Country Profile:
Burundi
Summary
Following its independence in 1962, there was a gradual monopolization of the army (FAB) by Burundi’s Tutsi ethnic minority. This resulted in the domination of the country’s institutions and elite by the Tutsi nationals, and at the same time, the violent repression of the majority Hutu civilian population. In June 1993, Hutu candidate Ndadaye won Burundi’s first pluralistic election on a platform of reforming the security sector. These reforms threatened some privileged actors, and triggered the assassination of President Ndadaye by elements of the army in October 1993, sparking a civil war that lasted until August 2000.
Two events can be associated with the beginning of the security sector reform (SSR) process in Burundi. The first is the 2000 signing of the Arusha Peace Agreement, which identified SSR as indispensable for a sustainable peace. The second is the August 2003 election of the CNDD-FDD, which became the primary driver of SSR. The SSR process has focused mainly on the re-organization of the armed forces to ensure greater the ethnic balance in the institution. Although the government reached a cease-fire agreement with the last remaining armed rebel group, the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, in September 2006, stability remains elusive in the country, creating a major challenge for reform.
