The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has been organizing public conferences in recent days for students from various universities in the country to inform them regarding Burundi’s past. To the question of why the presentation of the results of this commission in academic circles and the impact that the said results might have, the president of the CVR, Pierre Claver Ndayicariye gave clarifications.
After the presentation of the films containing the results of the activities of the CVR on the campus of the University of the Great Lakes (UGL) located in Ngagara on June 17, 2022, it was asked whether the content of these films might not lead to the psychological impact for the students or arouse the spirit of revenge within the population, given that these students are mainly young.
Faced with this question, the president of the CVR explained that the person who does not know his past remains in ignorance, lives a cycle of violence of which he does not understand the ins and outs. And getting revenge for that person then becomes easy because they don’t understand what’s happening to them. But, when we know the truth, we finally come to understand why such crises have taken place and know how to do it well.
Informing young people regarding Burundi’s past
According to Mr. Ndayicariye, the meeting of students from different universities aims to inform them regarding Burundi’s past, especially that which has not been made public. “These young people who are in university today are the leaders of tomorrow. Some of them will be deputies, governors, senators and others will lead the country to the highest peak. To do this, they must know the heavy past of our country,” he said. And to add that by knowing the truth, they can then avoid the tragedies, the killings and the violations of human rights that Burundi has known.
The truth sets people free
In all university circles where public conferences have already taken place, in particular at the Ecole Normale Supérieure, Mugara campus in Rumonge, the Major Seminary of Gitega, the Polytechnic University of Gitega (UPG) and the University of Ngozi, the President of the TRC hoped for a positive impact. Because, he continued, the students who see the images that are compiled in the films come home with something new. Lies and manipulation disappear thanks to the light provided by the CVR. “It’s the truth that sets people free, the only community therapy that helps the country move forward. And it’s not a lie, because it has destabilized peace, the development of the country and community relations.