DATE=2/5/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42530
TITLE=BURUNDI FIGHTING
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=MBIZI, BURUNDI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: DESIGNED FOR USE SATURDAY ///
INTRO: FIGHTING IN SOUTHERN BURUNDI HAS DISPLACED THOUSANDS OF
CIVILIANS. AS V-O-A'S SCOTT STEARNS REPORTS FROM TO THE VILLAGE
OF MBIZI IN BURUNDI, THE GOVERNMENT AND AID AGENCIES ARE MOVING
IN TO HELP PEOPLE DRIVEN OFF THEIR LAND.
TEXT: ///NATURAL SOUND OF REFUGEE CAMP -- ESTABLISH, AND UNDER///
IN A SMALL CAMP OF STICK HUTS IN THE LUSH, GREEN HILLS OF
SOUTHERN BURUNDI, FAMILIES COOK OVER OPEN FIRES. THE THICK SMOKE
RISES INTO CLOUDS, HEAVY WITH RAIN. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ON THIS
RIDGE IN THE VILLAGE OF MIBZI ARE WAITING FOR IT TO BE SAFE
ENOUGH TO GO HOME.
FIGHTING BETWEEN ETHNIC HUTU REBELS AND BURUNDI'S LARGELY TUTSI
ARMY HAS ROCKED SOUTHERN MAKAMBA PROVINCE OVER MUCH OF THE LAST
MONTH.
//OPT// EIGHTY-YEAR-OLD DOMINIC NTIRWIHISHA LEANS ON A WEATHERED
WALKING STICK, AND LOOKS OUT OVER LAND HIS FAMILY HAS OWNED FOR
GENERATIONS.
/// NTIRWIHISHA ACT IN KIRUNDI -- ESTABLISH AND FADE ///
MR. NTIRWIHISHA SAYS REBELS CAME TO THEIR VILLAGE AND BURNED ALL
THE HOUSES, KILLING TWO PEOPLE WHO WERE TRAPPED INSIDE. HE'S
SLEEPING UNDER A PLASTIC TARP NOW, IN A CAMP WHERE HE SAYS MANY
PEOPLE ARE SICK AND HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. //END OPT//
AFTER MONTHS OF RELATIVE CALM IN SOUTHERN BURUNDI, THE GOVERNMENT
SAYS THIS LATEST ROUND OF FIGHTING CAME AS SOMETHING OF A
SURPRISE. HUTU REBELS SAY THEY WANT EQUALITY IN BURUNDI, WHERE
HUTU ARE THE MAJORITY, BUT TUTSI STILL CONTROL THE ARMY AND MOST
COMMERCE. REBELS SAY THE GOVERNMENT IS MURDERING CIVILIANS WHO
IT BELIEVES SYMPATHIZE WITH THE REBELLION. PRESIDENT PIERRE
BUYOYA SAYS REBELS BASED IN TANZANIA ARE TERRORIZING THE SAME
PEOPLE THEY SAY THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP.
/// BUYOYA ACT ///
THE REBELS CAME IN FROM TANZANIA, BEGAN TO KILL PEOPLE,
TO BURN HOUSES ON THE BORDER BETWEEN BURUNDI AND
TANZANIA. AND, OF COURSE, THE ARMY INTERVENED. AND
MAYBE BY FIGHTING BETWEEN THE REBELS AND THE ARMY, IT IS
POSSIBLE THAT SOME CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED.
/// END ACT ///
REBELS SAY THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH TANZANIA AND ARE NOT
OPERATING OUT OF REFUGEE CAMPS NEAR THE BORDER. INNOCENT
NIMPAGARITSE IS THE REBEL EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SPOKESMAN.
/// NIMPAGARITSE ACT ///
WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF TANZANIA
BECAUSE IT HAS ACCEPTED ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE
REFUGEES TO STAY IN THAT COUNTRY. BUT FIGHTERS ARE
INSIDE THE COUNTRY.
/// END ACT ///
WHEREVER THE REBELS ARE BASED, THEY ARE FIGHTING IN SOUTHERN
BURUNDI -- AND THAT MEANS MORE TROUBLE FOR CIVILIANS, AND MORE
CHALLENGES FOR LOCAL LEADERS. GABRIEL GUNUMGU IS THE GOVERNOR OF
MAKAMBA PROVINCE. HE SAYS THE VIOLENCE HAS DISRUPTED THE LIVES
OF EVERYONE, //OPT// FROM BUSINESSMEN PAYING HIGHER TRANSPORT
COSTS, TO MARKET WOMEN CUT OFF FROM THEIR SUPPLIERS, TO THE
FARMERS THEMSELVES DRIVEN FROM THEIR LAND. //END OPT//
/// GUNUMGU ACT IN FRENCH -- ESTABLISH AND FADE ///
BECAUSE THE HEALTH SITUATION IN THE DISPLACED CAMPS IS NOT GOOD,
GOVERNOR GUNUMGU SAYS, LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE WORKING WITH AID
AGENCIES TO PROVIDE FREE MEDICAL CARE TO THE MORE THAN
THREE-THOUSAND CIVILIANS LIVING ON THIS RIDGE IN MBIZI.
/// ACT OF NATURAL SOUND -- ROLL CALL OF NAMES BEING READ;
ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER AND OUT ///
RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS CALL OUT THE NAMES OF WOMEN WAITING TO
RECEIVE BLANKETS AND PLASTIC SHEETING, A FEW BARS OF SOAP AND
CLEAN DRINKING WATER. FOR NOW, MOST PEOPLE HAVE ENOUGH FOOD, SO
HUNGER IS NOT A BIG PROBLEM HERE. //OPT// RELIEF OFFICIALS SAY
MOST CIVILIANS STILL HAVE ABOUT 10 DAYS OF SUPPLIES. THE UNITED
NATIONS IS PREPARING TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD FOR ABOUT 30-THOUSAND
PEOPLE. //END OPT//
DR. LEIVIN NSAYIUMVA RUNS A MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC. HE SAYS THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE NOW IS PREVENTING AN OUTBREAK OF DISEASE IN
THESE MAKESHIFT CAMPS WITHOUT PROPER SANITATION.
/// NSAYIUMVA ACT ///
THE SITUATION IS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE
JUST DISPLACED AND WE ... FIND THEM HERE. WE COME WITH
OUR MOBILE CLINIC AND WE TRY TO MAKE A CONSULTATION, AND
WE TREAT. THE WAR -- IT BRINGS VERY MANY ILLNESSES.
AND THE EPIDEMIC SITUATION CHANGES IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
WAR. THERE ARE MANY CASES OF MALARIA, DIARRHEA AND
INFECTION OF THE LUNGS.
///END ACT///
MORE THAN A HALF-MILLION PEOPLE ARE ALREADY DISPLACED BY
FIGHTING. THAT'S NEARLY ONE OUT OF EVERY 10 BURUNDIANS. THE
ARMY IS MOVING REINFORCEMENTS INTO THE SOUTH IN AN EFFORT TO STOP
CROSS-BORDER RAIDS AND GET MORE PEOPLE BACK TO THEIR HOMES.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SKS/PCF
05-Feb-99 2:03 PM EST (1903 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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