Rwanda

Trained Rwanda Burundi rebels?

A UN report makes for excitement: Rwandan soldiers, refugees from Burundi to Rebellenkämpfern have trained. The strained relationship between Rwanda and Burundi complicates the Situation further.

The confidential expert report cited 18 Burundian refugees who have specified that the Rwandan military had been trained to be. Their goal: the overthrow of Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza. The report is the UN security Council since the Thursday before.

The refugees claim they are already in may and June 2015 in a refugee camp Mahama in the East of Rwanda recruited and two months for part of Rwandan soldiers have been trained. They had military tactics and the handling of assault rifles learned. Some have also trained with heavy weapons and grenades to deal. Of the 18 witnesses should also six minors. The witnesses told the UN Team that is in your Camp, at least four companies, each a hundred fighters have been trained to be.

Phil Clark, SOAS, University of London on the security situation in Central Africa is conducting research that looks critically: “It is too early to determine whether the report is really the truth brought to light.” Das12-page document would the Burundian rebels in only two paragraphs. It lacked the Details and the specific allegations against Rwanda. Moreover, neither the UN expert groups in the past have often made mistakes when it came to the influence of Rwanda in the Region to properly evaluate, says Clark.

In Burundi’s neighbouring countries are armed opposition groups suspected

“Rwanda has interest in the situation to calm down”

The accusation that Rwanda Burundi rebels to support, comes long from Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza. So far, dismissed the government in Rwanda to this again and again back. “I have not the slightest evidence seen,” said the Rwandan President Paul Kagame in December and described the accusations as “childish”.

It would be surprising if the statements in the report would agree, says Clark: “Rwanda has been especially interested in the situation in the Region to calm down and a peaceful solution to be found.” Mainly because of the around 100,000 Burundian refugees in Rwanda, who then return home.

The Kenyan security expert Semiyu Werunga sees things differently: “The report has a kernel of truth.” The Burundian government had with the African Union, submitted a complaint. The reason: they have evidence that the Rwandan government, Burundi’s opposition in exile to help. “She even has people named from Rwanda have been trained to be”, so the Kenyans.

Werunga goes a step further. “The Burundians say, Kagame have intervened to trouble, while in Rwanda, to his third term in office was voted.” The have from the Referendum distracted. The vast majority of Rwandans voted for a
third term Kagames.

Burundi, in contrast, is in turmoil, since Nkurunziza in April 2015, announced for a third mandate to compete. The Opposition called it unconstitutional. In
Protests and armed clashes were more than 400 people were killed, at least about 230,000 fled abroad.

2015: The Burundi police seize weapons in a suburb of Bujumbura

Many of the armed groups, little Overview

A Belgian Burundi expert keeps a little of the reproach, that of mainly Rwanda, in Burundi’s unrest interfere. “There are many dynamics in armed resistance against President Nkurunziza. The Burundian rebels in Rwanda are only a group of many,” says the Analyst, who wishes to remain anonymous, in the DW-Interview. In addition, there is also still the deserters from the Burundian army, its weapons during the protests in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura to the urban guerrilla spread would have. In addition, there were have long since been weapons in the Congolese province of South Kivu on the border to Burundi.

The strained relationship between Rwanda and Burundi complicates the Situation further: “Both governments Propaganda against the other, spread rumors and misinformation,” says Phil Clark of SOAS. This would also be the UN-experts more difficult, substantiated conclusions. The report to the media, before the UN security Council, its significance thoroughly check can help in these difficult times not at all further, says Clark.

In Collaboration With: Eric Topona