-10
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
The agreement is part of the process that was held in South Africa to resolve the conflict in Burundi. The Magaliesburg Declaration commits to address political integration and disarmament. It makes reference to the 2006 Agreement of Principles and refers to and commits to immediate implementation of the 2006 Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement.
In addition to recommitting to the previous ceasefire, the agreement regulates the armed forces' behavior by engaging the Group of Special Envoys to Burundi (GSEB) to support the DDR process. The GSEB is also committed to promote security sector reforms, and to assist in providing humanitarian and financial assistance.
Regarding the incompatibility, the Magaliesburg Declaration commits both parties to addressing all outstanding political issues, including the accommodation and registration of FNL as a political party and their integration into national institutions and defense and security forces.
Signatories: Chairman Agathon Rwasa headed the PALIPEHUTU-FNL delegation. The delegation of the Government of Burundi was headed by Major-General Evariste Ndayishimiye.
Third parties: South Africa
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: South Africa facilitated the Burundi Peace Process
Full-text peace agreement
Name of peace agreement: Declaration of the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Great Lakes region on the Burundi Peace Process
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2008-12-04
Comment of peace agreement: Full peace agreement
On 4 December 2008 President Nkurunziza and Palipehutu-FNL leader Agathon Rwasa signed a peace agreement in Bujumbura, Burundi. The agreement represented a solution to the final outstanding issues in the peace process between the parties, namely the issue of removal of ethnic references from Palipehutu-FNL’s name and integration of members of the organisation into government.
The agreement was signed during a one-day summit involving heads of state in the Great Lakes region and other stakeholders in the peace process. The summit was presided over by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Chairperson of the regional Burundi Peace Initiative.
In the agreement, Palipehutu-FNL acknowledged that its name was prohibited by the Burundian Constitution and agreed to change it in order to be able to register as a political party. The government agreed to integrate Palipehutu-FNL into the political process and to grant government positions to 33 of its senior members. The agreement thus regulated the incompatibility by removing the final obstacles for the transformation of Palipehutu-FNL into a political party and granting it participation in government.
The parties also reaffirmed their commitment to the demobilisation process, monitored by the joint verification monitoring mechanism (JVMM), and release of political prisoners outlined in the 2006 agreement.
Signatories: For the Government of Burundi: H.E. Pierre Nkurunziza
For the Palipehutu-FNL: Mr. Agathon Rwasa
Co-signatories
H.E. President Yoweri Museveni, Chairperson of the Regional Initiative
H.E. Rupiah Banda, President of the Republic of Zambia
H.E. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, Vice President and Minister of the Interior of The Republic of Kenya
H.E. Mizengo Pinda, Prime Minister of The United Republic of Tanzania
H.E. Bernard Makuza, Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda
H.E. Mohamoud Dirir, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Representing the Facilitation, H.E. Jeff Radebe, Minister of Transport of the Republic of South Africa
H.E. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union
Mr. Yussef Mahmoud, Executive Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive peace agreement
The agreement was signed by the last active rebel group in Burundi, the Palipehutu-FNL. The agreement was signed in Bujumbura, Burundi, on 4 December 2008.
Third parties: The Regional Initiative chaired by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, South African Facilitation led by Minister Charles Nqakula
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: Charles Nqakula led the negotiations until October 2008 when e admitted he had failed to produce agreement from the parties regarding the final outstanding issues, namely removal of ethnic references from Palipehutu-FNL’s name and integration of members of the organisation into government. Nqakula therefore requested the help of the Regional Initiative headed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. The latter presided over a one-day summit in December when the final issues were resolved and a peace agreement signed.
Full-text peace agreement
2009
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2010
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2011
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2012
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 16 |
| Best | 11 |
| Low | 11 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2013
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2014
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - RED-TABARA
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 109 |
| Best | 72 |
| Low | 72 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2015
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - FPB, Military faction (forces of Godefroid Niyombare), RED-TABARA
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 188 |
| Best | 185 |
| Low | 185 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2016
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 11 |
| Best | 9 |
| Low | 9 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2017
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 14 |
| Best | 11 |
| Low | 11 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2018
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 31 |
| Best | 29 |
| Low | 29 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2019
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - RED-TABARA
Secondary Warring Parties Side A: Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Dimension: Internationalized intrastate
Comment on Dimension: A new President was elected in Dr Congo in 2019 paving the way for a new military relationship between the two countries. Armed groups active in the Burundi conflicts have for years been based on DR Congo territory, leading to Burundi troops following their armed opposition into Dr Congo. In mid-September 2019 senior military officers from five African Great Lakes countries formed a joint plan according to which Burundian Special Forces (FDNBU) would occupy parts of Rutshuru, Nyiragongo and Masisi, Uvira, Pfizi and Mwenga to take conclusive military action on RED-TABARA, FNL-Ubugabo-Burihabwa and FPB. The planned operations was to be closely supported by the AFRICOM and United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO). DR Congo is seen as a Secondary Warring Party in support of the government of Burundi after the joint agreement.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 96 |
| Best | 61 |
| Low | 60 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2020
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - FNL-Ubugabo-Burihabwa, RED-TABARA
Secondary Warring Parties Side A: Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Dimension: Internationalized intrastate
Comment on Dimension: In 2020 the Burundi: Government conflict is coded as internationalized. DR Congo continued to be a secondary warring party on the government side, allowing and supporting Burundian military operations against Burundian rebel groups based on Congolese territory under the bilateral security arrangements established in 2019.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 201 |
| Best | 139 |
| Low | 135 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2021
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - RED-TABARA
Secondary Warring Parties Side A: Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Dimension: Internationalized intrastate
Comment on Dimension: In 2021 the Burundi: Government conflict is coded as internationalized. DR Congo continued to be a secondary warring party on the government side, as Kinshasa maintained its security cooperation with Bujumbura; in December 2021 President Tshisekedi quietly allowed Burundian troops to cross into South Kivu to combat RED‑Tabara on Congolese territory.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 34 |
| Best | 31 |
| Low | 31 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2022
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - FNL-Ubugabo-Burihabwa, RED-TABARA
Secondary Warring Parties Side A: Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Dimension: Internationalized intrastate
Comment on Dimension: In 2022 the Burundi: Government conflict was internationalized. On 21 April, EAC heads of state agreed to establish a regional force in eastern DR Congo, and on 15 August a Burundian contingent was the first to enter the DRC under this framework; these Burundian troops were placed under Congolese rather than Kenyan command and operated from Congolese territory against Burundian rebel groups. DR Congo therefore continues to be coded as a secondary warring party on the government side, as it hosted and commanded allied Burundian forces in operations directed at the Burundian opposition.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 268 |
| Best | 242 |
| Low | 234 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2023
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - RED-TABARA
Secondary Warring Parties Side A: Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Dimension: Internationalized intrastate
Comment on Dimension: In 2023 the Burundi: Government conflict was internationalized. DR Congo continued to function as a secondary warring party on the government side by hosting and supporting Burundian military operations against Burundian rebel groups based on Congolese territory under the ongoing bilateral and EAC‑framework security arrangements initiated in previous years.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 99 |
| Best | 93 |
| Low | 32 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2024
Primary Parties: Government of Burundi - RED-TABARA
Secondary Warring Parties Side A: Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Dimension: Internationalized intrastate
Comment on Dimension: In 2024 the Burundi: Government conflict was internationalized. The conflict became increasingly intertwined with other Great Lakes wars, and DR Congo continued to act as a secondary warring party on the government side by fighting jointly with Burundi against RED‑Tabara and other Burundian rebel groups in South Kivu on Congolese territory. Rwanda was accused of supporting RED‑Tabara, but there is no evidence that it deployed regular troops in aid of the rebels, so no secondary warring party is coded on the opposition side.
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 108 |
| Best | 60 |
| Low | 57 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2025
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Internal
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 15 |
| Best | 1 |
| Low | 1 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
Conflict Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1980 Conflict Archive
Terminated: NO
1988 Conflict Archive
Terminated: NO
1990 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: 1990 is coded as an unclear year sine only seven battle-related deaths could be confirmed.
