“There is nowhere a human being should be allowed to enslave others.”
This is a statement made by Burundian Catholic Archbishop Simon Ntamwana, referring to the Burundian president who was seeking an extra term in power. The archbishop was implicitly calling the president's actions unjust and unacceptable.
Indeed, the term limit crisis in Africa needs to be considered in the same light as the liberation, decolonization, and democratization movements against slavery and apartheid. Similarly to those struggles in history, today's term limit crisis in Africa is characterized by people struggling against oppression and political injustice.
Emerging leaders are sacrificially taking up leadership roles to lead mass movements towards sustainable justice, peace and freedom. But some of these leaders end up being killed, exiled, or jailed by regimes.
Young people are moving together, calling for leaders to step down. Women and men face tear gas while crying for freedom — for justice and peace. In response, African police forces kidnap, rape, and conduct a general repression to silence the people.
The scenario is alarming. But unfortunately black people's struggle for freedom is going by unseen.
A comparison with slavery and colonialism
The term limit crisis is a legacy of colonialism.
Some African leaders often see themselves as the masters of their people but have no vision for their nations. Most of them came to power after civil wars and have participated in war crimes that they do not know how to exit. They find themselves incapable of delivering on people’s demands for services, and instead fall deeper in crime and corruption as they consolidate their power.
Logically, their only security is to remain in power.
The only difference between the African issue of term limits and other historical black struggles is that our current resistance is against local oppression and not against international invasion. We struggle against our own leaders.
This is indeed what Bishop Ntamwana called “slavery.” African leaders who want to extend their terms in power against the will of the people is nothing less than local political slavery committed by our own leaders. This demands global resistance.
The extent of the crisis
Burundi has been falling back into conflict since April 26, when mass protests broke out in response to the president pushing for an extra term.
Since then, more than 230,000 people have fled the country and are seeking refuge in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia. More than 6,000 people have been detained. Around 1,000 people have been killed. These numbers indicate a growing humanitarian crisis.
Unfortunately, most international interventions are facing a push back from the Burundian regime. Several meetings of the U.N., African Union, and East African Community responding to calls for support have not resulted in action. The strong engagement of the U.S., Europe, and Canada are remarkable but have had few practical outcomes. Despite several meeting of the UNSC, there has been no common understanding among members on how to intervene. The African Union and East African Community remain divided on this issue.
As a consequence of the lack of effective international action, the nonviolent struggle against the president's attempt to gain an extra term in power is turning into an armed struggle. This may lead to another era of a civil war between the same people that fought each other before.
There is a deep need to support nonviolent movements that seek structural justice for unity and sustainable peace.
The Burundian crisis can escalate
Internationally and locally there are fears that Burundi is falling back into the kind of genocide seen in Rwanda in 1994. Once again we are facing fear and are at risk of ethnic violence.
While Burundi is sliding toward a civil war, many other African presidents are seeking extra terms in office, causing division and civil wars over and over again. There are signs that Burundi's neighbor, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is following suit, while Uganda's elections are raising tensions. Congo-Brazzaville and many others could soon follow in our footsteps. Immediate attention is needed for countries that are facing political crises due to the terms of their presidents.
The resistance movements against extra terms in power offer a collective message demanding freedom from local political slavery, and the self-determination we have always wanted ever since the struggle for independence by our fathers.
African leaders must understand that local colonialism is as evil as western colonialism was.
Listening to voices on the margins
When we celebrate independence and the abolition of slavery, or the fall of military dictatorships in black nations, we remember not only the heroes and their works. We also recall their suffering and the obstacles they faced so that we can learn from the past to understand the present.
But we should also pay attention to those struggles faced by the less vocal black communities today. The struggle is far from over.
We cannot celebrate historical victories without bitterness in the mouth. We do need to remember the pain, isolation, torture, shame, and dehumanization our ancient heroes faced. But this is so we can gain courage to participate and stand with the victims in the struggle and suffering of our generation.
The role of the church
Burundi needs international support not to fall back in genocidal wars. The church must take the lead to mobilize for international protection and dialogue towards a peaceful solution.
The nonviolent protests by Burundians have ensured that there is an international discussion about our situation at present. We are grateful for these discussions, but the crisis persists.
Joining Africans in this struggle is a way of helping African people to achieve the dream of freedom and self-determination that has never been achieved. If Africans were helped to cross this watershed peacefully, they would make a step forward to determine who should lead them and where they wanted to be lead to.
Three Ways you can stand in solidarity with Burundians in crisis:
1) Pray.
2) Call the U.S. president, thank him for his position so far, and urge him to push for action, which is immediate protection Mission for making possible dialogue.
3) Reach out to Burundi peace builders and human rights defenders for support and partnership.
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