[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 76 (Thursday, June 16, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   OUR PRESENT PREOCCUPATION WITH THE PROBLEMS IN RWANDA SHOULD NOT 
            OBSCURE THE PRESENT FRAGILE SITUATION IN BURUNDI

 Mr. DURENBERGER. Mr. President, I rise today to direct the 
attention of this Nation to the delicate situation that now exists in 
Burundi. The same ethnic division between Hutus and Tutsis that exists 
in Rwanda also exists in Burundi, and threatens to erupt in the same 
racial violence that now engulfs Rwanda. The world's present 
preoccupation with the situation in Rwanda threatens to obscure the 
tinderbox waiting to ignite in Burundi.
  Not too long ago the situation in Burundi seemed bright. After a 
number of years in which Burundi was governed by a dictatorship, the 
people of Burundi by a 9-to-1 margin approved a new, democratic 
constitution. The leader of the country at the time, Pierre Buyoya, 
resigned from the military in order to stand for election under the new 
constitution.
  The main opponent of Pierre Buyoya, a Tutsi, in the election was 
Melchoir Ndadaye, a Hutu. In Burundi, the Hutus make up 85 percent of 
the population and the Tutsis 14 percent. Roughly the same ethnic split 
as in Rwanda.
  In June 1993, Melchoir Ndadaye was elected President by an impressive 
margin. Pierre Buyoya, the former military leader of the country, 
accepted his electoral defeat gracefully. There was a peaceful 
transition of power.
  The peaceful conditions were short-lived. On October 21, 1993, I came 
to the floor to express my shock and dismay at the events that had 
occurred in Burundi. Units of the Burundian Army had staged a coup and 
had murdered President Ndadaye and members of the government.
  This tragic event triggered an ethnic conflict that resulted in 
thousands being killed. Approximately one-tenth of the population of 
Burundi fled to the neighboring countries of Rwanda, Tanzania, and 
Zaire.
  More recently, President Ntaryamira of Burundi was killed in the same 
plane crash that killed President Habyarimana of Rwanda. Fortunately, 
the people of Burundi did not react to this tragic event in the same 
violent manner as in Rwanda. Nevertheless, there have been repeated 
incidents of violence in Burundi that threaten at any moment to 
escalate and to break out in renewed ethnic fighting.
  The United States policy toward Rwanda has failed. We have failed to 
galvanize the community of nations to take positive steps to prevent a 
genocide in Rwanda. We have failed in our international leadership 
role. We have failed to provide timely assistance and to do what is 
moral and right.
  While thousands were dead and dying, we argued with the United 
Nations over whether 50 armored personnel carriers--essential to the 
deployment of an all-African peacekeeping force in Rwanda--were to be 
sold or leased to the United Nations.
  The administration has pledged that there will never be a second 
Holocaust. Well, it has happened again in Rwanda. And--unless we create 
a game plan--it will happen again in Burundi.
  The instructions of the Department of State and the National Security 
Council not to refer to the tragic events in Rwanda as a genocide 
cannot obscure the immensity of the tragic events that have occurred 
there. Semantics cannot change the truth of the situation--or hide the 
administration's failure to establish a clear and cohesive foreign 
policy.
  Instead of merely reacting to events, the administration should now 
formulate and carry through a policy toward Burundi that is designed to 
prevent a genocide in that country.
  The time to act is now. Tomorrow will be too late.
  Our policy toward Burundi should include active support for those 
moderate Hutus and Tutsis who are working to establish a workable, 
coalition government that will permit both Hutus and Tutsis to 
legitimately share power and to fully participate in the governmental 
process. The United States should assist in strengthening the 
democratic tradition that was begun with the adoption by the people of 
Burundi of a constitution in 1992.
  The United States should aid the present discussions between the 
Hutus and Tutsis. The present mistrust that exists between the two 
factions must be changed to mutual trust and respect for human rights. 
A tall order, but one that is essential to a lasting peace.
  The United States should assist in identifying those responsible for 
the murder of President Ndadaye and the ensuing ethnic violence. Those 
who perpetrated these violent acts should be brought to justice and 
should not be recognized as legitimate leaders of Burundi.
  The present domination of the armed forces of Burundi by Tutsis 
should be replaced by some power-sharing arrangement that provides for 
a more equitable balance. More importantly, the armed forces of Burundi 
should be an active force for peace and the rule of law.
  The United States, in its contacts with the Burundian armed forces, 
should encourage them to maintain the present peace and to protect the 
human rights of all peoples of Burundi.
  Before any crisis begins, the United States should be prepared to 
provide logistical support for the deployment of a peacekeeping force, 
sponsored by the United Nations or the Organization of African Unity. 
U.S. troops should not be a part of the peacekeeping force.
  The redtape, delay, and hesitancy that have characterized our policy 
toward Rwanda should not be repeated in our treatment of the present 
tenuous situation in Burundi.
  I have written a letter to the President of the United States 
outlining constructive steps that the United States can take to improve 
the situation in Burundi in an effort to avert a second disaster such 