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: The official death toll for the attack on an army base in Mabanda on 13 August was seven deaths, three soldiers and four attackers. A later attack was reported in Kayogoro but there have been no reports of any deaths from the attack.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1991 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 1991, the conflict between the Government of Burundi and PALIPEHUTU was active in and around the capital Bujumbura and in the northern provinces of Cibitoke and Bubanza. PALIPEHUTU fighters carried out coordinated attacks on police stations, army posts and other government targets in several suburbs of Bujumbura and in rural areas, using light automatic weapons, grenades and improvised explosives. Security forces responded with large-scale operations in the capital’s northern quarters and in localities such as Mabayi and Butahana, with several days of intense gunfire reported as troops moved to “mop up” remaining insurgent pockets.
During the subsequent counter‑offensives, government forces were reported to have killed and detained large numbers of suspected insurgents and civilians in both urban and rural areas. In Cibitoke province in particular, wounded captured fighters were reported to have died in custody in unexplained circumstances, and witnesses described extrajudicial executions along roads and in villages near Mabayi and Butahana. The violence prompted significant displacement towards neighbouring Rwanda and Zaire.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiation: President Buyoya had secret plans to meet with the PALIPEHUTU leader Etienne Karatasi in Paris on 24 November. They were to discuss the recognition of PALIPEHUTU and the appointment of a PALIPEHUTU prime minister. However, due to the PALIPEHUTU attack on 23 November on Bujumbura, all negotiation plans were cancelled.
Third party involvement: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1992 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 1992, the conflict between the Government of Burundi and PALIPEHUTU remained active at a lower level than the previous year, with fighting concentrated mainly in the north‑western province of Cibitoke. In early April, PALIPEHUTU guerrilla units reportedly crossed into Cibitoke from neighbouring Rwanda and attacked army positions and localities in communes such as Mabayi, Buganda and Butahana, leading to several days of clashes. By mid‑month, the army announced that it had regained control of the area and was “restoring order”, although small bands of PALIPEHUTU fighters were said to remain active and to be attempting to retreat towards the Rwandan border.
During and after these operations, Burundian authorities presented captured combatants as members of PALIPEHUTU and claimed that some had received training in forest camps on Rwandan territory, while the Rwandan government publicly rejected accusations that it was harbouring Burundian insurgents.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: No or Low Activity
Date of termination: 1992-12-31
Comment on Termination: The conflict was ended by low activity in 1992 since it did not reach the criteria of armed conflict in 1993.
Comment on Termination Date: The last reported fighting in 1992 occured in the Cibitoke province on 8 - 14 April. According to UCDP coding rules (notably the fact the UCDP reports yearly data), the conflict end date is coded as the last day of the last active year.
1993 Conflict Archive
Terminated: NO
1994 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 1994, the conflict between the Government of Burundi and CNDD emerged as a distinct insurgency alongside the wider post‑coup violence. From mid‑year, CNDD leaders based in exile declared that armed struggle against the Tutsi‑dominated army was necessary to overturn what they described as an illegitimate power‑sharing arrangement, and announced the creation and expansion of armed units inside Burundi. Towards the end of the year, CNDD fighters claimed a series of attacks on army positions, reporting substantial army casualties in clashes they said had taken place since September, although these figures were disputed by military sources and could not be independently confirmed.
In December, CNDD publicly accepted responsibility for attacks on security forces in the north‑western province of Cibitoke, and further fighting between CNDD and government troops was reported in southern Burundi. In these operations, the group targeted army and gendarmerie posts, while the security forces were accused by human rights organisations of reprisal killings against Hutu civilians in affected communes, prompting large‑scale flight across the border into Zaire and internal displacement.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: OAU Observer Mission in Burundi (OMIB)
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1995 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 1995, the conflict between the Government of Burundi and multiple Hutu armed groups, including CNDD, PALIPEHUTU‑FNL, FROLINA and other militias, remained intense in both urban and rural areas. In Bujumbura, CNDD‑linked forces mounted repeated attacks and ambushes in suburbs such as Kamenge, Kinama, Musaga and Kanyosha, including raids on military posts, the Mutanga military hospital and mixed civilian–military traffic. The army and gendarmerie responded with large‑scale sweeps and disarmament operations using armoured vehicles, heavy weapons and, in some cases, helicopter support, which resulted in numerous deaths and large‑scale displacement of Hutu civilians from affected districts into the surrounding hills.
Outside the capital, government forces clashed frequently with insurgents in the north‑western provinces of Cibitoke and Bubanza, the north and north‑east around Muyinga, Kayanza, Ngozi and Karuzi, and in southern and south‑eastern areas near the Tanzanian border such as Makamba, Muhuta and Buyengero. In 1995, the conflict between the Government of Burundi and multiple Hutu armed groups, including CNDD/FDD, PALIPEHUTU‑FNL, FROLINA and other militias, remained intense in both urban and rural areas. In Bujumbura, Hutu armed groups and CNDD/FDD‑linked forces mounted repeated attacks and ambushes in suburbs such as Kamenge, Kinama, Musaga and Kanyosha, including raids on military posts, the Mutanga military hospital and mixed civilian–military traffic. The army and gendarmerie responded with large‑scale sweeps and disarmament operations using armoured vehicles, heavy weapons and, in some cases, helicopter support, which resulted in numerous deaths and large‑scale displacement of Hutu civilians from affected districts into the surrounding hills.
Outside the capital, government forces clashed frequently with insurgents in the north‑western provinces of Cibitoke and Bubanza, the north and north‑east around Muyinga, Kayanza, Ngozi and Karuzi, and in southern and south‑eastern areas near the Tanzanian border such as Makamba, Muhuta and Buyengero. CNDD and PALIPEHUTU-FNL‑linked fighters attacked army camps, police posts, military convoys and administrative targets, and staged cross‑border or border‑area operations from neighbouring Zaire and Tanzania, while the army carried out counter‑insurgency campaigns and search‑and‑destroy missions in communes, hills and forested zones. Over the course of the year, these confrontations led to civilian massacres, assassinations of local officials, ambushes on roads and repeated waves of internal and cross‑border flight, and left parts of the north‑west and other contested regions effectively engulfed in low‑intensity civil war.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: The UN, the OAU, the UNSG, Rwanda, Uganda, Zaire.
Comment on Third Party Involvement: An OAU protection force, MIPROBU, composed of 67 military and civilian personnel were deployed in Burundi. In June, during an OAU meeting, it was concluded that military intervention in Burundi would be necessary if ethnic violence continued to escalate. In November, at the request of the UNSG, a meeting took place between the Presidents of Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zaire and a Tanzanian presidential representative. A decision was taken to start a sub-regional initiative for a negotiated peace in Burundi, involving mediation by African diplomats. In late December the UNSG petitioned the SC to sanction international military intervention in Burundi to address rapidly worsening security conditions. The UN also organised joint conferences, aimed at supporting a dialogue between the warring parties and between Burundians in exile. During these conferences, the UN acted as a mediator.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1996 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 1996, the conflict between the Government of Burundi and multiple Hutu armed groups, principally CNDD and Palipehutu‑FNL, remained intense and nationwide. In and around Bujumbura, CNDD and other Hutu militias mounted repeated attacks and ambushes on army positions, military vehicles, and infrastructure, including operations in suburbs such as Kamenge, Kinama, Kanyosha and Mutanga, as well as along key roads south and east of the capital. The army responded with large‑scale sweep operations and bombardments in urban neighbourhoods and surrounding hills, using armoured vehicles, artillery and helicopter gunships, which caused substantial civilian displacement and high reported civilian casualties in several incidents.
