PRINCIPLES AND PROGRAM OF THE KOMEZAMAHORO PAN-AFRICAN MOVEMENT OFFICIAL PUBLIC DOCUMENT KOMEZAMAHORO PAN-AFRICAN MOVEMENT The Intelligentsia Policy as the foundation for restoring Burundi’s HONOR PART I — INTRODUCTION CHIEF KARYENDA ADDRESSES BURUNDIAN WOMEN AND MEN Full founding address: announcing the birth of the KOMEZAMAHORO Pan-African Movement Burundian men and women, and you, young people, the future of Burundi; children of our country, children of the heart, children of the kingdom of NTARE: Amahoro n’Urukundo bidusage. May peace and love unite us. If this letter is in your hands today, it is no coincidence. It means the time has come. The time when acting as though nothing concerns us becomes a betrayal of our country. The time to rise and defend BURUNDI’S HONOR has come! The time to break with the ethnic divisions introduced by Belgian colonizers has come. These divisions must be dismantled once and for all. Chief Karyenda does not speak to divide Burundian women and men. I speak to bring you together. I speak to awaken you and restore the unity destroyed by the ethnic categories introduced by the colonizers. 1. We were one country before colonization Before ships crossed lakes and oceans, before maps of countries were forcibly drawn in colonial offices in Europe, before foreign laws determined who we were, we were one Burundian people. In ancient Burundi, the names Umuhutu, Umututsi and Umutwa did not designate ethnic groups. They determined neither human worth, rights, origin, honor nor contempt. These words described the activities of people belonging to different family groups within one country, with one king, one motto, one language — Kirundi — and a shared culture and cultural identity. 2. How colonization turned words into weapons From 1895, Germans entered Burundi by force through violence and killings, intending to take us to America as slaves and colonize our country. This gave rise to expressions such as “Muzungu digidigi — zana amagi, zana amasoro”: “White man digidigi — bring the eggs, bring the taxes.” Then, from 1910, the Belgians arrived; a discriminatory colonial system organized to separate us was born. What I am telling you appears in the colonizers’ own documents. They applied the well-known doctrine “Divide and Rule.” They did the following: • Measured noses and skulls. • Examined our height and appearance. • Treated Burundian women and men as slaves. • Created artificial institutions opposed to the king’s authority. • Deliberately granted some people the right to study and denied it to others. • Introduced identity cards recording ethnicity in Rwanda. • Fragmented Burundi and removed large regions, including BUHA and BUGUFI, attaching them to what is now Tanzania through agreements between Belgians and Britons. The objective was to weaken the strength of our numbers and our ability to resist colonizers. It was a policy of enslavement and colonization. 3. The wound that remains today The ethnic divisions introduced by the Belgians: • Destroyed love between brothers and sisters. • Left fear and hatred among Burundian women and men. • Brought wars since Burundi’s independence. • Provided justifications for killings and brutal governments. • Separated Burundian women and men into Hutu, Tutsi and Twa. This poison remains whenever governments speak to us about ethnic groups instead of teaching us to stand together as Burundians. 4. Why this document exists This document is neither an election campaign instrument, hate speech, revenge, nor a call for killings based on ethnic categories introduced by colonizers. It is a document of unity and freedom for Burundian women and men. These principles and this program exist to explain, teach, awaken, provide answers and show a possible path. They exist to say: “Do not accept defining yourself by ethnic groups introduced by others. You are BURUNDIAN. That is enough.” 5. The role of the Intelligentsia Policy The Intelligentsia Policy began in 2015. It does not seek power merely to command. It puts BURUNDIAN WOMEN AND MEN first, at the heart of the country: their intelligence, conscience, responsibilities and dignity. It states an essential truth: “Burundi cannot change permanently unless Burundian women and men change in their hearts and minds.” 6. Chief KARYENDA’s appeal Burundian women and men, the time of fear is over. The time of ethnic categories introduced by colonizers is over. The time of despair is over. This is the time for profound change: in ideas, conduct, education and responsibilities. 