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Demand justice for Burundi's forgotten victims

RW | 19.10.2005 10:17 | Anti-militarism | Anti-racism | Repression | World

Burundi's Palipehutu-FNL are described as "Hutu extremist" because of their exclusively Hutu membership, and the ideology they use to justify killing Tutsi civilians. But they have shown no more concern for the lives of innocent Hutus. Hundreds of Hutu civilians accused of "disloyalty" have been killed in a campaign of terror stretching back years.

 http://agathonrwasa.blogspot.com/2005/10/rwasas-shameful-litany-demand-justice.html

Most FNL attacks are unreported outside of Burundi. The group's most notorious massacre, the attack on the Gatumba refugee camp on August 13th 2004, claimed more than 150 lives and received widespread attention. But the FNL's ongoing campaign of smaller massacres is less well known.

This list is a non-exhaustive sample based on analysis of the Burundian media, covering 2000-2002. FNL attacks have continued through 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Year 2000

- Jan.02. SRDI Gihanga. FNL ambush a civilian truck, killing 4 persons and wounding 11
- Jan. 09. Kagwema, RN5 (Bubanza). Attack on a civilian minivan: 3 killed, 4 wounded
- Jan. 18. Kamenge (Capital city). FNL raids a household, killing 1 person
- Jan. 21. Gatura (Bubanza). Attack on a civilian transport car: 1 person killed
- Jan. 26. Kabezi (Bujumbura Rural). Attack on a civilian transportation car, killing 3
persons among whom a 70-yr old woman.
.Gitaza, (Bujumbura Rural). Attack on an IDP camp. 2 people killed
- Feb. 06. Gihanga, Bubanza. Ambush on a jeep, killing the driver and setting the car afire
- Feb. 14. Ruziba, (Bujumbura Rural). Attack on civilian populations, accuse of collaborating with the army. 4 persons killed, 3 seriously wounded
- Feb. 25. Kajeke RN5 (Bubanza). FNL ambush a civilian transportation vehicle, killing 2 people and wounded another 6
. Rutunga. RN3 Ambush on a civil transportation vehicle, killing 2 persons and abducting the other passengers
- Dec.28. Mageyo (Bujumbura rural). Attack on a civilian transportation bus ("Titanic Express"): 21 killed (including children), 10 others wounded.

Year 2001

- Oct. 26. ETS Kamenge. (Capital city). High school is attacked, 3 students killed and 12 others wounded
- Nov. 05. Transversales 8-9, RN5 (Bubanza). FNL ambush a business car, taking with them 60 bottles of whisky
- Nov. 15. Gihosha, (Capital city). Attack on civilian cars, killing 6 persons, damaged and a nearby shop looted
- Nov. 28. Mpanda cemetery (Bubanza). Attack on mourners, killed 4, many wounded
- Dec. 02. Buhonga RN 7. (Bujumbura Rural). FNL attack a civilian bus, select the 4 ethnic Tutsi aboard and kill them all (including an old lady )
- Dec. 09. RN7 (between PK 8-9). (Bujumbura Rural). A civilian vehicle is ambushed, 1 person killed, and 2 others wounded.

Year 2002

- Feb. 04. Bubanza. A civilian transportation minivan is attacked, 4 persons are killed, 10 wounded
- Mar. 22. Kamenge (Capital city). Attack on a number of houses in Kavumu, the local office. 2 persons killed
- Apr. 01. Mutanga-Nord, Capital city. Shelling of the neighbourhood, wounding 6 people
Apr. 07. Rutongo, Bujumbura Rural. Kidnapping, then killing the local administrative official
- Apr. 22. Nyamitanga. Grenade attack on civilian populations at Kaburantwa, killing 4 and wounding 3
- May 05. Kabezi, Bujumbura Rural. Grenade attack on a household. 5 people wounded critically
May 06. Nyabibondo. FNL kill 13 people whom they accuse of collaborating with the army. Victims include women and children.
- May 09. Mageyo. RN 1. Four civilian transportation buses are ambushed. 10 persons killed, 2 others seriously wounded
- May 22. Gasozo, RN 1 (Bujumbura Rural). Ambush on a civilian minivan. 9 persons are killed, 3 wounded (Victims incude Rwandans)
- May 25. Nyakibande, Bujumbura Rural. Selective killing of civilians. 3 persons killed
- Jun. 04. Bujumbura, Capital city. FNL and FDD jointly shell the capital city. 2 killed, 6 wounded
- Jun. 11. Mubone, Bujumbura Rural. During a pillage a household, FNL wound 1 person and torch a house
- Jun 14. Murwi, Route Muzenga-Buhayira (Cibitoke). Ambush against a transportation vehicle. 10 persons killed, 2 wounded
- Jun. 30. Ruziba, Bujumbura Rural. FNL attack the town center, killing 6 persons (among whom a woman) and seriously wounding 9
- Jul. 01. Gatumba, Bujumbura Rural. FNL attack civilians accused of collaborating with the army. 2 persons killed, 4 wounded
- Jul .18. Nyaruhunguza, RN1 (Bujumbura Rural). FNL ambush a civil bus, select the only ethnic Tutsi and kill him; the other passengers are only robbed.
- Jul. 22. Kayoyo, Bujumbural Rural. Attack on an IDP, killing 3 and abducting 1
- Aug. 02. Mutanga-Nord , Capital city. Ambush two civilian cars: 2 killed, 1 wounded
- Aug. 11. Gihungwe, Bubanza. FNL atack the local IDP, killing 4 and wounding 2; also gunned to death 14 cows.
- Aug. 22. Ciya, Bubanza. Using small hoes, FNL mutilate 1 person to death and critically wound 2 others
- Aug. 24. Muramba, Bubanza. FNL raid a household, wounding 1 toddler and killing his 2 parents
- Aug. 28. Capital city. Indiscriminate shelling 10 persons wounded.
- Sept. 12. Gihosha, Capital city. Murder of a municipal administrative official
- Sep. 16. Bubanza. Attack on provincial town, killing 6 persons and wounding 20
- Sep. 17. Maramvya, Bujumbura Rural. FNL kill 1 innocent civilian
- Sep. 18. Bitare, Bujumbura Rural. FNL kill 1 civilian whom they accuse of collaborating with the army
- Sep. 20. Murwi, Cibitoke. Ambush on a vehicle, killing 1 person and wounding 4
- Oct. 07. Nyaruhongoka, Bujumbura Rural. FNL kill 1 local administrative official accused of collaborating
- Oct. 12. Kinanira, Capital city. FNL lead a terrorist attack on a pub, kill 3 persons and wound 10; they also kill 4 cows and take 10.
Oct. 14. Nyengwe, Bujumbura Rural. Using axes, FNL hack to death 4 people whom they accuse of collaborating with the army.

RW
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