On March 14, the Prime Minister received in audience two representatives of Burundian civil society organizations. A fact that did not leave a Yaga blogger indifferent. He decided to congratulate this authority for this gesture and to ask for more, through this letter.
The image was so significant that it remained etched in my memory. It was a very busy day for me. I just saw the link of the tweet, shared in a group by one of my colleagues. Out of curiosity, I opened it and what do I see? : “The Prime Minister received in audience the presidents of the NGOs Parcem and Olucome. Their support to BurundiGov in good governance and the change of mentalities dominated their discussions. » I might not believe my eyes.
Right away, my heartbeat quickened, a deep joy that I had trouble explaining to myself. From that moment, the photos accompanying this tweet never stopped circulating in my head. I have to write something, I resolved, late at night. But what ? A spirit seemed to whisper in my ears: “A Letter to the Prime Minister”. And so here I am.
Bravo, Prime Minister
As an English speaker would say, it was a healing move, that one “. Honestly, the latest news over the hundred million handed over to the World Bank because of low absorptive capacity gave me a bitter taste, a feeling of despair. With this gesture, I said to myself that all is not lost, finally. I feel compelled to congratulate the minister.
Less than five years ago, these two organizations, along with several others, were suspended. Parcem and Olucome have managed to obtain authorization to reopen and it will only be following regarding a year that they will resume their activities. Both work on topics not least, issues relating to governance. Let us tell the truth, evoking the facts linked to bad governance was hitherto perceived as “tarnish the image of the nation”. Since the President of the Republic himself launched into the denunciation, Olucome and Parcem have seized the opportunity. Did you willingly agree to sit down with these two organizations, sir? This is a positive point.
Tomorrow starts today?
Flashback, March 14, 2016. The European Union decides to to suspend direct financial support to the government of Burundi, according to the provisions of article 96 of the Cotonou agreements. Among the requirements, Burundi must show significant progress in terms of respecting the essential elements of the agreement, which are human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law.
This March 14, 2023, we commemorate seven years of an aid suspension, the consequences of which were quick to manifest and for which we are still paying a high price. – mere coincidence that this hearing falls on exactly March 14? – Well, in short, failing to dissuade the regime of the time, the latter rather tightened the noose on civil society organizations and NGOs. A new law on foreign NGOs and one on ASBLs, both in January 2017, came to establish new rules of the game for these groups of actors, making their life more difficult than before.
Is today’s hearing a sign of openness of the regime in place to the action of non-governmental organizations? It is probably too early to say this but it still has the merit of forcing hope, even if the latest imprisonments of certain people active in this type of organization send the opposite signals.
Jokes aside, I’m dying to cross paths with Gabriel Rufyiri and Faustin Ndikumana to ask them: ” Vya vrai, what did you talk regarding? (Seriously, what did you talk regarding? Editor’s note). This hearing will have made me nostalgic for the “National Forum on Development”held on November 14, 2021. I wasn’twhen is the evaluation of progress on the recommendations?
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