The security is threatened in all corners of the country since last month. An overview
Mugongomanga Commune: people are very scared.-By Jean Noèl Manirakiza, Dieudonné Hakizimana and Clarisse Shaka translated by J.Berchmans Siboniyo and Yves Didier Irakoze
Fabrice Niyongabo ©Iwacu
It began on Thursday 23 October 2014 around 5 PM. Fabrice Niyongabo, 26 years old, falls in an ambush of a group of armed people with machetes, knives and clubs. This happens at Kuwimpfizi, Buhororo hill, Mugongomanga commune, Bujumbura province.
“They injured him in the forehead and the left arm”, tells the cow seller in the area. He indicates that the bandits robbed him of BIF 335, 000 (about $ 215) when he was on his way back from Rwibaga market where he had sold his cow. After the crime, the chief of the armed group ordered them to leave the place stating that their mission was accomplished. “I anxiously stayed in the forest bleeding but eventually managed to leave the place.” Fabrice Niyongabo was taken to Ijenda hospital where the administrator of the commune and the chief of Buhoro zone came to visit him.
Niyongabo states that the group consisted of six individuals. “Two of them seemed to be the leaders of the team.” While all this happened, a house in the neighborhood was set on fire, by another group of crhttp://www.iwacu-burundi.org/blogs/english/wp-admin/revision.php?revision=2057iminals.
Legend: Fabrice Niyongabo in front of his house at Buhoro hill, Mugongomanga commune, Bujumbura province.
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Two old men beaten to death
Damien Barakamfitiye and his wife ©Iwacu
At Nyarushanga hill, the family of Damien Barakamfitiye, 62 years old, has already succumbed to attacks of armed people three times in less than a month. The most recent attack was perpetrated on 18 October. People entered in his house at around 2 AM. “Criminals broke in and entered my bedroom. They beat me and told me to give them money”, says Barakamfitiye sadly. The old man gave them his wallet to stop them from beating him. His wife (58) had her arm broken during the attack. His daughter was also injured by one of the criminals.
Awakened by their cries, the neighbors came in to help. “Unfortunately the bandits had already fled. They didn’t steal anything this time but the first two times they stole three goats”, Barakamfitiye explains. Many people have fallen victim to the criminals at that hill. The family of Marie Nahimana was attacked twice in less than two weeks time. She indicates that the most recent attack was on October 16, around 5 AM. The bandits tried to break in the door. The woman and children cried and their neighbors quickly intervened. The thieves fled without stealing anything.
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“They are in long coats”
“I have been attacked by a group of six people armed with machetes, clubs and swords, wearing long coats, about two weeks ago. Fortunately they didn’t enter the house”, says J. M. Vianney Nshimirimana who lives at Mujejuru hill, Mugongomanga commune, in Bujumbura province.
Mr. Nshimirimana managed to defend his family. “I concealed myself behind the ironed door. We exchanged insults for twenty minutes, face to face. Meanwhile my wife and children alerted the neighbors.”
He indicates that the criminals have a strategy they use to attack. “When they arrive at the destination, they divide themselves in two groups: three to break the door in and the others to steal and kill if needed. Nshimirimana approached them, armed with a hoe. At the other side of the house he heard the commander of the group ordering his men: “What are you waiting for? Kill him! Go!” Mr. Nshimirimana replied: “I am ready to face you. You provoked me. This is my time to kill you all.” They then fled through the other door and he followed them. Fortunately the neighbors had already arrived and the bandits climbed the walls to escape. No loss was registered in the attack except for the two doors of the house that were broken.
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The inaction of local administration and the police
Some sources accuse the administration and the police of playing down the attacks ©Iwacu
Most of the interviewed people in Mugongomanga commune state that the local authorities play down the attacks. Damien Barakamfitiye from Nyarushanga hill indicates that during the third attack, only neighbors came to help. None of the civil or military authorities arrived at his place to soothe the situation.
Civil society representatives in the area are worried. Richard Barandagiye, from the Human Rights organization Ligue Iteka states the situation is not sufficiently broadcast in the media. Security meetings are held because the hills representatives and the population have suggested it. According to him, it is not understandable that four incarcerated bandits are transferred to Kabezi commune without showing any result from the investigations to the population. He fears that mob justice may take place if issues are not clarified soon.
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Who are these criminals?
