By CHIMPREPORTS
Rwanda has slammed as ‘inflammatory’ remarks by Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye that Rwandan leaders are a huge impediment to the unity of regional countries.
“Young people should understand that unity is the most important; our brothers in Rwanda have no problem with other people,” said Ndayishimiye.
“The problem remains at the level of the leaders. There are no bad troops, there are rather bad leaders,” he added.
The Burundian leader, who was in Kinshasa this past weekend to attend the inauguration of DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, spoke at a youth conference organised by the African Union on January 21, 2023.
One of the youth leaders had earlier suggested to Ndayishimiye that the African Union should do everything possible “to remove” President Kagame from power.
Ndayishimiye described Rwandan leaders as “liars”, emphasising that, “Rwandans are prisoners bound in chains who need help.”
Rwanda Reacts
In response, the Government of Rwanda said it “deplores the inflammatory and un-African statements made by Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye during an event in Kinshasa on 21 January 2024.”
Kigali said President Ndayishimiye, acting in his capacity as the African Union Champion for Youth, Peace and Security, “in an event advertised under the banner of the continental organisation, made several baseless and incendiary allegations aimed at inciting division among Rwandans, and further jeopardising peace and security in the Great Lakes Region.”
The government said “Rwandans have worked diligently to strengthen unity and foster the country’s development. Young Rwandans have embraced this opportunity, are taking ownership and actively contributing to building a brighter future for themselves. For anyone to try and undermine this progress by calling on young Rwandans to overthrow their government is troubling.”
Ndasyihimiye said, “If we have a neighbour who is attacking us, trying to do everything possible to destabilise our countries, I think it is not a problem from the citizens of Rwanda but its leaders”.
When asked by the youth what he would do for Rwanda, Ndayishimiye replied: “First help yourself and then the world will support you. So what we ask of you, you Congolese citizens, is to fight against your enemy”.
Rwanda said, for a leader of a neighbouring country to make such remarks, more so from an African Union platform, “is deeply irresponsible and a flagrant violation of the African Union Charter.”
Tensions between Burundi and Rwanda have deepened in recent months.
The government of Burundi on January 11 closed its common borders with Rwanda. This was after Ndayishimiye publicly accused his northern neighbour of supporting and maintaining Burundian terrorist groups, especially Red Tabara, which have been carrying out attacks in his country.
Rwanda denied the charge.
The militants claimed responsibility for the deadly attack that left 20 people dead in December in Gatumba, Mutimbuzi district in west Burundi’s Bujumbura province, near the border between Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Speaking at the youth conference in Kinshasa, Ndayishimiye further attacked Rwanda for reportedly helping Red Tabara, saying the rebels’ “headquarters is based in Rwanda and even the authorities do not deny it. They always kept telling us that they were going to help us for more than two years of talks, but we found it to be hypocrisy”.
Burundi had initially closed its three borders with Rwanda in 2015 after accusing Rwanda of harbouring dissident Burundian military officials accused of masterminding a failed coup against the then former President Pierre Nkurunziza.
“When we decided to open the borders to show that we want peace, Rwandans were very happy, while their rulers continued to feed the killers,” Ndayishimiye told the youth in Kinshasa.
Burundi has in the past year supported DRC’s armed forces in the war against Kigali-backed M23 rebels.
In its statement on Monday, Rwanda said it had “no interest in creating conflict with our neighbours,” adding, “We will continue to work with partners in the region and beyond to foster stability and continued development.”
The United Nations recently warned about the possibility of a war between Rwanda and DRC which could drag in Burundi.
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