Burundi: Escalating Violence Demands Attention

Against a backdrop of start-and-stop negotiations to end the civil war in Burundi, both rebels and the government army have stepped up military activities, killing civilians and raising the risk of widespread slaughter on an ethnic basis. The rebel forces are largely Hutu, as is the majority of the population. The army is dominated by Tutsi, although it has incorporated increasing number of Hutu in its ranks during the course of the war. As described in this report, both government and rebel sides appear increasingly willing to ignore their legal obligations to protect civilians in time of war.