Situation Report Burundi: Update from Hope to Despair

The report warns of a dramatic worsening of the situation in Burundi, characterized by the suspension of negotiations by the FDD, the non-implementation of cease-fires, and a growing movement to remove the existing political system. It highlights a critical disconnect between the rigid Arusha Process timetable and the reality of ongoing violence and political fragmentation, suggesting that the scheduled transition of the presidency on May 1, 2003, could lead to chaos or government paralysis.

• On 21 February 2003, the FDD suspended negotiations with the Burundian Government, citing continued attacks by the Burundian Army, the prevention of food aid distribution, President Buyoya's failure to honour agreements, and the non-implementation of the cease-fire.
• The cease-fire signed on 2/3 December 2002 between the Government and the CNDD-FDD has not been implemented, leading to widespread violence, looting, and pillaging, which has replaced public hope with despair.
• There is a growing coalition of political, military, and civil society groups seeking to remove 'the system', which refers to President Buyoya, the Uprona party, and the Frodebu party led by Dr. Jean Minani and Vice-President Domitien Ndayizye.
• The Arusha Peace Accord is increasingly viewed as an elitist document lacking legitimacy because the general population was not involved 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 the FDD challenging Frodebu's position as the 'main Hutu movement'.
• The scheduled transition to a Hutu President on 1 May 2003 is viewed as a high-risk event because essential tasks, such as a durable cease-fire and security force integration, remain incomplete.

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} }