Burundi -- History
5th
TO 11th CENTURIES
AD: Bahutu
agriculturalists
migrate into
the region
and dominate
the indigenous
tribal groups,
including
the Batwa.
14th TO 18th
CENTURIES
AD: Tutsi
cattle-herders
arrive. Among
the first
are the Banyaruguru
from the North;
later, in
the 17th and
18th centuries,
the Bahima
group comes
from the East.
1858
Richard Burton
and John Hanning
Speke explore
the Ruzizi
river. 1885
King Leopold
of Belgium
establishes
a claim to
the Congo
region; Rwanda
and Burundi
become part
of German
East Africa.
1892
Oscar Baumann
explores northern
and central
Burundi.
1898-1903
German troops
attack Mwezi
Gisabo and
force him
to sign the
Treaty of
Kiganda on
May 24, 1903,
recognizing
German authority.
1907
The first
Protestant
missions are
founded.
1910 Borders
between German
East Africa,
the Belgian
Congo and
British East
Africa are
established.
1919
Belgium is
granted mandate
over Ruanda-Urundi
by the Allied
Supreme Council.
1922
The League
of Nations
awards Belgium
mandate over
Ruanda-Urundi,
which it accepts
in 1924.
1928 -
29 Famines
ravage Burundi.
1934
A major Bahutu
revolt at
Ndora is suppressed.
1946
The United
Nations General
assembly approves
a proposition
making Ruanda-Urundi
a Belgian
trust territory.
1955
The Progressive
Democratic
Movement,
a political
association,
is denied
legal status.
1959
A serious
outbreak of
violence between
the Bahutu
and the Batutsi
occurs in
Rwanda; thousands
of Batutsi
flee into
Burundi, increasing
ethnic tension
there.
1960 In
January the
UPRONA (Unit
et Progrès
National party),
established
by Rwagasore,
is officially
registered.
UPRONA holds
its congress
in March and
by December
demands independence.
Burundi undergoes
a political
awakening
during this
time. More
than 20 political
parties are
formed and
a temporary
commission
replaces the
High Council
of the country.
1961 In
January a
Bahutu coup
d'ètat
is staged
in Rwanda
and a Republican
government
is established.
In April the
UN overturns
the elections
of 1960 and
invalidates
local government
organizations
established
under the
Belgians.
During September,
elections
are held under
UN supervision.
UPRONA wins
58 out of
64 seats in
the National
Assembly,
half of them
going to Bahutu
representatives.
Rwagasore
is elected
Prime Minister.
On October
13 Rwagasore
is assassinated.
A Batutsi,
Ganwa Andr
Muhirwa, is
appointed
Prime Minister,
but proves
a weak leader.
1962
On June 20
the UN General
Assembly votes
to allow Ruanda-Urundi
to become
two independent
nations. Rwanda
is to be a
republic led
by Bahutus,
while Burundi
is to retain
a ceremonial
head of state
called the
mwami, and
is dominated
by Batutsis.
On July 1
independence
is declared,
with Mwami
Mwambutsa
as head of
state and
Muhirwa as
Prime Minister.
In November
a retrial
of the assassins
of Rwagasore
is conducted
and five opponents
of UPRONA
are found
guilty of
the crime.
1963
The execution
of Rwagasore's
assassins
is carried
out on January
15. UPRONA
is sharply
divided into
two ethnic
factions,
Batutsi and
Bahutu.
1964
In March tracts
of unknown
origin are
circulated
in Ngozi that
announce the
Mwami's resolution
to dismiss
four members
of the Cabinet,
all of them
Bahutu. On
March 31 Mwami
dismisses
the four ministers
and calls
on Prime Minister
Pierre Ngendandumwe
to form a
new government.
This government
fails and
Ngendandumwe
resigns. A
new government
is formed,
led by Prime
Minister Albin
Nyamoya. On
August 17
the foreign
minister of
Burundi wires
the Secretaries
General of
the Organization
of African
Unity (OAU)
and the UN,
informing
them that
the relationship
between Rwanda
and Burundi
is "very
tense."
On September
8 the two
governments
exchange protests
concerning
alleged border
violations.
On November
13 Prime Minister
Albin sends
protests to
Zaire's prime
minister citing
aggressive
acts against
his country.
1965
Mwami Mwambutsa
calls upon
Hutu Pierre
Ngenendumwe
to form a
new government
on January
7. Tutsi groups
oppose this
move. Ngendendumwe
is assassinated
on January
15. Tutsi
activists
are arrested,
and another
Hutu, Joseph
Bamina, is
appointed
Prime Minister.
In May the
Hutu win a
majority of
seats in the
National Assembly
and select
Gervais Nyangoma
as their leader.
