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Burundi politicians: End the war for good
2008-04-28 09:15:47
By Editor
War is not something nice to experience, or even to comment about from a safe distance. When human beings continue to kill each other for no plausible reason, when innocent civilians and children bear the brunt of that tragedy, it is a picture that no one wishes to witness.
We are saying this in relation to the resumption of fighting in Burundi, even in its capital of Bujumbura.
The skirmishes are occurring at a time when Tanzanians have already rejoiced that war will soon become a thing of the past in that country, that`s why the government has been working hard to press for a voluntary repatriation of Burundi refugees.
We do not wish to impose ourselves as judges of the ongoing debacle between Burundian warring parties, but only wish to remind them that their people are already war-weary, and they are doing a lot of injustice to their own kith and kin by refusing to succumb to common wisdom.
Their beautiful country has been a venue of bloodletting for so long that their neighbouring Tanzanian brethren, who have borne the full impact of the resulting massive human replacements, are left to wonder as to the real intentions of those who hold the key to the solution of the Burundi problem, namely those who carry arms and the persons who have authority over them.
The problem of Burundi has touched the hearts of so many people around the world, who wish the people of that land nothing but progress and tranquility.
That is why a lot of time and resources have been invested in resolving the differences of the belligerents and bringing them to sit at a roundtable.
We can recall the prolonged peace talks in Arusha, which were led by former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere and later by South African former Deputy President Jacob Zuma.
The whole world was keenly following up the proceedings until the peace agreement was eventually signed.
We urge Burundian political leaders to accept the fact that they owe a debt of gratitude to all outsiders who have worked day and night to see to it that their people go back to leading normal lives.
We have to accept the fact that every human being is entitled to a peaceful existence.
Whoever denies the people that right does them a grave injustice.
We do not wish to sound harsh, but we are merely conveying a truth that none of us can deny.
In Africa, time has come for us to do away with unnecessary wrangles.
We need to put our national interests ahead of the quest for power or maintaining it.
Our people have suffered for so long in history that we should be the last ones to impose the burden of unending war onto their shoulders.
It is most probable that what is currently lacking in Burundi is a spirit of political accommodation.
As long as this spirit persists, then it is just too bad.
As it goes, a person can choose a friend, but has no way to choose a brother or neighbour.
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