Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Press releases Treaty bodies
Default title
20 September 2000
Share
CRC
25th session
20 September 2000
Morning
Burundi's Economic Situation Is Disastrous, Delegation Says
The Committee on the Rights of the Child started this morning its consideration of an initial report from Burundi by hearing a six-member Government delegation saying that the armed conflict in the country had hampered the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Introducing his country's report, Eugene Nindorera, Minister of Rights of Human Persons, Institutional Reform and Relations with the National Assembly of Burundi, said that the economic situation of Burundi was disastrous and had had an important impact on the social and economic conditions of children in general. The situation of Burundi's children were already far behind the international norm in all practical and legal terms.
Mr. Nindorera said the situation had been aggravated by the economic sanctions imposed on Burundi by neighbouring States; and whatever the political motives behind the sanctions, one should always keep in mind that such a decision would result in creating a catastrophic situation for vulnerable segments of the population such as children.
This morning's discussion focused on the main subjects of the general measures of implementation of the Convention and general principles. In the second part of the discussion, Committee experts asked the delegation to provide information on the measures adopted by the Government concerning regroupment camps. When the delegation returns this afternoon, it should provide the answer.
In addition to Mr. Nindorera, the delegation of Burundi was comprised of Adolphe Nahayo, Permanent Representative of Burundi to the United Nations Office at Geneva; Gaudence Rwamaheke, Director General in the Ministry of Social Action and the Women's Advancement; Rose-Marie Magnifique Nduwimana, Deputy Director of Health Care; Liliane Bigayimpunzi-Sebatigita, UNICEF Bujumbura; and Edouard Juma, Inspector General at the Ministry of Education.
As one of the 191 States parties to the Convention, Burundi must present periodic reports on its effort to give effect to the provisions of the instrument.
The Committee will continue its discussion of the report of Burundi when it convenes at 3 p.m.
Initial Report of Burundi
The initial report of Burundi (document CRC/C/3/Add.58) enumerates the administrative and legislative measures undertaken by the Government in compliance with the provisions of the Convention. In its introduction, the report states that most children in Burundi live in extremely precarious conditions in highly impoverished environments. Burundi has a "low level of development", ranking 169th among the countries in the United Nations Development Programme's human development index.
Burundi was gripped by a social and political crisis, coupled with a veritable civil war, the report says. To make matters worse, the neighbouring States imposed sanctions on Burundi in 1996. By June 1997, disaster had struck an estimated 600,000 people, with children accounting for over half of that figure.
Over 15 per cent of the population of Burundi is displaced, dispersed or living in regroupment camps. Many children are living in extremely difficult conditions, deprived of shelter and access to health and education services. Some have been witnesses to, or victims of, violence. Many are traumatized, even disabled. These dispersed children, who have fled with their families from insecurity and gone into hiding in the forests and swamps, are living in very difficult conditions, the report notes.
Presentation of Burundi's Report
EUGENE NINDORERA, Minister of Rights of Human Persons, Institutional Reform and Relations with National Assembly of Burundi, stressed that his country had been in a state of war since 1993 and was confronted with a grave and extreme situation of human rights violations. No solution had been reached so far to overcome the conflict which was troubling the country. Such a situation did not permit Burundi to implement the provisions of the Convention.
Today, in the presence of former South African President Nelson Mandela, a meeting was scheduled to be held in Nairobi between the Government of Burundi and the armed groups, Mr. Nindorera went on to state. It was hoped that the meeting would bring a concrete solution to the ongoing conflict.
Mr. Nindorera continued to say that the economic situation of Burundi was disastrous, which had had an important impact on the social and economic conditions of children in general. Already, the situation of Burundi's children were far behind the international norm in all practical and legal terms. That situation had been aggravated by the economic sanctions imposed on Burundi by neighbouring States. Whatever the political motives behind the sanctions, one should always keep in mind that such a decision would result in creating a catastrophic situation for vulnerable segments of the population such as children.