Across the countryside, CNDD and Palipehutu-FNL‑linked units were active from the north and north‑east (Kirundo, Muyinga, Ngozi, Karuzi and Kayanza) through the centre (Muramvya, Gitega) to the north‑west (Cibitoke, Bubanza) and the south (Bururi, Makamba, Rumonge). Rebel groups attacked camps for displaced people, communal and military posts, convoys and economic sites such as the Teza tea factory, rice mills and power facilities, while the army carried out counter‑insurgency and reprisal operations in affected communes and collines, including around Gishubi, Makebuko, Bukeye, Gahombo, Mugina, Kizuka and other localities. Fighting along this broad front, combined with targeted assassinations and ambushes, produced heavy casualties among combatants and civilians alike and generated repeated waves of internal displacement and refugee flows into neighbouring Zaire and Tanzania.
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: Intense fighting was reported between the CNDD and the government in 1996 in retaliation for massacres of civilians. Reports of actual numbers of deaths were rare.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiation: In April, June, and August, interparty discussions were held in Mwanza, Tanzania, with Nyerere as mediator. However, the government objected the possible participation of the CNDD. The CNDD for its part set a number of conditions for participating in negotiations, such as the return of the government army to the barracks.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, the OAU, the UN.
Comment on Third Party Involvement: In March 1996, Nyerere was endorsed by the OAU and the UN to mediate in the Burundian conflict. In June, with the support of the UN and the OAU, Nyerere secured President Ntibantunganyas agreement to foreign intervention in Burundi. The plan was to deploy a regional military force. However, Nyerere did not succeed to convince the Burundian military about the planned action, as the countrys armed forces vehemently opposed any foreign military intervention. The UN also organised joint conferences, aimed at supporting a dialogue between the warring parties and between Burundians in exile. During these conferences, the UN acted as a mediator.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1997 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 1997, the conflict between the Government of Burundi and Hutu insurgent movements. principally CNDD, Palipehutu‑FNL and FROLINA, remained intense and nationwide, with sustained guerrilla activity in both rural areas and the outskirts of Bujumbura. Around the capital, CNDD and other rebel units attacked military posts and positions in suburbs such as Kinama, Gasenyi and Kanyosha, ambushed army vehicles, shelled or raided secondary schools and rural communes, and were reported to have established parallel administrative structures in some southern communes, while government forces carried out repeated sweep operations using heavy weapons and armour in Bujumbura‑Rural and nearby hills.
Across the country, CNDD, Palipehutu‑FNL and FROLINA units conducted ambushes, land‑mine attacks and raids on displaced‑persons camps, communal headquarters, markets and economic sites from Cibitoke and Bubanza in the north‑west through Muramvya, Gitega, Kayanza and Ruyigi to Bururi, Makamba and Rutana in the south and east. The army responded with counter‑insurgency campaigns, aerial and artillery bombardments and joint operations with local self‑defence groups, reporting high rebel losses in engagements in provinces such as Cibitoke, Bubanza, Bururi and Makamba, while independent sources also described large numbers of civilian deaths, widespread destruction of homes, targeted killings of local officials, and extensive displacement into regroupment camps, parish compounds and neighbouring Tanzania and Zaire.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: In May, the President disclosed that dialogue had taken place in Italy between the government and the CNDD. However, Buyoya said that no substantive peace negotiations were immediately contemplated. In July the talks were ended due to pressure from Tutsi political groups. Multiparty talks took place in Arusha in August, but the government withdrew from discussions when it was clear that the embargo towards Burundi would not be completely revoked.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, the UN, the OAU.
Comment on Third Party Involvement: Nyereres mediation efforts concentrated on making the government accept negotiations without conditions. However, Nyerere appeared to lose credibility and confidence among the warring parties. This was due to the ineffectiveness of his initiative to economic blockade on Burundi (after the 1996 coup) as for bringing the parties closer to agreement. Nyerere was also accused of being pro-Hutu. Talks were held in Arusha in August, but without the government participating. The OAU SG, Salim Ahmed Salim, attended meetings which Nyerere held with the government. The UN sent a fact-finding mission to the border area of Tanzania and Burundi during November. The UN also organised joint conferences, aimed at supporting a dialogue between the warring parties and between Burundians in exile. During these conferences, the UN acted as a mediator.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1998 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 1998, the conflict between the Government of Burundi and Hutu insurgents remained intense but became more organisationally fragmented as the CNDD‑FDD emerged from a split in the CNDD in May. In the first months of the year, CNDD forces active from Kibira forest and cross‑border rear areas continued to mount ambushes, mine attacks and raids on army posts, regroupment and displaced‑persons camps and rural communes in provinces such as Bujumbura‑Rural, Bubanza, Cibitoke, Bururi, Makamba, Rutana and Ruyigi, while mixed Hutu armed groups also operated in and around northern and southern suburbs of Bujumbura.
After the split, CNDD‑FDD attacked military positions, convoys, economic targets and local officials along key corridors and in contested communes south and east of the capital.
Palipehutu‑FNL remained active primarily in parts of Cibitoke and neighbouring areas. Government forces responded throughout the year with repeated sweep operations and mopping‑up campaigns, often combining regular troops with local self‑defence groups, particularly in southern and western communes such as Rumonge, Buyengero, Mabanda and Nyanza‑Lac, around Kibira and along main roads affected by anti‑tank mine incidents, causing heavy reported losses among CNDD, CNDD‑FDD and Palipehutu‑FNL fighters but also significant civilian casualties and large‑scale displacement into regroupment sites and parish compounds.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: Multiparty talks facilitated by Nyerere began in June in Arusha, Tanzania, but initially made little progress. The government took part in the discussions however the most active extremist groups, the FDD and the FNL, were not invited. The parties which participated agreed on suspending the hostilities on 20 June. However, the government and the two extremist groups immediately distanced themselves from the agreement. During the meeting, it was also decided that a number of commissions to examine each of the key issues in the conflict would be established. In October, a new round of talks were held in Arusha. Three of the planned commissions were successfully constituted. The three commissions were to examine the nature of the Burundian conflict, democracy and good governance, and peace and security. The remaining commissions, once constituted, would examine the rehabilitation of refugees and economic development, transitional institutions, and the guarantee for implementation of the eventual peace agreement.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere.
Comment on Third Party Involvement: Comprehensive talks facilitated by Nyerere began in June in Arusha, Tanzania
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1999 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Government forces were actively engaged against multiple Hutu rebel groups in 1999, including Palipehutu-FNL and CNDD-FDD, with a concentration of fighting in Bujumbura-Rural, around the capital, and in border provinces such as Makamba and Ruyigi. Army units and police posts were repeatedly attacked or ambushed by Palipehutu-FNL and allied forces in communes such as Kanyosha, Mutambu, Kabezi, Muhuta, Isale, Mutimbuzi and around strategic points like Nyamaboko, Ruziba, Muyira and Nyambuye, as well as in urban neighbourhoods. Government forces responded with defensive actions at military and police positions, convoy protection on key roads, and offensive sweep operations and raids on suspected rebel bases and assembly areas in hills and forested zones.
