MUN - Position Paper

Representative of Mali in African Union (2016)

Subject: Burundi Unrest
Name: Keeyan Mukherjee
School: The British School, New Delhi

In 2005, the efforts of several peace endeavours were able to bring long-awaited concord to the
war-torn country of Burundi, which had been crippled due to the disastrous effects of the
Burundian Civil War. This resulted in the meaningless slaughter of over 300,000 Burundians, and
adversely in the Rwandan Genocide, killing 800,000 more. However, the solidarity of Burundi was
short-lived, and we can once again observe the country descending into a civil war, with coups
and rebellions coupled with a violation of a long-abided treaty, leading to an ever-increasing
division in society. Here, without action, the deaths of innocent civilians as a result of political
tension can prove to be inescapable, and therefore it is vital that we act, and not allow the
situation to develop into a war, and cause unrest among neighbouring countries

As a representative of Mali, a long-time member of the African Union and a country that has dealt
with numerous accounts of political terrorism, coups and aggression, we hold this issue with great
concern, due to its resemblance to other disasters that left nations in cripples, and an influx in
refugees, a number bypassing 230,000 since the unrest, to be harboured by other countries that is
occurring as a result. Merely, three years ago, Mali suffered an inundation of rebels against the
governing body and several peace tactics were used effectively, and this along with a relevant
amalgamation of methods that stopped political civil wars in the past. In this particular situation,
we can see a blatant violation of the very agreement which ended the first civil war, and this must
be enforced once again, otherwise we risk a repetition of what occurred in 1993. Here, the power
given to Pierre Nkurunziza, has been used in an extremely unjust manner, with hundreds of
civilians being killed for sedition, tortured and even raped. His abuse of power is representative of
a dictatorship, such as the inability to freely migrate away from Burundi (if caught, either sent back
with a warning, or tortured, labelled traitors and even killed) , with extrajudicial mass murder and
political silence being only practiced to such an extent in few areas, with the most notable being
Bashar-al Assad in Syria who was notorious for torturing and even murdering political opponents,
which resulted in an oddly similar civil war and division. In addition to this, Nkurunziza has often
been criticised for election fraud, and the crimes he has committed, or the Imbonerakure have on
his behalf, would have meant immediate removal of presidency, and life in jail for any participating
members in any developed country. Although it is extremely far-fetched to go to such an extent,
the implementation of a sustainable treaty such as the Arusha peace agreement, which is able to
unify the country under a sustainable democracy which can operate without corruption, or
protest.

Although the ramifications of a civil war would be disastrous, the newfound African Union has the
ability to suppress this tension, and Mali believe that the great achievements in supressing
violence in areas such as Sudan, Kenya and the Ivory Coast show that this union has the ability to
save lives. Despite the short-term success of the Arusha peace agreement, the main objection of
this agreement, equality of both sides is not only flawed, but was not fulfilled, in is partly the
reason for this increasing unrest

- Mali proposes that in order for a successful democracy the extremist views of both sides,
specifically the government be subdued, and this would involve the removal of
Nkurunziza, and the Imbonerakure from the administration of Burundi, and the ingress of
a moderate parties, which would hold a fair democratic election. However, Burundi is
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 viewed as a lost country, with no hope for peace, and the African Union could be where
democratic efforts in the interest of a peaceful Burundi could occur. For example, the
president of Tanzania, John Magufuli, has the legitimacy, support and the presence of
140,000 Burundi’s on his soil, and Mali recommends that democratic leaders of the African
Union attempt to form peace in Burundi. Here, we can, as a union, play the important role
South Africa did in supressing the events of 1993, and be the leading activists in
negotiating another peace agreement
- Furthermore, Mali recommends that in the short-term, aid projects are in dire need,
especially with the issue of refugees. While Nkurunziza is still in power, the lives and well-
being of women, and anyone who dares to oppose the government are in great danger,
and the lack of basic human rights and living conditions means we must either accept
many refugees from Burundi, or launch long-term aid efforts, to help Burundi become
even a habitable country

In conclusion, the country of Burundi once again, is in great danger of descending into a violent
civil war, however unlike 1993, we have an African Union, and just how we have repressed
violence in Sudan, we now have the ability to, with the correct mindset and participation, avoid a
repetition of the events of the Burundian Civil War, and transform the country from being divided,
corrupt and war-torn to a developing and just democracy.

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