Mr. Nindorera recalled that before 1993, Burundi had been able to achieve good results in the areas of health and education; however, since 1993, the country had regressed in those areas and was still far behind international standards. Today, some progress had been achieved with regard to the rights of the child.
Discussion
The Committee experts posed questions on general measures of implementation of the Convention and general principles.
In response to the questions raised by Committee experts, the members of Burundi's delegation said that as a result of the war and because of the high number of orphans, the Government was preparing to adopt new legal measures to facilitate the adoption process. The law would be debated during the next session of parliament beginning in October. In addition, the Government was studying the experiences of other countries and that of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in solving problems of children in difficulty.
The issue of land for the returning refugees would be discussed under the context of the forthcoming peace agreement, the delegation said. Those who had left their land as recently as 1982 might get it back. However, for those who left before 1982, there would be a problem because of the fact that the land was considered as abandoned and had been used for other purposes. The question of land was an emotional issue and it could be the source of conflict; therefore efforts had been made to settle the problem through the implementation of provisions designed to that end.
A favourable climate in which peace prevailed had to be created in order to reform land ownership, the delegation went on to say. However, the traditional wisemen did not wait for the agreement of the politicians on policies regarding the resettlement of returning refugees; they were busy facilitating land distribution for those who had already returned. When all refugees returned following a peace agreement, the Government had to take drastic measures on land ownership.
Concerning the situation of children at risk, the delegation said that the war had to stop in order to save children from being endangered. Building schools for children and expanding education were not possible when the conflict was still going on.
Burundi did not ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, but that did not mean that it did not want to do so. However, the Government was in no hurry to sign Protocol because of other commitments which had priority. The Government was aware that the ratification of any international treaty involved legal and administrative measures in order to implement it.
Every child in Burundi was considered everybody's child because of the traditional concept of children, the delegation said. It was for that reason that there were no street children in the proper meaning of "street children". Any child was taken care of by another member of the extended family or by anyone in the society if abandoned or orphaned.
With regard to the peace situation, it had been a problem for teachers to travel to the "red" regions where they risked their lives, the delegation said. In particular, the regions bordering Tanzania had been dangerous because of the movement of armed groups. Thus, children were not able to attend schools due to lack of teachers. The aim of regrouping people in camps, a measure attempted by the Government, was to protect them from the threat of armed groups.
The Government of Burundi had recently ratified the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) coming to Burundi should follow certain legislative directives which would allow better coordination, the delegation said. Each ministry had its own service to deal with NGOs and an interministerial coordination to avoid duplication of efforts by them. Many of the NGOs had preference to go to a certain area and not to another. The existing efforts of NGOs were not capable of helping all children, particularly those under trauma.
Burundi had been governed by a transitional constitutional act since 1998, and once the peace agreement was signed, a new constitution would be written similar to that of 1992. At present, separation of State powers had been in exercise with the legislative, executive and the judiciary functioning independently. Further mechanisms in which the respective State=s powers were guaranteed full independence would be negotiated during the peace agreement.
The problem in Burundi was not the issue of Hutu and Tutsi, but how to adopt a democratic system in the country, the delegation said. In any event, power should be shared and the population should be involved in matters concerning them. If the ethnic factor was to be implemented in elections of universal suffrage, smaller ethnic groups would be excluded. A democratic solution which would satisfy the exigencies of pluralistic democracy should be implemented. A debate was going on with respect to the democratic system to be adopted and hopefully a solution would emerge soon.
Any democratic process should be child centred without any distinction, the delegation said. The colonial method of distinguishing persons according to their ethnic origin could not be tolerated at present. It was unrealistic and a shame to distinguish children as Tutsi or Hutu while they were faced with the same problem. One should not die of hunger because he or she belonged to a particular ethnic group.
The registration of children into the armed services had been a problem for the Government and the application of the minimum age of 18 was not always respected, the delegation said. In some regions of the country, children were drafted into the army without verifying their age. In many cases, children did not know their age and there were no identity documents to verify it.