In parallel, the army confronted CNDD-FDD units in several parts of the country, including Bujumbura-Rural, Rumonge/Kabezi and along the southern border towards Tanzania, where CNDD-FDD elements were implicated in large ambushes on military positions and escorted vehicles, as well as in attacks on markets, trading centres and camps near strategic infrastructure such as the Mugere dam and road junctions. Government operations in response included larger offensives in Bujumbura-Rural and in eastern and southern provinces that aimed at suppressing rebel activity, countering cross-border movements from Tanzania and the DR Congo, and reasserting control over rural areas through patrols, cordon-and-search missions and the regroupment of local populations.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: The Arusha commissions continued their work in mid-March. In early July 1999, a fifth round of the commission meetings took place. However, little progress was made. Neither the CNDD-FDD nor the Palipehutu-FNL were invited to participate. Nyerere mediated all negotiations. In September, Nyereres health worsened and the Arusha process was suspended. However, the main negotiating parties met in the Tanzanian capital later the same month, and good progress was reported. A degree of consensus on the integration of rebel forces into the military and on Buyoyas transition programme was reached.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Comment on Third Party Involvement: Nyerere died in October, and on 1 December regional heads of state unanimously endorsed Nelson Mandela as the new mediator. Mandela adopted a more urgent and outspoken approach from the outset, condemning both sides for human rights abuses, criticising exiled Hutu politicians for remaining outside the country, insisting that Tutsis would relinquish their monopoly on power, and denouncing Burundis regrouping camps and prisons as unfit for human habitation. Mandela also proposed the establishment of a new national army, drawn equally from the current Burundian army and the rebel militia.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2000 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Burundian government forces were actively engaged against both CNDD‑FDD and Palipehutu‑FNL in 2000, with sustained operations in Bujumbura‑Rural, the southeast and in and around the capital. In the south‑east, the army launched repeated offensives against CNDD‑FDD units infiltrating from Tanzania. Government troops also responded to a series of CNDD‑FDD ambushes and attacks on roads, markets and camps for displaced persons and regrouped civilians and conducted mopping‑up operations in rural zones to push rebel forces back towards the border and disrupt their rear bases in Tanzania.
At the same time, Palipehutu‑FNL remained active around Bujumbura and in Bujumbura‑Rural and eastern provinces, with frequent clashes between army and FNL units in Kabezi, Mutambu, Nyambuye, Kanyosha, Mubone and along RN3 and RN9, as well as attacks or ambushes in Muramvya, Ruyigi and Rutana. FNL combatants attacked military posts and convoys, regroupment and displaced persons sites and launched raids or infiltration attempts into urban neighbourhoods and markets on the outskirts of the capital, while the government responded with sweeps, ambushes on suspected bases, artillery bombardment of positions such as Tenga–Kivoga, and intensified patrolling around camps and strategic roads.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: The Arusha multiparty talks continued during this year, with Nelson Mandela as a new mediator. He attended his first round in February. Key issues, such as leadership of the transition, a future electoral system and equal ethnic representation of the armed forces, were discussed but not agreed on. Mandela also brought up the terrorism character of the extremist activities and Buyoyas undemocratic treatment of political opponents. For the first time, the rebel groups were invited to participate in negotiations. In March, the rebel leaders told Mandela that they would join the Arusha talks, but eventually they refused to do so. However, Mandela conducted talks with the leadership of CNDD-FDD and the FNL. He also met with senior army commanders. The eight round of Arusha negotiations commenced on 27 March. The talks focused on the issue of army integration, despite the continued absence of the CNDD-FDD and the FNL. In April, two commissions convened, the one charged with examining good governance and democracy and the other with examining implementation of a peace agreement. The good governance committee remained at an impasse on electoral arrangements and transition government modalities. The peace agreement committee deadlocked over foreign military assistance with the transition. The former warring Hutu parties demanded external assistance, whereas the government remained opposed. The implementation committee met again in May, and reported good progress on the issue. In late May, Mandela met with senior army commanders and Hutu militia in Johannesburg, although the CNDD-FDD refused the invitation to participate. In early June, Mandela met with Buyoya in Johannesburg, and subsequently announced that Buyoya had agreed to ensure equal representation of Hutus and Tutsis in the army. In early July it was announced that the CNDD-FDD had agreed for the first time to attend, but not to negotiate at peace discussions under Mandelas mediation. The FNL maintained its boycott, however. At the meeting, the CNDD-FDD outlined its preconditions for cease-fire and participation in dialogue with Burundi government, which were primarily the release of those it considered political prisoners and the dismantlement of Hutu regrouping camps. Prior to the July talks, a draft peace agreement was presented by the mediation team. The draft remained vague on who should lead the transition, the nature of the electoral system and how to achieve a ceasefire. However, no agreements could be made by the parties on the main issues. A further round of negotiations was planned for August. In the intervening period Mandela conducted a series of bilateral discussions with the heads of party delegations at Arusha, to persuade them to commit themselves to signing an accord. To increase the pressure, Mandela invited a number of Heads of State, including the US President Bill Clinton, and other senior international political figures to the August discussions. On the 28 August, a peace agreement was signed. On 20 September, Mandela arranged a meeting between the militia leadership, the Burundi government and regional Heads of State. However, the CNDD-FDD leader Ndayikengurukiye did not attend. The FNL leader, Kossan Kabura, was present, but was prepared to enter into discussions only with the regional Heads of State.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Former South African President Nelson Mandela, South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, the UNSC, the EU, the Regional Peace Initiative (members: Burundi, the DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia).
Comment on Third Party Involvement: Mandela had strong support from the UNSC, the EU and the Regional Peace Initiative in his efforts to bring the 19 parties together. Zuma engaged in shuttle diplomacy from mid-2000 with the objective to secure a ceasefire, but without success.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2001 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Burundian government forces remained heavily engaged against both CNDD-FDD and Palipehutu-FNL in 2001 despite parallel ceasefire talks and mediation efforts. Against CNDD-FDD, the army launched repeated offensives and “mopping up” operations in areas like Buga/Kayogoro, Giharo, Mpinga-Kayove, Nyanza-Lac, Gisuru and along the Tanzanian border, often following large-scale rebel infiltrations from Tanzania or the DR Congo. While CNDD-FDD units continued to mount attacks and ambushes on army patrols, vehicles and positions, as well as on local administrative centres and camps for displaced or regrouped civilians.
In parallel, the government confronted Palipehutu-FNL around the capital and in Bujumbura-Rural, above all during the major Palipehutu-FNL assault on Kinama and neighbouring suburbs in February–March, which triggered intense urban and peri-urban fighting before army forces reoccupied the area. Through the rest of the year, army and police units engaged the group in and around communes such as Mutimbuzi, Isale, Kanyosha, Nyabunyegeri, Nyambuye, Gatumba and Bubanza, using ambushes, cordon‑and‑search missions and larger operations to push Palipehutu-FNL away from Bujumbura and key roads.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: Buyoya intensified his efforts to talk to the leadership of the CNDD-FDD and the FNL, and in January and in April he met with Ndayikengurukiye in Gabon. However, the FNL leader was not present. The parties began to draft an agenda for negotiations, but without reference to the FNL. On 27-28 February, a further round of discussions arranged by Mandela was held in Arusha. The aim was to resolve the main remaining issues of disagreement. Also the regional Heads of States were attending the meeting. On 23 July, Mandela convened a regional summit meeting in Arusha. On 25 July, agreement was reached on the transitional leadership. SEE PA COMMENT 01 In early August it was announced that Mandela had succeeded in quelling continuing opposition from the CNDD-FDD to the continuation of Buyoya in the presidency.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Former South African President Nelson Mandela, South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, South Africa/South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Belgium, the UN, IMC (International Monitoring Committee), The NGO Saint Egidio.
Comment on Third Party Involvement: At a summit in Pretoria in October, Mandela promised that SANDF troops would be sent to Burundi to protect Hutu politicians returning from exile. Three weeks later, over 600 SANDF soldiers arrived in the country. By the end of the year, 1500 South African soldiers were in place. Belgium assisted with the funding. The protection force was endorsed by the UNSC. Zuma made continued efforts to arrange formal ceasefire negotiations. In April, he held talks with the CNDD-FDD leader Ndayikengurukiye and the DRC President Kabila one the one hand, and with Buyoya on the other hand. Still, no success was achieved. Ndayikengurukiye subsequently questioned South Africas continued role in the process. The Implementation Monitoring Commission, established under UN leadership to oversee the transition, had its first substantive meeting on 19 March. However, the IMC made little progress, since most of the parties merely restated their demands and negotiation positions. The NGO Saint Egidio was active in organising talks between the rebels and the government.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2002 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Government forces, CNDD‑FDD and Palipehutu‑FNL all remained active in 2002, with frequent clashes in Bujumbura and Bujumbura‑Rural, Bubanza, Muramvya and across southern and eastern Burundi. Palipehutu‑FNL units operated from rural strongholds such as Tenga and Masama, where they ambushed public and military vehicles on key road axes, including repeated attacks and mine incidents along the Bujumbura-Rumonge road near Gitaza/Migera, Kivoga and Kizunga, and attacked army positions and checkpoints before withdrawing into surrounding hills. CNDD‑FDD forces mounted raids and ambushes in Makamba, Rumonge, Rutana, Ruyigi, Cankuzo and other provinces, attacking patrols, markets and displaced persons’ camps, looting shops and livestock, burning houses and targeting local officials and administrative structures.