The Mwami
refuses however
to accept
him as Prime
Minister and
instead appoints
a Tutsi, Leopold
Biha. An attempted
coup by the
Hutu fails.
Consequently,
all Hutu leaders
as well as
Hutus newly
elected to
Parliament
including
Bamina and
Nyangoma,
are shot.
Thousands
of Hutu are
killed in
Muramvya province.
Many Hutu
intellectuals
and students
are arrested.
In November
Mwami Mwambutsa
flees to Europe.
1966 In
March Mwami
delegates
power to his
son by a second
wife, Charles
Ndizeye. On
July 8th Charles
deposes his
father suspending
the constitution
and appointing
Colonel Michel
Micombero,
a Tutsi Hima,
as Prime Minister.
1968-69
When more
Hutu officers
are executed,
ethnic tensions
rise. In 1969
chief Hutu
government
members, army
officers and
other prominent
Hutus are
arrested.
The radio
announces
that a Hutu
plot against
the government
has failed;
in December
the Hutu conspirators
are tried.
Twenty-five
are sentenced
to death,
and others
given long
prison terms.
Twenty-three
are executed,
possibly many
others killed
without trial.
1970 - 71
Micombero,
a Tutsi Hima,
tries to oust
the Tutsi
Banyaruguru
from power.
A number of
Banyaruguru
ministers
and officers
are tried
on charges
of conspiracy
in 1971 and
later sentenced
to imprisonment
or death.
The death
sentences
are commuted
and the prison
sentences
reduced due
to the threat
of civil war
between the
Tutsi factions.
1972
In March the
former Mwami
Ntare is kidnapped
by Idi Amin
while on a
visit to Uganda.
He is flown
to Burundi,
where he is
accused of
attempting
invasion with
the assistance
of white mercenaries.
He is consequently
imprisoned
at Gitega.
A Hutu revolt
breaks out
in Bujumbura
and in the
south on April
29, in which
the Hutus
kill up to
2,000 Tutsi.
Major Shibura
executes Mwami
Ntare at Gitega.
Civil war
subsequently
rages through
the country.
The Hutu kill
a further
10,000 Tutsi,
including
the president's
brother-in-law.
In retaliation,
the Tutsi,
led by army
leaders, kill
at least 100,000
Hutu. Many
educated and
prominent
Hutus, together
with students
and secondary
school children,
are executed.
1973-74
Micombero
regains control,
and over 100,000
Hutu flee
the country.
Some refugees
return after
Amnesty International
offers protection
in 1974.
1976
Micombero
is overthrown
on November
1 and forced
into exile
by army officers
who have formed
a Supreme
Revolutionary
Council. His
cousin, Jean-Baptiste
Bagaza, is
elected President,
and subsequently
calls for
a crackdown
on dishonest
government
officials.
More Hutu
refugees return
home.
1978
A cholera
epidemic breaks
out in May.
1979
The first
national congress
of UPRONA
is held. A
new charter
is adopted
and a Central
Committee
created with
Bagaza as
president.
1981
The new constitution,
written by
UPRONA, is
accepted by
referendum.
UPRONA becomes
the sole official
party, and
its president
the sole candidate
for the president.
Bagaza becomes
president.
1982
Begaza, running
unopposed,
is re-elected.
1985
Several Catholic
priests are
arrested;
and the Archbishop
of Gitega
is placed
under virtual
house arrest
for several
months. Between
1979 and 1985
about 280
missionaries
are obliged
to leave the
country. Khadafi
of Libya visits
the country
and builds
an Islamic
cultural center.
1987
On September
3 President
Bagaza is
ousted while
on a visit
to Canada
by an army
coup led by
Major Pierre
Buyoya. Buyoya
suspends the
1981 Constitution,
dismisses
the National
Assembly,
and forms
the "Military
Committee
for National
Salvation,"
which in turn
elects him
president.
UPRONA is
forbidden
to hold meetings,
but in 1988
becomes active
once again
with Buyoya
as its leader.
Bagaza is
refused permission
to land at
Bujumbura
in November
by President
Buyoya, on
grounds that
he was responsible
for ruining
the former
government
by corruption,
nepotism and
an overcentralized,
inefficient
bureaucracy
that failed
to support
local development
initiatives.
1988
At Ntega several
hundred Tutsi
are killed
in a Hutu
uprising in
August. In
reprisals
conducted
by the military
against the
Hutu in Ngozi
and Kirundo
provinces,
more than
20,000 may
have died
and many more
fled to Rwanda.
1989
In April Libyans
are expelled
for activities
against the
state. A report
on the massacres
of 1988 is
published
by the Commission
of National
Unity.
