BUKINANYANA, August 12 (ABP) – The International Day of Indigenous Peoples was celebrated on August 9 at the Buganda stadium, in Bukinanyana commune, Bujumbura province. The event was organized by the ministry of justice, human rights, and gender, under the high patronage of the Head of State, Evariste Ndayishimiye.
This year’s theme was: “Indigenous Peoples and Artificial Intelligence: Defending Rights, Shaping the Future.”
In his speech, Burundian Head of State Evariste Ndayishimiye said that we must seize this opportunity to look together at the difficulties the country has experienced, with a view to combating all divisions and exclusion. He firmly rejected any form of division and distanced himself from those who promote it. He recalled that in the past, the government excluded people of the Twa ethnic group, as well as the Hutu population, which led to war in the name of reclaiming democracy.
He noted that the Hutu people suffered under the government of then, whereas the current government works to restore the rights of the Twa. He regretted that the Arusha Accords did not specify the share that should be allocated to the Twa people of Burundi, unlike what was done for the Hutu and Tutsi. He revealed that the same Arusha agreement had provided a 40% representation for the minority population made up of Tutsi and Twa, but that the constitution omitted the Batwa. Therefore, he found it necessary to deliver justice to this part of the population, which deserves the same rights as the Hutu and Tutsi, starting with the right to land ownership.
He emphasized that the Twa people of Burundi must have their own land and physical addresses. As part of affirmative action, Twa children who pass the national exam have the right to be admitted to boarding schools.
Leonard Habimana, the representative of the indigenous peoples who spoke on behalf of the Batwa, welcomed the efforts of the Burundian government in promoting the rights of the Batwa. He expressed satisfaction that in 2020, the government appointed, for the first time, a minister of Twa ethnicity.
He also noted that recently, among 13 ministerial positions, there was a Twa minister, that is, the minister of justice, human rights, and gender, Arthémon Katihabwa, who was present at the event. He also expressed appreciation for the national strategy for the reintegration of disaster victims and the inclusion of the Batwa. He called for accompanying measures to support the decision to allocate land to the Twa people of Burundi, and also advocated for promoting the Batwa to other positions of responsibility.
As for the representative of the United Nations system in Burundi, Emmanuela Muscara, she stated that the day was an opportunity to highlight the contribution of the Batwa community to Burundian national life. She delivered the message of the UN Secretary-General, which emphasized that “indigenous peoples are guardians of ancient knowledge, defenders of cultural heritage, and protectors of biodiversity; they are essential to our shared future.”