has occurred and is still occurring in Rwanda. I look forward to his 
response.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor--and ask that the contents of the 
letter to the President be made a part of my statement here today.
  The letter follows:
                                                    June 17, 1994.
     The President,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: The present situation in Rwanda has 
     temporarily obscured the delicate situation that now exists 
     in the neighboring country of Burundi. The same ethnic 
     division between Hutus and Tutsis that is the root cause of 
     the genocide and present fighting in Rwanda also exists in 
     Burundi and threatens to erupt at any moment unless the 
     present, uncertain peace is strengthened and nurtured. The 
     fear that the turmoil in Rwanda will spill over into 
     neighboring Burundi has temporarily halted the fighting 
     between tribal groups and brought a welcome, but uncertain 
     period of peace.
       The situation in Burundi seemed bright. In March of 1992 
     the people of Burundi approved a democratic constitution by 
     an overwhelming nine-to-one margin. In June 1993, 2.8 million 
     voters went to the polls and elected Melchoir Ndadaye, a 
     Hutu, president--ending several decades of Tutsi domination 
     of the government. The former leader of Burundi, Pierre 
     Buyoya, accepted his defeat in the presidential election and 
     left gracefully.
       However, the conflict in Burundi broke out shortly after 
     the first democratic election in that nation and the peaceful 
     transition from a totalitarian regime. In October of last 
     year, elements of the Tutsi dominated Burundian army staged a 
     military coup and murdered President Ndadaye. This tragic 
     event was the beginning of ethnic violence that spread 
     throughout Burundi. As a result of the turmoil, thousands 
     fled to neighboring nations of Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zaire.
       The United States's reluctance to provide assistance to 
     Rwanda, while thousands of innocent persons were being 
     slaughtered, should not be repeated in our relations to 
     Burundi. The present cessation of hostilities in Burundi can 
     only be transformed into a lasting peace with the help of the 
     United States and other nations within the international 
     community. Instead of reacting to events, the United States 
     should formulate a policy now towards Burundi that is 
     calculated to achieve this result. To this end, I urge that 
     the following actions be taken:
       1. The United States should support those moderate Hutus 
     and Tutsis who are endeavoring to find a way to form a 
     coalition government based on some power-sharing formula that 
     will permit both tribal groups to achieve legitimate and 
     peaceful objectives.
       2. The democratic tradition that was begun with the 
     adoption of a constitution in 1992 should be strengthened and 
     a way should be found to guarantee those basic freedoms that 
     are essential to a democracy and that protect the rights of 
     the majority and the minority.
       3. The United States should aid the present negotiations 
     between the Hutus and the Tutsis and should help to create an 
     atmosphere that will lead to dispelling the present distrust 
     and suspicion that would undermine these negotiations.
       4. The United States should work closely with human rights 
     and religious organizations to identify and condemn those who 
     participated in the assignation of President Ndadaye and 
     other elected officials, and those who perpetrated the ethnic 
     violence that proceed the assassination. These individuals 
     should be brought to justice and they should not be 
     recognized as legitimate leaders of Burundi.
       5. The armed forces of Burundi should not be the instrument 
     of any tribal group but should be a force for peace and the 
     rule of law. The present domination of the armed forces by 
     the Tutsis should be replaced by a power-sharing arrangement 
     that will provide for a more equitable balance.
       6. The United States should be ready to support, as may be 
     necessary, the deployment of a regional force, comprised of 
     troops from African nations, as a part of a United Nations 
     assistance mission for Burundi or under the auspices of the 
     Organization of African Unity, to protect civilians and to 
     help in the restoration of peaceful conditions.
       7. The United States should be ready, as may be necessary, 
     to provide logistic support, including equipment and supplies 
     (but not arms and ammunition) as any regional peacekeeping 
     force may require, but United States troops should not 
     participate directly in the peace-keeping effort.
       8. Finally, the United States in its contacts with the 
     Burundi armed forces should encourage them to maintain the 
     present peace and to recognize the human rights of all 
     peoples of Burundi.
       As is the case in Rwanda, there is no simple solution to 
     the present problems in Burundi. However, our policy toward 
     Burundi should be based upon advance, thoughtful 
     consideration of the situation rather than be devised on an 
     ad hoc basis in response to an unfolding crisis. I believe 
     that the suggestions made in this letter will contribute to a 
     clear and far-reaching U.S. policy toward Burundi that will 
     contribute to the maintenance of peace and the strengthening 
     of democracy in that country.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Dave Durenberger,

     U.S. Senator.

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