1990
On May 16
President
Buyoya presents
a Charter
of National
Unity. On
August 13
however a
Hutu guerrilla
group attacks
an army barracks
at Madamba
in the south,
but is repelled.
The pope visits
the country
in September.
In December
an UPRONA
congress accepts
the Charter
of National
Unity. A central
committee
is directed
to lead the
country to
democracy.
President
Buyoya, elected
president
of this committee,
is confirmed
as President
of the country.
1991
The Charter
of National
Unity is supported
by 89.2% of
the electorate
in a national
referendum.
The document,
written under
the auspices
of the ruling
UPRONA party,
had been severely
criticized
by some opposition
groups. In
April there
is Hutu unrest
in the northwest
and riots
in Bujumbura
on June 27
and August
12. Amnesty
International
protests the
arrest of
presumed members
of PALIPHUTU
(Parti pour
la Libèration
du Peuple
Hutu), which
had been founded
in 1980s.
On August
27 at least
60,000 refugees
returned from
Tanzania.
Attacks by
Paliphutu
rebels in
the northwest
provinces
of Cibitoke
and Kayanza
take place
on November
23. The government
reports that
over 270 people
have been
killed in
fighting in
Bujumbura.
President
Buyoya's cautious
democratization
process is
stalled due
to tensions
between Tutsi
and Hutu extremists.
Human rights
groups estimate
that 3,000
Hutu have
been killed
in army reprisals
and that 50,000
Hutu refugees
have fled
into Rwanda
and Zaire.
Amnesty International
voices concern
over the torture
and extra-judicial
execution
of Hutus by
the army and
the disappearance
of many others.
1992
An coup attempt
led by soldiers
supporting
former President
Bagaza fails.
On March 9
a new constitution
allowing multiparty
politics is
approved by
referendum
and adopted
on March 13.
Parties based
on ethnic
or regional
groups are
prohibited.
In April two
ministers
who had opposed
the inclusion
of Hutu in
the government
are arrested.
After a re-shuffling
of the cabinet,
60% of representatives
are Hutu.
1993
On June 1
the nation's
first free
presidential
election takes
place, resulting
in the election
of Melchior
Ndaday, who
wins 64.7%
of the vote,
against 32.5%
for Buyoya.
Four weeks
later, the
first free
legislative
elections
are held.
On July 10,
Ndaday takes
power in Burundi,
the first
democratically
elected president,
the first
Hutu, and
the first
civilian to
hold office.
On October
21, Ndaday
is assassinated
in an attempted
coup. On October
22, violent
conflicts
between Hutu
and Tutsi
break out
in many provinces
in Burundi
and in Bujumbura.
Thousands
of Hutu Tutsi
--are reported
killed.
1994 In
January Cyprien
Ntaryamira
is appointed
head of state
by the National
Assembly.
His appointment
is challenged
in the Constitutional
Court by the
opposition.
On February
3 government
and opposition
parties meet
in the capital
and agree
that Ntaryamira
should take
the oath of
office on
February 5.
In February
4 the Coalition
for Peace
and Justice
in Burundi
(CPJB) is
formed by
a group of
Burundians
gathered in
New York.
On April 6
President
Cyprien Ntayamira
and Rwandan
President
Juvenal Habyarimana
are killed
is a plane
crash near
the airport
in Kigali,
Rwanda. On
September
10 a coalition
government,
made up of
representatives
of the country's
13 political
parties, is
formed. An
agreement
reached with
UN help stipulates
that the prime
minister of
Burundi must
be a member
of UPRONA.
In December
1 Jean Minani,
a Hutu formerly
exiled in
Rwanda, is
elected speaker
of the National
Assembly.
On December
23 UPRONA
announces
that it will
withdraw from
the coalition
government
unless Minani
steps down
as speaker
of the National
Assembly.
1995
On February
8 the capital,
Bujumbura,
is virtually
shut down
for six days
by a general
strike called
by UPRONA
aimed at forcing
the Prime
Minister Anatole
Kanyenkiko
to resign.
When Kanyenkiko
resigns on
February 16,
shooting and
grenade blasts
erupt in the
capital. On
February 22
President
Ntibantunganya
appoints a
new prime
minister,
Antoine Nduwayo.
On March 14,
Ntibantunganya
asks the international
community
to help his
country prevent
genocide.
On March 28
Amnesty International
announces
that Burundi
is "poised
on the brink
of another
cycle of horrific
slaughter."
In March 31
President
Ntibantunganya
and Prime
Minister Nduwayo
sign an agreement
to pursue
stability,
protect lives,
and encourage
the return
of about two
million refugees
living in
camps in neighboring
countries.
In May 22
unidentified
extremists
successfully
close down
Bujumbura
for three
days with
gunfire, grenade
blasts, and
barricades.
Government
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