* *** *
25th session
20 September 2000
Morning
Burundi's Economic Situation Is Disastrous, Delegation Says
The Committee on the Rights of the Child started this morning its consideration of an initial report from Burundi by hearing a six-member Government delegation saying that the armed conflict in the country had hampered the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Introducing his country's report, Eugene Nindorera, Minister of Rights of Human Persons, Institutional Reform and Relations with the National Assembly of Burundi, said that the economic situation of Burundi was disastrous and had had an important impact on the social and economic conditions of children in general. The situation of Burundi's children were already far behind the international norm in all practical and legal terms.
Mr. Nindorera said the situation had been aggravated by the economic sanctions imposed on Burundi by neighbouring States; and whatever the political motives behind the sanctions, one should always keep in mind that such a decision would result in creating a catastrophic situation for vulnerable segments of the population such as children.
This morning's discussion focused on the main subjects of the general measures of implementation of the Convention and general principles. In the second part of the discussion, Committee experts asked the delegation to provide information on the measures adopted by the Government concerning regroupment camps. When the delegation returns this afternoon, it should provide the answer.
In addition to Mr. Nindorera, the delegation of Burundi was comprised of Adolphe Nahayo, Permanent Representative of Burundi to the United Nations Office at Geneva; Gaudence Rwamaheke, Director General in the Ministry of Social Action and the Women's Advancement; Rose-Marie Magnifique Nduwimana, Deputy Director of Health Care; Liliane Bigayimpunzi-Sebatigita, UNICEF Bujumbura; and Edouard Juma, Inspector General at the Ministry of Education.
As one of the 191 States parties to the Convention, Burundi must present periodic reports on its effort to give effect to the provisions of the instrument.
The Committee will continue its discussion of the report of Burundi when it convenes at 3 p.m.
Initial Report of Burundi
The initial report of Burundi (document CRC/C/3/Add.58) enumerates the administrative and legislative measures undertaken by the Government in compliance with the provisions of the Convention. In its introduction, the report states that most children in Burundi live in extremely precarious conditions in highly impoverished environments. Burundi has a "low level of development", ranking 169th among the countries in the United Nations Development Programme's human development index.
Burundi was gripped by a social and political crisis, coupled with a veritable civil war, the report says. To make matters worse, the neighbouring States imposed sanctions on Burundi in 1996. By June 1997, disaster had struck an estimated 600,000 people, with children accounting for over half of that figure.
Over 15 per cent of the population of Burundi is displaced, dispersed or living in regroupment camps. Many children are living in extremely difficult conditions, deprived of shelter and access to health and education services. Some have been witnesses to, or victims of, violence. Many are traumatized, even disabled. These dispersed children, who have fled with their families from insecurity and gone into hiding in the forests and swamps, are living in very difficult conditions, the report notes.
Presentation of Burundi's Report
EUGENE NINDORERA, Minister of Rights of Human Persons, Institutional Reform and Relations with National Assembly of Burundi, stressed that his country had been in a state of war since 1993 and was confronted with a grave and extreme situation of human rights violations. No solution had been reached so far to overcome the conflict which was troubling the country. Such a situation did not permit Burundi to implement the provisions of the Convention.
Today, in the presence of former South African President Nelson Mandela, a meeting was scheduled to be held in Nairobi between the Government of Burundi and the armed groups, Mr. Nindorera went on to state. It was hoped that the meeting would bring a concrete solution to the ongoing conflict.
Mr. Nindorera continued to say that the economic situation of Burundi was disastrous, which had had an important impact on the social and economic conditions of children in general. Already, the situation of Burundi's children were far behind the international norm in all practical and legal terms. That situation had been aggravated by the economic sanctions imposed on Burundi by neighbouring States. Whatever the political motives behind the sanctions, one should always keep in mind that such a decision would result in creating a catastrophic situation for vulnerable segments of the population such as children.
