Pierre Claver Ndayicariye, Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission-CVR has said there is no need to look for foreign experts in the exhumation of the dead’s remains from mass graves. “CVR members are themselves experts. They are community research officers and some of them are historians,” said Ndayicariye.
Pierre Claver Ndayicariye: “CVR members are themselves experts”
It was during the presentation of the remains record on 8 mass graves that were dug out of 18 reported on Ruvubu site in Bukirasazi area in Shombo commune of Karusi province, this March 3. He said the commission has already exhumed 7348 remains of people killed in 1972. “The sixth mass grave contained 1319 remains, the highest number of people killed and thrown into a mass grave,” he said.
Pierre Claver Ndayicariye added that the commission will continue exhuming other remains of the dead in other localities. “CVR has the main objective of healing the injured memories, establishing the truth and achieving reconciliation between Burundians,” said Ndayicariye.
However, “AC-Genocide Cirimoso” Association has required the involvement of the UN experts in the exhumation process. Térence Mushano, Deputy Chairman of the association said CVR relies on local witnesses but forgets that even witnesses to cases of land conflicts lie.
According to the law governing the CVR mission, the investigation periods of the commission starts from 1885 to 2008. “We continue to receive testimonies reporting different crises in Burundi,” said Pierre Claver Ndayicariye. He added that the remains of the dead will be kept in “memory museums,” to serve as lessons to future generations. Mr. Ndayicariye has indicated that CVR has already identified about 4000 mass graves throughout the country and over 80.000 eyewitnesses were already interviewed.
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