Situation Report: Challenges to a Durable Peace in Burundi, Jan van Eck

The people of Burundi fervently hope that the democratic election scheduled for 1 November will not lead to a repetition of the crisis that followed the first democratic elections, held in 1993. Their memories of that election and its aftermath remain extremely vivid. After a landslide victory by the Hutu party FRODEBU, the newly-elected Hutu President, Melchior Ndadaye, was assassinated by elements within the Burundian Army. This was followed by an orgy of ethnic slaughter in which tens of thousands of Burundian Tutsis and Hutus were killed in revenge and counter-revenge attacks. Most observers are of the opinion that the 1993 elections were held too soon – largely because of international pressure – and that neither the political class nor the electorate were yet prepared for an election outcome unfavorable to them.