Mr. Nindorera recalled that before 1993, Burundi had been able to achieve good results in the areas of health and education; however, since 1993, the country had regressed in those areas and was still far behind international standards. Today, some progress had been achieved with regard to the rights of the child.
Discussion
The Committee experts posed questions on general measures of implementation of the Convention and general principles.
In response to the questions raised by Committee experts, the members of Burundi's delegation said that as a result of the war and because of the high number of orphans, the Government was preparing to adopt new legal measures to facilitate the adoption process. The law would be debated during the next session of parliament beginning in October. In addition, the Government was studying the experiences of other countries and that of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in solving problems of children in difficulty.
The issue of land for the returning refugees would be discussed under the context of the forthcoming peace agreement, the delegation said. Those who had left their land as recently as 1982 might get it back. However, for those who left before 1982, there would be a problem because of the fact that the land was considered as abandoned and had been used for other purposes. The question of land was an emotional issue and it could be the source of conflict; therefore efforts had been made to settle the problem through the implementation of provisions designed to that end.
A favourable climate in which peace prevailed had to be created in order to reform land ownership, the delegation went on to say. However, the traditional wisemen did not wait for the agreement of the politicians on policies regarding the resettlement of returning refugees; they were busy facilitating land distribution for those who had already returned. When all refugees returned following a peace agreement, the Government had to take drastic measures on land ownership.
Concerning the situation of children at risk, the delegation said that the war had to stop in order to save children from being endangered. Building schools for children and expanding education were not possible when the conflict was still going on.
Burundi did not ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, but that did not mean that it did not want to do so. However, the Government was in no hurry to sign Protocol because of other commitments which had priority. The Government was aware that the ratification of any international treaty involved legal and administrative measures in order to implement it.
Every child in Burundi was considered everybody's child because of the traditional concept of children, the delegation said. It was for that reason that there were no street children in the proper meaning of "street children". Any child was taken care of by another member of the extended family or by anyone in the society if abandoned or orphaned.
With regard to the peace situation, it had been a problem for teachers to travel to the "red" regions where they risked their lives, the delegation said. In particular, the regions bordering Tanzania had been dangerous because of the movement of armed groups. Thus, children were not able to attend schools due to lack of teachers. The aim of regrouping people in camps, a measure attempted by the Government, was to protect them from the threat of armed groups.
The Government of Burundi had recently ratified the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) coming to Burundi should follow certain legislative directives which would allow better coordination, the delegation said. Each ministry had its own service to deal with NGOs and an interministerial coordination to avoid duplication of efforts by them. Many of the NGOs had preference to go to a certain area and not to another. The existing efforts of NGOs were not capable of helping all children, particularly those under trauma.
Burundi had been governed by a transitional constitutional act since 1998, and once the peace agreement was signed, a new constitution would be written similar to that of 1992. At present, separation of State powers had been in exercise with the legislative, executive and the judiciary functioning independently. Further mechanisms in which the respective State=s powers were guaranteed full independence would be negotiated during the peace agreement.
The problem in Burundi was not the issue of Hutu and Tutsi, but how to adopt a democratic system in the country, the delegation said. In any event, power should be shared and the population should be involved in matters concerning them. If the ethnic factor was to be implemented in elections of universal suffrage, smaller ethnic groups would be excluded. A democratic solution which would satisfy the exigencies of pluralistic democracy should be implemented. A debate was going on with respect to the democratic system to be adopted and hopefully a solution would emerge soon.
Any democratic process should be child centred without any distinction, the delegation said. The colonial method of distinguishing persons according to their ethnic origin could not be tolerated at present. It was unrealistic and a shame to distinguish children as Tutsi or Hutu while they were faced with the same problem. One should not die of hunger because he or she belonged to a particular ethnic group.
The registration of children into the armed services had been a problem for the Government and the application of the minimum age of 18 was not always respected, the delegation said. In some regions of the country, children were drafted into the army without verifying their age. In many cases, children did not know their age and there were no identity documents to verify it.
* *** *