COMMUNIQUE APPROVING THE WORK OF THE FIVE TESTIMONY AND REFLECTION CONFERENCES ORGANIZED BY THE SENATE OF BURUNDI ON THE THEME: “49 YEARS LATER, REMEMBER AND WELL QUALIFY THE EVENTS OF 1972 IN BURUNDI”

1. As part of the truth-seeking process in order to cultivate, cement and      consolidate the national reconciliation, the Senate of the Republic of Burundi      organized, from April 28 to June 25, 2021, five conferences of testimony,      reflection and analysis on the theme: “49 years later, remember and      properly qualify the events of 1972 in Burundi”.

2. Generally, the conferences had the ambition to support the Truth and      Reconciliation Commission in its search for truth about the tragedies      experienced by the Barundi for nearly half a century as well as the most      objective explanation possible to give to them.

3. Specifically, the objectives that the Senate set were the following:

a. First: To remember in order to pay a vibrant tribute to thousands of          Barundi fellow citizens killed and massacred in 1972;

b. Second: Open a podium to give an opportunity to all those who have        something to say, whether for or against, especially the victims who have not    yet had opportunity to break the silence, so as to help the Senate collect      enough testimonies and reflections allowing to reach the truth about the      nature of the crimes committed in 1972;

c, Third: Contribute to the qualification of the crimes committed in 1972;

d. Fourth: Allow the government of Burundi to set up a program of moral     reparation for the victims;

e. Fifth: Initiate actions in order to assess the reconciliation level reached in      Burundi in order to put into force the article 289 of the constitution of the       Republic of Burundi which provides that “a period of five years is granted to      the Senate to evaluate in order to put an end to or extend the ethnic quota      system in the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary after the establishment of      the institutions resulting” from the 2020 elections”.

4. Titles of the held conferences were the following:

a)  50 years later, how to read and qualify the “events” experienced by Burundi      from April 29 to July 31, 1972? (Conference held on April 28, 2021);

b) The advent of the genocidal power of Michel MICOMBERO: Charles      NDIZEYE, a Prince used to scupper a monarchy of which he is the heir      (Conference held on May 14, 2021);

c)  Mysteries and manipulations around the armed elements that attacked in the      south-west of the country from April 29 to May 5, 1972: A strategy of      Michel MICOMBERO’s power to serve his genocide project against the      Bahutu (Conference held on May 28, 2021);

d) A genocide concealed by the Burundi State and the International Community:      the genocide of the Bahutu of Burundi in 1972-1973 (Conference held on      June 11, 2021);

e)  A concern for the genocidal power: to survive your crime (Conference held      on June 25, 2021).

5. These conferences were organized as an extension of the information and      reflections shared by Senators during the 2015-2020 Legislature on the Royal      Decree of August 21, 1925 signed by the Belgians’ King Albert I to regulate      the administrative reform experienced by Burundi during the Belgian      colonization.

6. Led by His Excellency Sylvestre NTIBANTUNGANYA, former president of     the Republic of Burundi, these conferences were attended by representatives     of important structures and organizations in the country:

• The Presidency of the Republic,

• The Parliament,

•The government,

• The Institution of the Ombudsman of the Republic,

• Representatives of defense and security forces,

• Representatives of the judiciary,

• Former Dignitaries,

• Members and representatives of national councils, namely the National     Council for the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, war crimes and    crimes against Humanity, National Council for National Unity and    Reconciliation, National Communication Council, National Security    Council,     National Youth Council,

•The Truth and Reconciliation Commission

• The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI),

• Religious denominations,

• Diplomatic missions accredited to Burundi,

•Political parties,

• Researchers, intellectuals and scientists,

• Civil Society Organizations,

• The media,

• The widows and orphans of the “1972events”

• The Barundi members of the diaspora

7. Oral or writtentestimonies on the “1972 events” were brought by participants     from several horizons. They recommended namely to:

       – qualify of “genocide” the massacres perpetrated against the Hutus of            Burundi in 1972 in view of the planning, identification and the use state            resources to slaughter those victims;

         – to manage that genocide in accordance with national and             international law;

         – make moral reparation.

8. At the end of the five conferences on the theme: “Remember and properly     qualify the events of 1972 in Burundi”, the speaker and the participants     from the interior of the country and from the Diaspora made     recommendations    towards the Government, the Parliament, the Truth and     Reconciliation Commission, Catholic Church and other Religious     denominations, Civil Society Organizations, leaders of political parties,     victims of the 1972 events, Belgium    Kingdom and the United Nations.

9. For all purposes, the Senate of the Republic of Burundi will consider the     recommendations made and will address them to the institutions referred to     above.

                                                                            Done at Gitega, June 25, 2021