Burundi has
insisted on its demand that Rwanda hand over those who tried to overthrow
Pierre Nkurunziza in May 2015.
In a press
conference on March 28, 2025, Burundian President Gatoni Rosine Guilene said
that these individuals sought to overthrow the government established by the
people and should be prosecuted.
Burundian
President Evariste Ndayishimiye recently attacked Rwanda, accusing it of
plotting to invade his country through the armed group RED Tabara.
The Rwandan
government said that Ndayishimiye made these comments while the security
services of these countries were continuing talks to discuss how to protect
their borders in the event of a war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gatoni was asked
if Ndayishimiye's words did not explain that the progress made by the two
countries in these talks had regressed, indicating that what should have been
asked was why the talks were not concluded.
He said,
"Instead, if you ask 'Why are these talks not concluded or why is there no
solution?' The understanding between Burundi and Rwanda is based on Rwanda. The
day Rwanda wants to implement what it agreed to, that day the relationship will
be good again."
Gatoni said that
RED Tabara was the group that attempted to overthrow the Burundian government
in 2015 and that “having liberated Burundi and Burundians countless times, it
is living comfortably on Rwandan soil and is supported by the Rwandan
government.”
He explained that
Ndayishimiye was the one who initiated the talks with Rwanda, asking for those
he said “liberated Burundi”. If it sent them to their country, the borders
would be opened immediately, never to be closed again.
Gatoni said that
“When Rwanda requests talks, the Burundian government is always ready, always
waiting for the country that wants to send them… This means that the
understanding is based on the Rwandan state.”
The Burundian
government closed the borders in January 2024. It had been less than a month
since it began accusing Rwanda of supporting RED Tabara after it launched an
attack in the Gatumba zone in Bujumbura.
At the time, the
Rwandan government responded that Ndayishimiye's statement was untrue, as
"Rwanda has no connection with any Burundian armed group."
The Rwandan
government indicated that it could not extradite to Burundi those who attempted
to overthrow Nkurunziza's government, as doing so would violate international
law protecting refugees.
