Reveals the neglected history of decolonisation and violence in Burundi through the political language of truth, citizenship and violence.

Burundi has recently emerged from twelve years of devastating civil war. Its economy has been destroyed and hundreds and thousands of people have been killed. In this book, the voices of ordinary Burundians are heard for the first time. Farmers, artisans, traders, mothers, soldiers and students talk about the past and the future, war and peace, their hopes for a better life and their relationships with each other and the state. Young men, in particular, often seen as the cause of violence and war, talk about the difficulties of living up to standards of masculinity in an impoverished and war-torn society. Weaving a rich tapestry, Peter Uvin pitches the ideas and aspirations of people on the ground against the theory and assumptions often made by the international development and peace-building agencies and organisations. In doing this, he illuminates both shared goals and misunderstandings. This groundbreaking book on conflict and society in Africa will have profound repercussions for development across the world.

Executions of Civilians

Methodology -- Recommendations -- Background -- Settling of scores : human rights abuses in the power struggle between CNDD-FDD and the FNL -- FNL abuses : repression as political strategy -- Government repression of democratic political oppsosition -- State-sanctioned political intimidation by CNDD-FDD youth groups -- The reaction of authorities -- Role of international stakeholders.

Methodology -- Recommendations -- Background -- Violence between youth groups and other party militants -- Potentially politically motivated murders and attacks -- Symbolic violence and destruction of property -- Threats -- Impunity for past killings and attacks -- Reaction of government, police and judiciary -- Role of international actors.

"Scores of people have been killed in politically motivated attacks in Burundi since the end of 2010. Political violence escalated in 2011 with a string of targeted assassinations and reprisals. State security forces, intelligence services, members of the ruling party, and members of opposition groups have used violence against their perceived opponents. The victims have included members and former members of political parties, their relatives, other individuals targeted because of their presumed political sympathies, demobilized rebel combatants, and men and women with no known political affiliation. The most deadly attack took place in Gatumba, in September 2011, when at least 37 people were killed in a crowded bar. But there were numerous other cases in which individuals were singled out and murdered simply because of their perceived political sympathies, or because they refused to 'change sides.' Not only did the state fail to ensure security for its citizens, but it did not fulfill its duty to take all reasonable measures to prevent and prosecute these types of crimes. Very few of the perpetrators of political killings have been brought to justice. In one of the rare cases, the Gatumba attack, where prosecutions took place relatively quickly, the trial was seriously flawed, with several defendants claiming they had been tortured. Based on extensive field research in 2011 and early 2012, this report documents patterns and cases of political killings in late 2010 and 2011 in Burundi, as well as the response of government and judicial authorities. It also describes the intimidation of journalists and civil society activists whom the government accused of siding with the opposition"--Cover, p. [4].

Multiparty elections have become the bellwether by which all democracies are judged, and the spread of these systems across Africa has been widely hailed as a sign of the continent’s progress towards stability and prosperity. But such elections bring their own challenges, particularly the often intense internecine violence following disputed results. While the consequences of such violence can be profound, undermining the legitimacy of the democratic process and in some cases plunging countries into civil war or renewed dictatorship, little is known about the causes. By mapping, analysing and comparing instances of election violence in different localities across Africa – including Kenya, Ivory Coast and Uganda – this collection of detailed case studies sheds light on the underlying dynamics and sub-national causes behind electoral conflicts, revealing them to be the result of a complex interplay between democratisation and the older, patronage-based system of ‘Big Man’ politics. Essential for scholars and policymakers across the social sciences and humanities interested in democratization, peace-keeping and peace studies, Violence in African Elections provides important insights into why some communities prove more prone to electoral violence than others, offering practical suggestions for preventing violence through improved electoral monitoring, voter education, and international assistance.