Both EAC and AU not Serious About Burundi
The Crisis in Burundi is Deeper
When it comes to the
current political crisis in Burundi many questions abound. One is the whole
issue about the understanding of the conflict. I have no idea whether those involved
in trying to resolve the crisis do actually understand the Burundi crisis as a
multi-layered conflict that it is. There is a clear tendency towards narrowly
handling that conflict as a political crisis emanating from President
Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a third term, a decision that was vigorously protested
by the opposition leading to the current crisis. That is a rather simplistic
way of looking at the Burundi crisis. From where I sit the conflict in Burundi
boils down to deep seated ethnic rivalry and grievances traceable to as early
as Burundi’s independence and even beyond. If actors can go that deep down then
they will realize why the crisis in Burundi is not only a Burundi issue but a
regional issue since such analysis will take them to Rwanda and Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) and beyond. Nevertheless we have chosen to have a
narrow view of the conflict but even with that narrow view, the third party
actors involved in attempting a solution seem to be getting many things wrong.
The Regional Bodies’ Quest to Intervene
In order to reach some
sort of political compromise in Burundi both the East African Community (EAC) and
the African Union (AU) must play a critical role. It is impressive that the two
organs have demonstrated knowledge of their irreplaceable role in helping bring
Burundi back to her knees. But then one
is left wondering why the two regional bodies have allowed their position to be
so compromised. I mean, there are some glaring plunders both by the EAC and the
AU in regard to their attempt to intervene in Burundi. What I do not seem to
understand yet is whether the said plunders have occurred as mistakes or by
design. While I doubt that the former is the case, I am worried that if the latter
is true then we need to rethink the kind of regional bodies that we have and
their effectiveness on regional peace and security.
Plunders of the East African Community
The EAC appointed
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda as its Mediator in the Burundi
crisis. This decision was agreed upon sometimes last year. It was a big
plunder. First, the EAC member states knew that Museveni risked not being accepted
by the conflicting parties in Burundi. Indeed some actors have since called on
the change of the Mediator, arguing that Museveni cannot be trusted to be
neutral and impartial in regard to the Burundi issues. It does not take rocket
science to know Museveni’s historical involvement not only in Burundi but
Rwanda and DRC conflicts. Those conflicts are interrelated and Museveni is to
be found in the centre of the whole mess. Mediators must by necessity, at least
be perceived, to be neutral and impartial and if and when neutrality and impartiality of the
mediator is questioned, then mediation either never takes off or never succeeds.
Why the EAC still took this risk and settled on Museveni is as puzzling as it
sounds. But the second and most important plunder is that the EAC knew for sure
that Uganda was headed to an election. Even with full knowledge of that
notorious fact, the member states still appointed Museveni the incumbent and
presidential aspirant as the Mediator for Burundi. Museveni has been busy and rightly
so campaigning for his re-election. Even if he was to be a neutral, impartial and
acceptable Mediator, I wonder how the EAC believed that Museveni would have
sufficient time to campaign for his re-election in Uganda and at once mediate
in Burundi.
Plunders of the African Union
The AU has also been
pretending to want to resolve the Burundi crisis. For obvious reasons I doubt
the AU’s seriousness. But anyway the regional body has consistently attempted
to pose as though it was doing something about the Burundi crisis. We are yet
to see any tangible results from the AU’s continuous attempt to want to desire
to act. But even with such desires and attempts the AU has also made, at least,
one known significant plunder. In December 2015 the AU admitted Burundi into its
Peace and Security Council, a position Burundi will hold for two years. It
means that Burundi will be sitting in meetings and actively take part in AU’s
peace and security decisions and among such decisions are those affecting Burundi
itself. I mean it is simple; Burundi has a whole advantageous space to significantly
impair the AU’s desire to intervene back at home.
We are aware that Burundi
recalled its former Representative to the AU and made him the Minster for Foreign
Affairs. He understands how the AU works; he knows perfectly well the flaws of
the AU and the exiting loopholes that Burundi can militate to its advantage.
Burundi has therefore effectively positioned itself to micro-manage the AU’s
decisions on Burundi both from home and from inside the AU itself. How on earth
does the AU expect to make any significant decision to intervene in Burundi
given such circumstances? I do not know. What I am still struggling with is
whether these plunders are by mistake or by design.
Both EAC and AU not Serious About Burundi
Reviewed by Ibrahim Magara
on
February 14, 2016
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