Two hypotheses go around. Some sources say that the bandits are young men from Kiriba Ondes camps (DRC). They came by cars. The same sources suspect natives of Mugongomanga commune of giving accommodation to the criminals. Some of the caught bandits are from Bubanza, Kayanza and Cibitoke provinces. Other sources point at political parties from the Adc-Ikibiri coalition as the origin of the insecurity. An anonymous source recalls that Salvator Sindayihebura, the administrator of Mugongomanga commune accused the MSD party and supporters of its leader Alexis Sinduhije of the insecurity. Salvator Sindayihebura told Iwacu that investigations were underway. Concerning the accusation of MSD, he ordered to reveal the sources of this information. He later said that he was holding a security meeting with the population at the hills. “I will react at the end of the week. Meanwhile, ‘fata ivyo abanyagihugu bakubwiye’” (consider what I told you).
Legend: some sources accuse the administration and the police of playing down the attacks.
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Panic in Mwaro
In the communes of Rusaka, Kayokwe and Gisozi, the population is on high alert. They fear robbers who kill and plunder.
Frédéric Nzibavuga, the administrator of Rusaka commune: “We think it’s just rumors that precede elections ©Iwacu
Inhabitants of Rusivya hill in Kayokwe commune talk about a group of people armed with machetes and clubs who wander during night. They attacked a family during the last Friday night they stole their goats. “When we hear screams on the nearest hill, we start screaming as well to prevent this group from coming to us”, indicates a neighbor.
In the communes of Rusaka, Kayokwe and Gisozi, inhabitants of those areas keep themselves in details. Those who accept to talk to Iwacu indicate they are scared of being convicted for spreading rumors while they are unable to catch them and show them publically. The inhabitants indicate that the attacks are reported each night. “They move in small groups and shelter in cemeteries or in inhabited houses”, testifies a resident who wants to remain anonymous.
Rumors that precede the elections
According to the administrator of Rusaka commune, the situation is worrisome. But, he adds that some people exaggerate in indicating that armed groups who threaten his commune. Without denying that those robbers can operate in groups of two or three persons, Frederic Nzibavuga clarifies that those robbers don’t possess fire arms. “Even though those ten persons were apprehended for reasons of investigation, they didn’t have any guns”, he reassures. For him, those who spread rumors are worsening the situation. The administrator Nzibavuga tells that it’s not the first time that those rumors are spreading at the eve of the elections: “We can’t talk the overgeneralization insecurity because nightly rounds are organized but those groups remained invisible.” He promises to organize sensitization meetings to calm down his population.
The social advisor of the governor of Mwaro has a similar opinion. However, he nuances: “It’s very difficult to reject what has been said about the province of Mwaro.” And to precise that, the administration, the police and the population will work together to clarify the situation.
The Police Commissioner of the province of Mwaro indicates that investigations are underway in order to avoid any ambiguity.
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Bujumbura City Council: residents in Kinindo attacked with machetes
-Guardians in the bungalow failed to catch the criminals ©Iwacu
Attacks by armed men with machetes are reported in the urban commune of Kinindo in Bujumbura city. This Monday night 27 October, one of the residents indicates that an attack occurred on Marangara Street, wounding two security guards.
According to our source, the criminals were seven in number and had machetes. Inhabitants of Kinindo think that the criminals have support. “We cried but those criminals didn’t worry about anything. They stole a cell phone before turning back”, testifies one of the residents. He indicates that they moved towards Kibenga quarter. The bungalow of the security guards on this road was damaged. The guards say that the police who were at the school near the area didn’t intervene. “During all the day, any administrative authority or the police haven’t been at the scene”, deplores one of the sources at Kinindo.
The same source adds that unidentified individuals wounded two persons whom one European last Friday on Mirwa Street in the same commune. And on the avenue Mutsinda, one guard was seriously injured a week ago “It’s during that moment when he was trying to prevent those armed people to enter by force inside the house”, states a neighbor. Attacks are also reported on Ntwarante Avenue.
The population is in panic because they were not accustomed to this kind of barbarism. The population asks the security forces to reinforce security measures and for Regideso to light up all the quarters so that the criminals don’t take advantage of the darkness to commit crimes.
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People with machetes disturb the security in Kanyosha
One of the victims at Kanyosha ©Iwacu
Some of the residents of Kanyosha are victims of theft by armed people with machetes. On Sunday 19 October, Déo a resident of Kanyosha was assaulted by men with long black coats. “It seemed that they were waiting me for because while I was getting out of the car, they hit me on the head.” According to him, those criminals would only like to eliminate me because they didn’t steal whereas he had a cell phone.
Another victim testifies: “Three men armed with machetes and clubs demolished my “kiosque” at Kanyosha and seriously beat me.”
Another victim says that he was attacked with machetes two weeks ago. The criminals took what he had on him and left without hurting him.
Non confirmed information from Kanyosha states that the criminals are “Imbonarakure” who came back from Kiliba Ondes. It might be an organized movement with the purpose of terrorizing the population.
IWACU Open Data