The Burundian army, police and allied militias responded with search‑and‑destroy operations and offensive sweeps in Bujumbura‑Rural, Bubanza, Makamba and Rumonge, as well as along Lake Tanganyika, the Kibira and Rukoko forests and major road corridors. Government forces pursued rebel columns after ambushes, shelled suspected Palipehutu‑FNL and CNDD‑FDD positions on hills overlooking the capital and key movement routes, and conducted operations around regroupment sites and populated hills where both rebel groups sought to maintain influence.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: In February 2002 the government and the CNDD-FDD faction led by Nkurunziza met in Vaal Dam, South Africa, but only to set up a framework for future negotiations. In March new meetings were held where all rebel groups and factions were invited by Tanzania to see if they could agree on a formula for the negotiations. However the Palipehutu-FNL faction led by Rwasa and the CNDD-FDD faction led by Nkurunziza rejected the talks. In April the CNDD-FDD faction of Ndayikengurukiye agreed on an agenda for negotiations with the government, and in August they began ceasefire talks. On 26 August this faction of the CNDD-FDD signed a protocol brokered by South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, which aimed at reaching a ceasefire with the government.
The Palipehutu-FNL split in August 2002, with the weaker group expressing a willingness to negotiate for the first time. In September two rounds of ceasefire negotiations were held in Tanzania. During the first round of negotiations, progress was made with smaller factions of the rebel groups. Negotiations between the Palipehutu-FNL led by Mugabarabona, and Ndayikrngurukiye faction of CNDD-FDD ended with a general memorandum with the government for further negotiations. However negotiations between the government and the main CNDD-FDD led by Nkurunziza broke down after several days. Nkurunziza insisted that the government would take full responsibility for all actions since October 1993 but the government refused. In the second round the government held face-to-face talks with the Palipehutu-FNL led by Mugabarabona. In October there were new talks which resulted on 7 October 2002 in the conclusion at the 18th Summit of the Regional Initiative for Burundi of a ceasefire agreement between the Transitional Government and the CNDD-FDD wing led by Jean Bosco Ndayikengurukiye and the Palipehutu-FNL wing led by Alain Mugabarabona.
In the end of October and November negotiations were held between the major faction of CNDD-FDD and the government. On the 2 December 2002 the Government of Burundi and CNDD-FDD of Nkurunziza concluded a ceasefire agreement, to come to effect on 30 December, in Arusha, Tanzania. The Palipehutu-FNL of Rwasa did not take part in any real negotiations in the year.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: South Africa, Jacob Zuma
Comment on Third Party Involvement: Zuma led the Burundian negotiations in 2002.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2003 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: The Burundi: Government armed conflict remained active in 2003 involving both the CNDD‑FDD and Palipehutu‑FNL. Government forces carried out repeated operations against CNDD‑FDD positions and columns in central and eastern provinces such as Ruyigi, Gitega, Mwaro and Muramvya, including heavy clashes and ambushes around localities like Kinyinya, Kavumu, Musenyi, Ndubura, Ruce and Nyabihanga, and operations near the Kibira forest. The army also engaged CNDD‑FDD units in Mpanda, Bubanza, Ngozi and other areas where rebels were accused of looting, attacking camps and settlements, and moving recruits toward the Tanzanian border, and used shelling and helicopter support around Bujumbura to strike suspected rebel strongholds.
CNDD‑FDD and Palipehutu‑FNL forces responded with mortar attacks, ambushes and raids throughout the year, around Bujumbura and in multiple provinces. CNDD‑FDD units shelled northern neighbourhoods of the capital and other centres, hit residential areas, schools and churches, attacked displaced persons’ camps, power installations and coffee facilities, and ambushed military convoys and civilian vehicles, while targeting local administrators and other officials for threats, abductions and killings. Palipehutu‑FNL was repeatedly engaged in Bujumbura and Bujumbura‑Rural; it ambushed patrols and attacked positions along key roads south and east of the capital and, in July, launched a major offensive that brought heavy urban fighting to southern districts of Bujumbura before the army pushed its forces back into rural strongholds and mounted further local offensives against remaining positions and hideouts.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: In the end of January Zuma facilitated meetings in Pretoria, South Africa, between Burundian President Pierre Buyoya and the three rebel leaders Ndayikengurukiye, Mugabarabona, and Nkurunziza. The talks concerned issues such as the return of former fighters and leaders to Burundi, the participation of the movements in the state and parliament and disarmament, demobilisation and security. As a consequence President Buyoya signed a memorandum of understanding on 10 February with Ndayikengurukiye and Mugabarabona, providing for the return of the two exiled leaders to Bujumbura three days later they return to Burundi.
On 27 January Buyoya and Nkurunziza signed another memorandum of understanding in Pretoria to implement the ceasefire accord of 2 December 2002. Talks about the defence and security technical commission between the government and Nkurunzizas CNDD-FDD were held in Dar es Salaam in the end of January. But on 21 February Nkurunzizas CNDD-FDD suspended ceasefire talks because of continuing hostilities, the blockage of humanitarian aid and a lack of consultation over the sending of the African Union (AU) troops.
In March the government and Nkurunzizas CNDD-FDD recommit themselves to implementing past agreements in a joint communiqué they sign in Dar es Salaam. On 31 May representatives of Rwasas FNL and the government begin meeting in Switzerland to discuss future peace negotiations and on 13 July Rwasas FNL release 39 hostages to prove that Burundian Hutus and Tutsis can "live together without any problem". In the end of July the negotiations are streamlined between South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania and the parties agree on meeting face to face, rather than as previously meet separately with negotiators. On 21 August the first face-to-face talks between Ndayizeye and Nkurunziza end in Pretoria, with all parties expressing satisfaction with the progress made. A regional summit on Burundi ends on 16 September without an agreement being reached between the government and Nkurunzizas CNDD-FDD on the countrys political and security issues.
On 8 October Ndayizeye and Nkurunziza sign an agreement on the integration of the armed forces, the police and intelligence services. The transitional government and Nkurunzizas CNDD-FDD faction finalise three days of talks on 1 November, and agree on four outstanding issues from previous negotiations. On16 November The transitional national government and Nkurunzizas CNDD-FDD finalise peace negotiations and sign an agreement endorsing political, defence and security power sharing.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: South African Vice-President Zuma, the regional initiative for Burundi, including the heads of state of Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa under the chairmanship of President Museveni of Uganda; Implementation Monitoring Commission (IMC) headed by Ambassador Bernahu Dinka, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General. Joint Ceasefire Commission (JCC) headed by General El Hadji Alioune Samba, named by the U.N. Secretary-General. African Mission in Burundi (AMIB), headed by Ambassador Mamadou Bah,the African Union representative in Burundi.
African Mission in Burundi (AMIB)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: In the end of April troops from South Africa, Mozambique and Ethiopia arrived in Bujumbura to monitor the ceasefire agreement, in the first peacekeeping mission of the African Union ever.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2004 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Palipehutu-FNL remained active against the Burundian government in 2004, with repeated clashes in Bujumbura-Rural and on the outskirts of the capital. Politically, the first direct negotiations between the government and the Palipehutu-FNL took place in the Netherlands in January 2004 and produced a joint declaration calling for an end to violence, but the ceasefire was quickly broken and no further talks were held that year. Palipehutu-FNL units ambushed army patrols and vehicles, attacked military positions and checkpoints, and engaged government forces in communes such as Kabezi, Muhuta, Mutambu, Nyabiraba, Kanyosha, Mubimbi, Gihanga and Mutimbuzi, sometimes using mortars and rockets. Government forces launched a series of offensives and pursuit operations against Palipehutu-FNL assembly areas and suspected strongholds in nearby hills.
