PROXY TARGETS Civilians in the War in Burundi
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PROXY TARGETS Civilians in the War in Burundi Human Rights Watch New York AAA Washington AAA London AAA Brussels Copyright 8 March 1998 by Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. ISBN 1-56432-179-7 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 98-84611 Addresses for Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10118-3299 Tel: (212) 290-4700, Fax: (212) 736-1300, E-mail: [email protected] 1522 K Street, N.W., #910, Washington, DC 20005-1202 Tel: (202) 371-6592, Fax: (202) 371-0124, E-mail: [email protected] 33 Islington High Street, N1 9LH London, UK Tel: (171) 713-1995, Fax: (171) 713-1800, E-mail: [email protected] 15 Rue Van Campenhout, 1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel: (2) 732-2009, Fax: (2) 732-0471, E-mail: [email protected] Web Site Address: http://www.hrw.org Listserv address: To subscribe to the list, send an e-mail message to [email protected] with Asubscribe hrw-news@ in the body of the message (leave the subject line blank). Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Human Rights Watch conducts regular, systematic investigations of human rights abuses in some seventy countries around the world. Our reputation for timely, reliable disclosures has made us an essential source of information for those concerned with human rights. We address the human rights practices of governments of all political stripes, of all geopolitical alignments, and of all ethnic and religious persuasions. Human Rights Watch defends freedom of thought and expression, due process and equal protection of the law, and a vigorous civil society; we document and denounce murders, disappearances, torture, arbitrary imprisonment, discrimination, and other abuses of internationally recognized human rights. Our goal is to hold governments accountable if they transgress the rights of their people. Human Rights Watch began in 1978 with the founding of its Europe and Central Asia division (then known as Helsinki Watch). Today, it also includes divisions covering Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East. In addition, it includes three thematic divisions on arms, children=s rights, and women=s rights. It maintains offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, London, Brussels, Moscow, Dushanbe, Rio de Janeiro, and Hong Kong. Human Rights Watch is an independent, nongovernmental organization, supported by contributions from private individuals and foundations worldwide. It accepts no government funds, directly or indirectly. The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Susan Osnos, associate director; Michele Alexander, development director; Cynthia Brown, program director; Barbara Guglielmo, finance and administration director; Patrick Minges, publications director; Jeri Laber, special advisor; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Carroll Bogert, communications director; Jemera Rone, counsel; Wilder Tayler, general counsel; and Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative. The regional directors of Human Rights Watch are Peter Takirambudde, Africa; José Miguel Vivanco, Americas; Sidney Jones, Asia; Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia; and Hanny Megally, Middle East and North Africa. The thematic division directors are Joost R. Hiltermann, arms; Lois Whitman, children=s; and Dorothy Q. Thomas, women=s. The members of the board of directors are Jonathan Fanton, chair; Lisa Anderson, Robert L. Bernstein, William Carmichael, Dorothy Cullman, Gina Despres, Irene Diamond, Adrian W. DeWind, Fiona Druckenmiller, Edith Everett, James C. Goodale, Jack Greenberg, Vartan Gregorian, Alice H. Henkin, Stephen L. Kass, Marina Pinto Kaufman, Bruce Klatsky, Harold Hongju Koh, Alexander MacGregor, Josh Mailman, Samuel K. Murumba, Andrew Nathan, Jane Olson, Peter Osnos, Kathleen Peratis, Bruce Rabb, Sigrid Rausing, Anita Roddick, Orville Schell, Sid Sheinberg, Gary G. Sick, Malcolm Smith, Domna Stanton, Maureen White, and Maya Wiley. Robert L. Bernstein is the founding chair of Human Rights Watch. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report, based on findings from a mission to Burundi during 1997, was written by Timothy Longman, consultant to Human Rights Watch. Molly Bingham, consultant to Human Rights Watch, assisted with the mission and photographed the images contained in this report. The report was edited by Peter Takirambudde, executive director of the Africa division of Human Rights Watch, Alison Des Forges, consultant to Human Rights Watch, Janet Fleischman, Washington director of the Africa division, Scott Campbell, consultant to Human Rights Watch, Peter Bouckaert, Orville Schell fellow, Wilder Tayler, general counsel, Dinah PoKempner, deputy general counsel, and Michael McClintock, deputy program director. Production assistance was provided by Ariana Pearlroth, associate for the Africa division of Human Rights Watch, Patrick Minges, publications director, and Fitzroy Hepkins, mail manager. CONTENTS I. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................................................................1 Abuses by the Armed Forces of Burundi......................................................................................................1 Abuses by Insurgent Groups.............................................................................................................................2 Militarization of Society ..................................................................................................................................3 The International Context.................................................................................................................................3 The Mission...............................................................................................................................................................4 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................................5 Government and Armed Forces of Burundi.....................................................................................5 FDD and Other Rebel Groups...............................................................................................................6 The United Nations....................................................................................................................................7 The International Community.................................................................................................................8 II. BACKGROUND TO THE CIVIL WAR............................................................................................................................10 Background............................................................................................................................................................10 Steps Toward Reconciliation..........................................................................................................................13 Civilian Government and a Return to Violence.......................................................................................15 Buyoya's Return to Power.................................................................................................................................19 III. AWE ARE LIKE PRISONERS HERE@:FORCED DISPLACEMENT OF CIVILIAN POPULATIONS...........................25 Forced Regroupment Programs and International Law......................................................................25 Human Rights Abuses During the Formation of the Regroupment Camps . 32 The Use of Mass Terror and Targeting of the Civilian Population....................................32 Summary Executions of Civilians.......................................................................................................34 Rape..............................................................................................................................................................37 Destruction of Homes............................................................................................................................38 Human Rights and Conditions in the Regroupment Camps...................................................................39 Sanitary and Health Conditions in the Regroupment Camps.................................................39 Summary Executions, Torture, Rape and other abuses in the Regroupment Camps.......................................................................................................43 Forced Labor within the Regroupment Camps.............................................................................48 Ongoing Developments in Regroupment Policy.....................................................................................48 IV. CONTINUING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY THE ARMED FORCES OF BURUNDI AND TUTSI MILITIA.......56 Indiscriminate Attacks on Civilians...........................................................................................................56