Diplomacy: reopening the borders betweenBurundi and Rwanda, not for soon

This announcement was made this Friday by Rosine Guilène Gatoni, spokesperson for President Évariste Ndayishimiye during a public conference, which was live on local media held in the province of Karusi (east-central Burundi) and given along with other spokespersons for state institutions. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

President Neva’s spokesperson insisted on a request demanded by the Burundian authorities, as essential for the reopening of the borders between the two sister nations of the Great Lakes of Africa: the extradition of the rebel leaders of the movement Red-Tabara.

“Rwanda always promised to give them back to us, but it did not keep its word. When Burundi was preparing to welcome them, the terrorist attacks continued,” accused Rosine Guilène Gatoni. She was responding to a question from a local journalist who wanted to know when the Burundian authorities plan to reopen the borders with neighboring Rwanda.

She recalled that during the visit of the current president of the East African community, the president of South Sudan Salva Kiir to Bujumbura (commercial city) “he himself had asked Rwanda to respect the conventions between countries and hand over the rebel leaders to Burundi.

“We are for the free movement of goods and people, we also want good neighborliness, but as long as these rebels are supported by Rwanda, the borders will remain closed as declared by the President of the Republic,” concluded the spokesperson for President Ndayishimiye.

During this public broadcast, the Secretary General of the Government explained that “if the land borders are closed, it is to better control entries and exits”.

Jérôme Niyonzima also said that “currently, there is really no dialogue between Burundi and Rwanda. If tomorrow or the day after tomorrow our neighboring country decides to honor its commitments and get rid of these terrorists, that will be the response to this problem.

He further stressed that relations between States is a process that is renewed and insisted that the situation could improve “if Rwanda agreed to respect the promise made.”

The Burundian authorities closed the borders with Rwanda last January, accusing the Rwandan government and President Paul Kagame personally of maintaining terrorist groups of Burundian origin, especially the Red-Tabara armed group based in South Kivu in the east of the DRC.

https://www.sosmediasburundi.org/2024/01/11/burundi-rwanda-les-autorites-burundaises-assert-avoir-suspendu-toutes-les-relations-avec-le-president-paul-kagame-et- close-the-borders-with-rwanda/

The rebel group has carried out bloody attacks in western Burundi since last December.

https://www.sosmediasburundi.org/2024/02/26/bujumbura-les-autorites-burundaises-confirm-la-mort-de-9-personnels-dans-une-attack-armee-et-sen-prennent- in-rwanda-once-more/

Rwanda has always denied these allegations saying “there is no truth in the words of President Évariste Ndayishimiye”.