Around Bujumbura, Palipehutu-FNL also carried out smaller infiltration attacks and ambushes against military and police positions, with clashes near markets and along main roads prompting counter-attacks, raids and reinforced patrolling by the army to push Palipehutu-FNL away from the capital.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: The first negotiations between the government and Palipehutu-FNL-Rwasa faction was held in Netherlands 18-21 January. The parties agreed to establish an international commission investigating the death of the Papal Envoy in Burundi Michael Courtney. The talks also conserned a possible ceasefire and ended with a joint déclaration calling for an end to violence in Burundi. The ceasefire was soon broken. No new negotiations were held between FNL and the government in 2004 since FNL refused to negotiate with the governement if they did not stop their military action against them and the government refused to cease the military action until FNL agreed to negotiate. A unilateral ceasefire was declared by Palipehutu-FNL in April but was broken whithin 24 hours. In August the FNL again offerd a ceasefire if refugees in Bujumbura Rural were allowed to return home and the agreement was implemented, the government did not accept this offer.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: African Union Mission in Burundi, ONUB, South Africa, South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma.
Comment on Third Party Involvement: After a resolution passed by the Seurity Council on 21 May the United Nations Mission in Burundi (ONUB) took over peacekeeping duties from the African Union Mission in Burundi on 1 June 2004. ONUB comprised of 5650 troops with a Chapter VII mandate. The African Union (AU) maintained an observer mission to support the peace process in Burundi.
Jacob Zuma was the chief mediator in the Burundi peace process.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2005 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Palipehutu-FNL remained the only armed group in open conflict with the Burundian government in 2005, with recurrent clashes in Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza, Muramvya and on the outskirts of the capital. Palipehutu-FNL ambushed army patrols and vehicles on main roads, attacked or shelled military positions and checkpoints. Government troops, often operating jointly with the former rebel group CNDD-FDD, conducted pursuit operations and larger offensives against Palipehutu-FNL bases and assembly areas in Bujumbura-Rural and Bubanza and along the DR Congo border.
Fighting continued despite a signed ceasefire agreement and intermittent Palipehutu-FNL declarations of unilateral ceasefires, with both sides accusing the other of violating the truce while maintaining or resuming military action. Around Bujumbura this took the form of repeated Palipehutu-FNL raids and mortar or rocket attacks against army positions and nearby urban districts. Counter‑attacks, helicopter‑supported bombardments and arrest operations by the National Defence Forces aimed at preventing Palipehutu-FNL from disrupting the elections.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: FNL signed a ceasefire with the government on 15 May 2005, but ceasefire was broken by both the government and the rebels. After elections in Burundi favouring the formel hutu rebel group CNDD-FDD, negotiations again seemed possible, but repeated promises by FNL to negotiate with the government came to nothing.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: ONUB
Comment on Third Party Involvement: ONUB was to help implement the Arusha Acoord. ONUB consisted of a total 5600 personnel from Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uruguay, Yemen and Zambia.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2006 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: 2006 saw great strides towards countrywide peace in Burundi. Clashes with Palipehutu-FNL forces took place mainly between January and September, up until a ceasefire agreement was signed on 7 September between the government (led by former CNDD-FDD leader Pierre Nkurunziza) and the Palipehutu-FNL faction of Agathon Rwasa. Clashes and artillery fire were recorded up until two days before the ceasefire took effect, but the fighting in 2006 was on a considerably lower level than in 2004 and 2005. The ceasefire agreement stipulated the demobilization of Palipehutu-FNL forces, and the transformation of the organization into a political pary. Although peace looked likely to take hold, the international community however voiced alarm over an increase of state repression in Burundi, characterized by arrests of politicians and tightening media censorship, and stated that this might lead to a deteriorating political situation.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: The year 2006 saw one prominent breakthrough; the first direct negotiations on 29 May between the FNL and the new Burundian government installed in 2005. On 18 June the parties signed an agreement called “Dar-Es- Salaam Agreement of Principles Towards Lasting Peace, Security and Stability in Burundi”, where the parties agreed on a two week ceasefire to negotiate a permanent ceasefire. The talks were mediated by South Africa, and held in Tanzania. Success however was not quick, with wrangling continuing over the months primarily over Palipehutu-FNL’s wish to disband the Burundian armed forces and police and reconstruct them from scratch. The government instead wanted FNL integration into the existing structures, in line with earlier peace agreements in Burundi. The Palipehutu-FNL subsequently walked out of negotiations, which in the end continued in mid-July. On 7 September the government and the Palipehutu-FNL signed a comprehensive ceasefire agreement, which stipulated the cantonment of FNL forces for demobilization or integration into the armed forces. Final points on such integration, power sharing and the transformation of Palipehutu-FNL into a political party were, however, not finalized by this point. A verification and monitoring mechanism for the CFA, participated in by the AU and ONUB, was inaugurated in November, and some cantonment began. Feuding over details of a final agreement continued however. Temporary immunity was granted to ex-combatants in November, but the fate of the CFA and future negotiations were not clear at the end of the year.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: South Africa, Tanzania, AU (Regional Initiative on Burundi) UN, ONUB, (BINUB, agreed upon in 2006, but established 1 January 2007)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: South Africa mediated the Palipehutu-FNL and government talks, on location in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The UN completed its ONUB mandate on 31 December 2006, but a new UN presence was established in the form of the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB), with the expressed mandate of assisting the government in demobilizing and reintegrating the Palipehutu-FNL ex-combatants, among other things. The AU took an active part in conflict mediation through its establishment and participation in the monitoring and verification mechanism for the ceasefire with the Palipehutu-FNL.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Peace Agreement
Date of termination: 2006-09-07
Comment on Termination: On 7 September 2006 a peace agreement was signed between the government of Burundi and CNDD-FDD.
2007 Conflict Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: After many postponements the parties met in February 2007 to discuss the implementation of the 2006 peace agreements. In the 7 September 2006 agreement the parties had agreed to create a joint verification monitoring mechanism (JVMM) to continue the talks ov military reform and implementation. On 26 March 2007 Palipehutu-FNL suspended its participation in the JVMM after the government refused to negotiate political issues and to release political prisoners. On 17 June face to face talks were held between Rwasa and President Nkurunziza, they again committed themselves to the peace process and the government agreed to release FNL prisoners. JVMM again began its work in July but after a good start the Palipehutu-FNL again left the talks.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: AU, UN ,United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB), the Regional Initiative, South African Facilitation led by Minister Charles Nqakula
Comment on Third Party Involvement: In February African Union (AU) created a peacekeeping force of 1500 troops from South Africa the troops had earlier been under UN command.
