Situation Report Burundi: Update from Hope to Despair

The report details a severe decline in Burundi's peace process by February 2003, marked by the FDD's suspension of talks, the failure of the December 2002 cease-fire, and a growing movement to dismantle the existing political system. It warns that the mandatory transition of the presidency on 1 May 2003 could lead to chaos due to a lack of national consensus and the incomplete integration of security forces.

• On 21 February 2003, the FDD suspended negotiations with the Burundian Government, citing continued attacks by the Burundian Army, the government's prevention of food aid distribution, Buyoya's failure to honor agreements, and the non-implementation of the cease-fire.
• The cease-fire agreement signed on 2/3 December 2002 between the Burundi Government and the CNDD-FDD has not been implemented, leading to widespread violence, looting, and pillaging, which has replaced hope with despair among the population.
• There is a growing movement among various political, military, and civil society groups to remove 'the system,' which refers to President Buyoya, the Uprona party, and the Frodebu of Dr. Jean Minani and Vice-President Domitien Ndayizye.
• The Arusha Peace Accord is increasingly viewed as an elitist document lacking legitimacy because the majority of the population was not involved in negotiations and it has not produced positive dividends.
• The stability of the Transitional Government is threatened by the return of rebel movements and an 'intra-Hutu' competition, specifically with the FDD challenging Frodebu's position as the 'main Hutu movement.'
• The scheduled transition of the presidency to a Hutu President on 1 May 2003 is viewed as a critical risk because essential tasks, such as a durable cease-fire and security force integration, remain incomplete.
• The absence of the Palipehutu-FNL movement, led by Agathon Rwasa, from the cease-fire process undermines the overall peace process and the commitment of the FDD to negotiations, as the FDD fears being seen as having 'sold out' the Hutu cause.

APA

van Eck, J. (2003). Situation Report Burundi: Update from Hope to Despair. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/situation-reports/situation-report-burundi-update-from-hope-to-despair-jan-van-eck

Chicago

van Eck, Jan. Situation Report Burundi: Update from Hope to Despair. Institute for Security Studies, 2003. https://issafrica.org/research/situation-reports/situation-report-burundi-update-from-hope-to-despair-jan-van-eck.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=van Eck |first1=Jan |title=Situation Report Burundi: Update from Hope to Despair |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=21 February 2003 |url=https://issafrica.org/research/situation-reports/situation-report-burundi-update-from-hope-to-despair-jan-van-eck |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vaneck2003situation, author = {van Eck, Jan}, title = {{Situation Report Burundi: Update from Hope to Despair}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2003}, month = feb, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/situation-reports/situation-report-burundi-update-from-hope-to-despair-jan-van-eck}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }