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Rwasa is also a Hutu, and was allies with Nkurunziza prior to the cease-fire agreement in 2002. His troops are hiding out and attacking from the Mitumba Mountains, located in the Bujumbura-rural province on the western border of Burundi. Leftover mercenary forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Zimbabwe are fighting along side Rwasa’a Hutu forces. From the mountains they are often able to bomb the capitol city of Bujumbura.
The Burundians I have met say a huge problem is Rebel soldiers only wear battle fatigues at night. During the day they put on t-shirts and walk through the villages and cities, watching troop movements and looking for citizens who are reporting to the army. If a villager is identified as an informant someone shows up at their door in the middle of the night, and locks their mouth shut by shoving an enormous padlock through their lips.
The young men from Burundi at the World Youth Congress, including my golfing buddies, were children while the bulk of the violence and genocide was going on. “If we’re alive today, it is because of God.” One man says it, while all the others nod their heads.
I joined the band of drummers every day for lunch in the cafeteria. I have been amazed at how patient, compassionate, and understanding they are about the West’s, often total lack of, knowledge about Africa. Amongst themselves they are always joking and laughing. Even with everything they face, when it comes time for being happy they know how. None of them wear the strained smile I so often see in the western world’s cities; the kind that makes the sparkle in the eyes retreat so they become glassy. It is not the smile I have given in bars which is the product of my ego, trying to convince women who may be looking, that I am happy and confident, and fun to be around.
Many of the Africans whom I met at the Youth Congress are going, or have gone to college. They are doing better and have access to more amenities than the rest of their country, so I presumed that they were sheltered from the violence. I assumed that that was why they could be so happy, but as I spoke with them more deeply about what they do when they are in their country I discovered there is no hiding from the dangerous situations that the people in their country face.
Back home in Burundi; Amedee Kezimana, Mamu Nzeyimana, Alain Nyimo, Marius Bicira, Eloge Gashame, Desire Niyongere, and Yves Namashikaye are part of an association made up of 150 people across the country called the Jeunesse Voluntaire Sans Frontier (JVSF). Together they take their drums into the Bujumbura-rural province to the villages that have recently been attacked by Rebels and they play for the people. They sing and dance, and in the message of their music they tell the people of Burundi it is alright to return to the village, to feel joy, and to feel good again. They get feedback from the six Jeunesse Voluntaire Sans Frontier provincial branches and try to get funding for supplies and equipment that are needed to improve the quality of life. They also try to educate the children who are the main source of new recruits for rebel leaders such as Chief Rwasa. Many of these children are kidnapped and taken into the forest filled mountains where they are given Ak-47’s and forced to fight. Still others have simply known violence their entire lives.
Members of Jeunesse Voluntaire Sans Frontier go into the villages and educate the children on war while at the same time trying to bring them joy through music. “As cultural performers we try to make songs of love and peace so people can see that we are one.” Desire Niyongere told me over lunch one day.
The dream of creating a perception of unity is more than just a new age concept to these young men. “Politicians they teach us, ‘this one is not your brother, this one hates you, you are different than these people. So politicians profit when youth are in war,” says Desire.
At Jeunesse Voluntaire Sans Frontier they are trying to promote volunteering and solidarity in youth so that our generation can change our country.
This is all in the face of incredible danger. The Rebels of Chief Rwasa in the Bujumbura-rural have learned about their organization and they tell me they receive death threats slipped under their doors. Often, they have to enter the warring provinces just behind the front lines of government troops. Despite the risks, Desire tells me that one major accomplishment was organizing a football match between Hutu citizens from Bujumbura-rural and Tutsis from the city of Bujumbura. “It was cool because afterward we drank Fanta, shared what we had, danced together, and we realized that we are one.”
On top of all of their cultural performances, members also assist in several other humanitarian actions. They have worked with the Catholic Relief Services and United Nations volunteers trying to raise funds to pay off citizens’ medical bills because hospitals often detain any patients who are unable to pay them, even though no food is provided. They run radio advertising campaigns to see if wealthier Burundians are willing to donate money or rice to help feed the sick and starving.
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Cheers Tassie | Oct 12th, 2008
i think its great that most people, in third world countries seem to be happy. they are always smiling. it is so easy to make them happy, people in our society are spoilt and it takes more us happy.
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