The Regional Peace Initiative on Burundi mediated talks in June between the government and FNL. In 2007 the chair of the Regional Initiative was Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2008 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Small-scale clashes between Palipehutu-FNL and the army took place in early 2008, escalating and culminating in a rebel offensive in Bujumbura and other areas in April in an apparent attempt to strengthen its position ahead of renewed negotiations. However, after suffering losses on the battlefield and at the same time being expelled from Tanzania, which had long harboured the Palipehutu-FNL leadership, the rebels returned to the negotiating table and on 26 May a ceasefire agreement was signed. After the ceasefire, there were only a few isolated clashes which did not seem to endanger the peace process.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiation: Attempts in early 2008 to restart the peace process were initially successful, with Palipehutu-FNL promising to return to the joint verification monitoring mechanism (JVMM). However, talks soon deadlocked as the government refused to grant provisional immunity and the rebels refused to change the organisation’s name, which was required for their transformation into a political party as ethnic terminology in party names is banned by the Constitution. After an unsuccessful April offensive and under strong international pressure, however, the rebels returned to the negotiating table and a ceasefire was signed on 26 May, reaffirming the parties’ commitment to the 2006 agreement. Further progress was made in Magaliesburg, South Africa, in June where implementation was further discussed, and in August face-to-face talks were held between rebel leader Agathon Rwasa and President Nkurunziza. Deliberation continued over the final issues, the name of Palipehutu-FNL and the integration of some of its members into the government. These issues were resolved at a summit on 4 December, which culminated in the signing of a peace agreement removing the final obstacles for the transformation of Palipehutu-FNL into a political party.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB), the Regional Initiative, South African Facilitation led by Minister Charles Nqakula
Comment on Third Party Involvement: South African Defence Minister Charles Nqakula, who had mediated between the parties on behalf of the South African Facilitation, in October admitted that he had failed to produce agreement from the parties regarding the final outstanding issues, namely removal of ethnic references from Palipehutu-FNL’s name and integration of members of the organisation into government. Nqakula therefore requested the help of the Regional Initiative headed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. The latter presided over a one-day summit in December when the final issues were resolved and a peace agreement signed.
In December, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) until 2009 in order to maintain support for the peace process.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Peace Agreement
Date of termination: 2008-12-04
Comment on Termination: On 4 December 2008 President Nkurunziza and Palipehutu-FNL leader Agathon Rwasa signed a peace agreement in Bujumbura, Burundi. Under the agreement Palipehutu –FNL agreed to remove all ethnic references from the group’s name. They were then allowed integration of members of the organization into government. The parties also agreed to implement the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement between the Government of Burundi and the Palipehutu-FNL from 2006.
The last battle-related death between the government and Palipehutu-FNL was reported on 22 August 2008.
2009 Conflict Archive
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: BINUB’s mandate was extended through 2009 to assist the government in consolidating peace, supporting democratic governance and electoral preparations, and “playing a robust political role in support of the peace process” in coordination with regional partners. It acted as a political mission and good‑offices provider.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2010 Conflict Archive
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: BINUB continued to support political dialogue and the 2010 electoral process, including backing national institutions and monitoring tensions around boycotts by major opposition parties.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2011 Conflict Archive
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: On 1 January 2011, BNUB replaced BINUB as a smaller UN political mission mandated to support the government in strengthening key institutions, promoting and facilitating political dialogue, and assisting transitional justice. BNUB thus functioned as a political good‑offices and dialogue‑support mission.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2012 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In October a rebel group, FPM-Abatabazi later known as RED-TABARA made incursions into Burundi from DR. Congo (Zaire) and attacked the military in Buganda town.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: BNUB
Comment on Third Party Involvement: BNUB was mandated with supporting the Government in strengthening the independence, capacities and legal frameworks of key national institutions, in particular the judiciary and parliament; promoting dialogue between national actors; fighting impunity and protecting human rights.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2013 Conflict Archive
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: The Security Council extended BNUB’s mandate; the mission continued to facilitate political dialogue amid tensions following the 2010 electoral boycott and to support reforms of justice and security institutions.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2014 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 2014 a FNL faction called FNL-Ubugabo-Burihabwa claimed responsibility for a number of incursions into Burundi but also to clashes with the Burundi army on the Congolese side of the border.
On 30 December assailants crossed the border from the DR Congo via Murwi and Bukinanyana on Burundis side, aiming to enter the Kibira natural forest, on the way they clashed with the army, in a 2016 UN group of experts report this attack was attributed to the rebel group RED-TABARA.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: By resolution 2137 (2014), the Security Council extended BNUB until 31 December 2014, explicitly mandating it to promote an inclusive political dialogue and support preparations for the 2015 elections before handing over to the UN country team. BNUB functioned as the key political good‑offices mission. On 31 December 2014 the UN mission BNUB ended.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: No or Low Activity
Date of termination: 2016-12-31
2015 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Conflict over government in Burundi again broke out when the ruling President Pierre Nkurunziza sought to run for President for another term. Protesters claimed that it was against the constitution to run for a third time in office while Nkurunziza claimed that he could on the basis that his first 5 years in office should not count since he had been elected by the parliament and not by popular vote. On 13 May 2015, Major General Godefroid Niyombare declared a coup d'état, but the coup attempt was soon defeated. On 11 December 2015 three military barracks was attacked by a group calling itself the Republican Forces of Burundi (FOREBU) with an aim of forcing Nkurunziza out of power. Despite open conflict Nkurunziza refused to let peacekeepers from the African Union into the country.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiation: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni began talks and mediation efforts with the Burundian government and the opposition but he was unsuccessful. The EAC and AU are pressuring for mediation but Burundi's neighbors have different interests. In early October, the Commission Nationale du Dialogue Inter Burundais (CNDI) was created to promote dialogue between the government and the opposition, although this did not bring a reduction in violence. In late 2015, regional leaders and the international community launched several initiatives combining proposals for dialogue with sanctions targeting members of the government.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Human Rights Observers and Military Experts, UN Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi (MENUB); United Nations (Security Council/Peacebuilding Commission); African Union (AU); East African Community (EAC); Uganda (President Yoweri Museveni, mediator); Tanzania (former President Benjamin Mkapa, facilitator)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: A number of countries raised concern over the protests and the election. No negotiations were however held with the armed belligerents and Burundi refused to accept a peacekeeping force from the African Union.
The United Nations Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi (MENUB) followed and reported on the presidential, parliamentary and local elections. MENUB concluded its mandate on 18 November 2015. MENUBs mandate did not include any conflict-related tasks.
On 13 June 2015 the Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission in Burundi was established. It was mandated to monitor, document and report on the human rights and security situation in Burundi, and to strengthen protection and access to justice for victims of human rights violations.
As the crisis deepened over President Nkurunziza’s third‑term bid and violence escalated, EAC heads of state took up the Burundi issue and in July 2015 appointed Uganda’s President Museveni as mediator for an inter‑Burundian dialogue. The AU threatened a peacekeeping mission (MAPROBU) and pressed for inclusive talks but did not deploy troops.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: No or Low Activity
Date of termination: 2015-12-31
2016 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Deadly violence continued in Burundi in 2016 but most of it could not be attributed to any armed actors. Both FOREBU and RED-Tabara was believed to continue their attacks and the government continued to target opponents to the regime. Some observers warned that the violence that had started out as non-ethnic, increasingly got a Hutu-Tutsi dimension.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission in Burundi, EAC; Uganda (Mediator); Tanzania (former President Benjamin Mkapa, Facilitator); African Union; United Nations
Comment on Third Party Involvement: AU expanded its Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission. In September 2016 AU deployed 47 human rights observers and 23 military experts to Burundi to monitor the security situation in the country.
The EAC led the Inter‑Burundian Dialogue, with President Museveni as Mediator and former Tanzanian President Mkapa as Facilitator. Consultations were held in Arusha, bringing together government, opposition, former presidents and civil society but not armed groups. The AU and UN formally backed this EAC‑led process, participating in coordination and supporting the roadmap adopted by the EAC Summit in September 2016. These actors functioned as political mediators and sponsors of talks.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2017 Conflict Archive
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiation: The fourth round of the EAC led talks was supposed to take place between the 28th of November and the 8th of December, bringing together the political and social opposition (CNARED) and the government. It should be noted that the political and social opposition consists of 22 parties and opposition political movements under the heed of Jean Minani, leader of the FRODEBU party. However, the facilitator, former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, decided to reject CNARED's demand to attend as a unified bloc and instead selected one of their members to be their representative at the talks. As a result, the round of talks was boycotted by CNARED and civil society representatives.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission in Burundi
Uganda (Mediator); Tanzania (Mkapa, Facilitator) as facilitator (East African Community, EAC); Jamal Benomar, replaced by Michel
Kafando (UN)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: The AU Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission formally remained in place, with the Peace and Security Council repeatedly calling for full deployment and cooperation, but its practical impact was constrained by Burundian restrictions on access.
