The Burundi army says its troops contribute in UN peacekeeping missions at a high price, including giving up lives.
Local administrative officials in CAR visit the Burundi peacekeeping contingent
As the world celebrated the International Day of UN peacekeepers on Tuesday, Burundi army said “Burundi military plays an important role in peacekeeping missions in which they pay a big sacrifice”.
Col. Gaspard Baratuza, the Spokesman for the Burundi army said the sacrifice troops pay is both human and material. “Some fall on the battlefield, but we never give up.”
Other facets of the sacrifice they pay include health and socio-emotional problems. Col. Baratuza says some of men and women in uniform contract diseases due to unfamiliar climate.
At times, they depress about social issues such as not being able to take part in important family occasions.
Burundi has troops deployed in the Central African Republic (CAR) as UN peacekeepers from 2014. They are over 800 and are part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MUNISCA).
The CAR plunged in a crisis from 2013 when Muslim rebels, Seleka, militarily seized power and Christian militias took up arms to combat the rebels.
MUNISCA was established in 2014 to help find a peaceful resolution of the conflict, stop the killings, protect civilians and provide humanitarian relief.
Col. Baratuza says Burundi troops are faced with a “complex” problem which is yet to be worked out. “Conflicting parties still attempt to kill each other, and our military have to intervene”, says Baratuza.
Stained professionalism
He says despite their mission being difficult, Burundi troops remain professional.
The professionalism has been stained by accusations of human rights violations. In 2016, a UN inquiry revealed Burundi troops were among suspects of sexual abuse and exploitation in 2014 and 2015.
Col. Baratuza says the accusations “have been refuted”, though the “UN has not yet published the results of its investigation”.
In Burundi, opponents to the Government have waged a campaign against the deployment of Burundi troops in peacekeeping missions.
They claim the troops are involved in human rights violations in the country since it plunged into crisis in 2015. Due to such accusations, the UN has recently removed a Burundi staff officer from MUNISCA.
Burundian political opponents and civil society activists see the participation of Burundi troops in peacekeeping missions such as MUNISCA and AMISOM as helping the government to cope with its financial difficulties due sanctions by traditional donors.
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