Burundi President Claims Rwanda Plans to Attack, Accuses It of Supporting Rebels
March 26 – Burundi’s president has revealed to the BBC that he has seen “credible intelligence” suggesting that Rwanda is planning to attack his country.
Évariste Ndayishimiye also alleged that Rwanda attempted to orchestrate a coup in Burundi a decade ago, similar to its current actions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Rwanda has responded, calling the president’s accusations “surprising” and affirming that both countries are working together on security plans for their shared border, which has been closed for over a year.
Despite extensive UN evidence, Rwanda continues to deny supporting the M23 rebel group, which has recently seized large parts of eastern DR Congo, and denies involvement with the resurgent Red Tabara rebel group, which President Ndayishimiye claims is backed by Rwanda to destabilize Burundi.
“They will say it’s an internal problem, but the issue is Rwanda. We know that President Paul Kagame has a plan to attack Burundi,” Ndayishimiye stated. “Burundians will not accept to be killed as the Congolese are. But we have no plans to attack Rwanda; we want to resolve the problem through dialogue.”
Ndayishimiye emphasized the need for peace and the full implementation of peace agreements between the two countries, which he says Rwanda has failed to honor. He claimed that Rwanda was responsible for organizing the 2015 coup in Burundi by recruiting youth in refugee camps, training them, and providing them with arms.
“If Rwanda would hand them over for justice, the problem would be solved,” he added.
The president reiterated that Burundi desires peace and dialogue, but would not remain passive if attacked. He criticized Rwanda for refusing to engage in dialogue, claiming they have a hidden agenda similar to their actions in the DRC.
While relations with Rwanda remain tense, Burundi faces challenges beyond its borders. To the west, the conflict in the DRC has escalated, with foreign actors and rebel groups fighting to control the country’s valuable resources.
“External forces are responsible for perpetuating the conflict in the DRC. They do not want peace because they want to continue looting its resources,” Ndayishimiye said. He suggested that peace in the DRC could be achieved if all parties, including opposition groups, were brought to the table.
Regarding Rwanda’s involvement in the DRC, Ndayishimiye questioned why Rwandan forces claim to be targeting the FDLR rebel group but have primarily caused harm to Congolese civilians.
Since M23 rebels and Rwandan troops began seizing territory in eastern DRC earlier this year, hundreds of thousands of Congolese have fled the violence, with some risking dangerous crossings of the Rusizi River into Burundi. Ndayishimiye denied that the Burundi-DRC border is closed, insisting that refugees can still return to DRC safely.
While acknowledging the risks faced by refugees crossing the Rusizi River, Ndayishimiye stated, “We didn’t invite them. They are guests here, and we’ll provide what we can, but they cannot dictate terms.”
For lasting peace in the DRC, Ndayishimiye called for an expanded mandate for international forces to engage with rebels and stated that Burundi forces would remain in the DRC until its borders are secure.
Earlier this month, Southern African leaders announced plans to withdraw their forces from the DRC, following the deaths of at least 19 soldiers.