The Inter‑Burundian Dialogue under EAC auspices continued, with Museveni as Mediator and Mkapa as Facilitator, though with limited participation from the Burundian government and key opposition actors in exile. The AU and UN reiterated support for the EAC‑led inclusive dialogue and called for its acceleration.
It should be noted that the facilitator is seen as biased in favor of the Burundian government by CNARED due to his statement in late 2016 that the dialogue should focus on free and fair elections in 2020, effectively legitimising Nkurunziza’s third term, which CNARED vehemently rejects. CNARED even called for the UN to replace the Tanzanian mediation in 2016.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Not terminated
Date of termination: 2017-12-31
2018 Conflict Archive
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiation: A meeting between the government and the opposition (CNARED) was organised in Kazanya in August 2018 by the government itself, in order to prepare for the 2020 elections. However, some parties boycotted it while others participated without signing the Roadmap document that resulted from the talks. After UN pressure, the EAC mediation team met with the government and opposition parties on the 16th and 17th of August. It was decided that the fifth round of talks would be held in Kampala in September. The EAC mediation team, led by its facilitator, former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, met with civil society organisations and CNARED in preparation of the talks, while CNARED held meetings to deal with internal opposition. However, the government delayed the talks multiple times, and on October 25th, when the EAC mediation team declared the talks open, the government was absent. Their claim was that they did not want to negotiate with people who had participated in the 2015 coup d’état. Following four days of talks without the government or their allied parties, the facilitator declared it was time to re-evaluate his role as well as the entire facilitation process.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission in Burundi
Benjamin Mkapa, EAC (facilitator)
Comment on Third Party Involvement: At the end of the year, the peace process and the involvement of the EAC mediation team seemed very uncertain, especially with the closure of the United Nations Rights Office in Burundi. The government also summoned the AU to keep clear of monitoring their internal affairs.
The AU Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission formally remained deployed, with the Peace and Security Council repeatedly urging the Burundian authorities to allow the full authorised contingent to operate and to cooperate with the mission, but access restrictions and under‑deployment continued to limit its effectiveness.
Terminated: NO
2019 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: As part of the government conflict, clashes between the government of Burundi and RED-Tabara were recorded. They mainly took place in the neighboring DR Congo's Sud Kivu province. The ruling party's youth militia Imbonerakure also participated in the armed clashes.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiation: The facilitator Benjamin Mkapa presented his final report to the EAC heads of state summit and denounced the negotiation boycotts from both sides. The presidents of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania were appointed to lead the mediation efforts. There were internal divisions within CNARED throughout the year. A meeting between CNARED and a government delegation led by the Ombudsman, former Interior Minister Edouard Nduwimana (an ally of Nkurunziza) took place between the 28th of August and the 2nd of September in Nairobi. Despite initial claims that the Ombudsman had acted on his usual mandate, not on the demand of the Burundian president, CNARED insisted they had had negotiations with the government in Nairobi. Eventually, a senior government official admitted that the Ombudsman had been sent by the Burundian government. The government then allowed political leaders in exile to return, with a trial at their arrival. They also agreed to communicate more with the opposition following CNARED’s divisions. A new opposition platform was created on the 10th of September: the Coalition of Burundian Opposition Forces for the Restoration of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement. They called for the postponement or boycott of the elections, given the non favorable climate characterised by a shrinking political space and fear. On the other hand, CNARED declared in December 2019 that they would participate in the 2020 elections regardless of the political state of the country.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission in Burundi
Comment on Third Party Involvement: The EAC talks were unsuccessful overall but the organisation named new countries to lead the mediation process, namely Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The AU’s Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission continued, but its presence on the ground remained reduced, with incomplete deployment and continued constraints on movement and access imposed by the Burundian government.
Terminated: NO
2020 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: The conflict was active in 2020, with two main rebel groups challenging the government of Burundi. Clashes between the government of Burundi and RED-Tabara were recorded mainly in Rumonge province of Burundi, while the clashes with FNL-Ubugabo-Burihabwa intensified in the neighboring DR Congo's Sud Kivu province. The ruling party's youth militia Imbonerakure also participated in the armed clashes.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiation: The months before the elections in May were marked by political violence. In mid-February, six politicians in exile saw their visas refused, and therefore could not enter Burundi again. The political space remained very limited.
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission in Burundi
Comment on Third Party Involvement: Ahead of the 2020 general elections, the Burundian government did not allow observers from the United Nations or the African Union to monitor the polls, explicitly rejecting external observation. EAC and AU references to dialogue persisted at a diplomatic level, but there was no active, structured third‑party mediation or monitoring on the ground; earlier EAC‑led dialogue mechanisms were dormant.
In 2020, the AU Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission continued, however outstanding positions were not filled and Burundian authorities maintained a generally restrictive stance toward the mission’s operations.
Terminated: NO
2021 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: The conflict over the government power in Burundi was active in 2021, with RED-Tabara challenging the Government of Burundi. Significant clashes between the government forces and RED-Tabara were recorded in Muramvya and Bujumbura Rural provinces of Burundi. The ruling CNDD-FDD party's youth militia Imbonerakure participated in the armed clashes on the government side.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: YES
Third party involvement names: Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission in Burundi
Comment on Third Party Involvement: The AU Peace and Security Council decided to end the Human Rights Observers and Military Experts Mission in Burundi on 31 May 2021. The mission was mandated to monitor, document and report on the human rights and security situation in Burundi, and to strengthen protection and access to justice for victims of human rights violations.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2022 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: The conflict over the government power in Burundi was active in 2022, with FNL-Ubugabo-Burihabwa and RED-Tabara challenging the Government of Burundi. The two groups have been based in DR Congo since their inception and the government of Burundi and Imbonerakure have regularly crossed the border to fight them. After a regional agreement among the East African community (EAC) Burundi officially deployed troops in the country and fought FNL-Ubugabo-Burihabwa and RED-Tabara in joint offensives with the DR Congo government.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: NO
Third party involvement names: In 2022, Burundi’s political and security situation remained tense but relatively more contained; international actors continued to issue statements on human rights and governance, yet there was no active, institutionalised third‑party mediation or peacekeeping mechanism addressing a specific government–rebel incompatibility.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2023 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 2023, the conflict over the government power in Burundi was active both in the territory of DR Congo (Zaire) and in north-western Burundi. The clashes involved the Government of Burundi supported by Imbonerakure militias and RED-Tabara. The number of fatalities significantly decreased in comparison to the previous year.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: NO
Comment on Third Party Involvement: Regional and international engagement with Burundi centred on normalisation and continued human‑rights scrutiny, but there were no significant third‑party mediation initiatives or monitoring missions concerned with an organised government-armed group conflict.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
Type of termination: Not terminated
2024 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 2024, the conflict over the government power in Burundi was active both in the territory of DR Congo (Zaire) and in north-western Burundi. The clashes involved the Government of Burundi supported by Imbonerakure militias and RED-Tabara. In 2024 the conflict became increasingly intertwined with the other conflicts in the Great Lakes region.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: No or Low Activity
Date of termination: 2024-12-31
Comment on Termination: In 2025, the conflict over the government power in Burundi recorded one fatality, making the conflict inactive for the first time since 2017. The conflict was increasingly mixed up with the Dr Congo: Government conflict and regional violence in the DR Congo.
2025 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 2025, the conflict over the government power in Burundi recorded one fatality, making the conflict inactive for the first time since 2017. Most notably, the fatalities in the conflict between Government of Burundi and RED-Tabara has decreased significantly since 2022 and is now no longer active, as of 2025. This period coincides with the conflict becoming increasingly mixed up with the DR Congo: Government conflict and regional violence in the DR Congo.
Negotiations: NO
Third party involvement: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
Type of termination: Not terminated
