Bujumbura (Fides Service)- “Everyone is pleased with the progress towards peace but they seem to forget that outside the capital for hundreds of thousands of people war continues ” Alison Des Forges, head of the Africa division of Human Rights Watch, said in a report on violence in rural areas in Burundi.
According to the report “Suffering in Silence: Civilians in Continuing Combat in Bujumbura Rural”, in rural areas civilians are still at the mercy of all the warring parties: army soldiers, their new allies FDD (Forces for Democracy, rebel group which made peace with the government in 2003), and militia of the National Forces for Liberation NFL. Despite the agreement with the FDD, fighting continues because the NFL refused to negotiate and civilians pay the price, forced the abandon their fields and homes. Human Rights Watch, gives some examples: 15km south of Bujumbura, 25,000 people have fled from Kabezi township Another 25,000 have fled from Mutambu township, south east of the capital.
The Human Rights Watch report says that the UN peace keeping mission in Burundi, some 3,000 men from South Africa, Ethiopia and Mozambique, must be more determined in its duty to protect the people.
Burundi since 1993 has been the scene of a civil war between the army made up mostly of Tutsi warriors and a number of mainly Hutu rebel groups. The war has caused the death of at least 300,000 people. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 25/6/2004, righe 26 parole 295)