7. Closing appeal of the introduction AWAKEN, BURUNDIAN WOMEN AND MEN! RISE, WE STAND TOGETHER! Join the journey. Be a participant, not a spectator. Your country needs you. One country, without ethnic divisions. One heart. One love. One Burundi. Amahoro n’Urukundo bidusage. KOMEZAMAHORO — PAN-AFRICAN MOVEMENT The Intelligentsia Policy as the foundation for restoring the HONOR of Burundi and its women and men. PART II — KOMEZAMAHORO’S DOCTRINAL FOUNDATIONS THE INTELLIGENTSIA POLICY: VALUING INTELLIGENCE AND COMPETENCE 1. Why a new doctrine is needed Burundi, like many African countries, has not failed because it lacks wealth, intelligence, courage or diligence. It has failed and still suffers because of corrupt and foolish governments that do not fit Burundian realities and place foolishness ahead of intelligence. Democracy as currently established in Burundi has become an instrument for self-serving leaders and a means of dividing Burundian women and men by ethnicity. It does not guarantee the right to vote for the person of one’s choice and has lost its value. These are the reasons the Intelligentsia Policy was born. It does not deny democracy: it complements it, organizes it according to Burundi’s reality, supports it and gives it a direction that benefits Burundian women and men and Africans generally. 2. The central meaning of the Intelligentsia Policy The word “Intelligentsia” comes from Latin and means the ability to understand, learn, research new knowledge and use it coherently. In politics, this means politics should be practiced by Burundian women and men who have heart, a sense of unity, judgment and intelligence. The Intelligentsia Policy states: • Lasting change starts with each Burundian woman and man. • The state reflects how citizens behave. • Change is impossible when individuals accept being blind, indifferent or used as instruments. 3. Burundian women and men at the heart of the country Self-serving leaders’ doctrines often put the party, the leader, ethnicity introduced by colonizers or a heartless state first. The Intelligentsia Policy puts BURUNDIAN WOMEN AND MEN before everything else. Why? A person who pays bribes encourages a corrupt state. A person without a purpose encourages a government without direction. A dignified Burundian woman or man encourages dignified government and a peaceful society. Burundian women and men are Burundi’s foundation. This is where change begins. 4. Changing ideas and conduct The Intelligentsia Policy rests on two central principles. Positive change in thinking: • Break with “I cannot do anything” and affirm “I AM CAPABLE.” • Refuse to become an instrument of ethnic categories introduced by colonizers. • Understand the right to identify as Burundian. • Develop the country and serve it. Positive change in conduct: • Fight corruption. • Reject impunity in the justice system. • Require leaders to account for their responsibilities and provide satisfactory answers. • Build Burundi together. • Refuse to remain a refugee abroad indefinitely. When ideas change, conduct changes. When conduct changes, Burundian women and men rise to build the country. 5. The five pillars of the Intelligentsia Policy Pillar 1: INTEGRATIVE INTELLIGENTSIA — UBWENGE Intelligence comes first and must guide governance, decisions and planning for national development. This pillar rejects institutions that act without preparation, serve only their own interests or are driven by ethnic feelings and the division of citizens. Governing is more than dominating. It means thinking with intelligence, laws and studies for the good and interests of all Burundian women and men. Pillar 2: GIRA ITEKA — THE RULE OF LAW Gira Iteka means: • Respecting and protecting the Constitution and making grounded decisions that honor Burundi. • Managing people’s and the country’s resources properly and respecting Burundian women and men. • Putting the common interest first. • Separating powers and ensuring mutual respect among institutions. Power is not personal property. It entails responsibility for matters affecting Burundian women and men. Pillar 3: ACCOUNTABILITY — UMWETE N’UBWIRA No country can progress without checking that assigned responsibilities have been carried out properly. This requires truth, explanations of actions taken, answers to questions about the mission and acceptance of oversight by competent institutions. No one is above the Constitution. Impunity is the country’s foremost enemy. Pillar 4: POSITIVE CITIZENSHIP — UMURUNDI W’AKARORERO This pillar concerns every Burundian woman and man, anywhere in the world. It means: • Reading the Constitution and knowing one’s rights. • Putting good ideas into practice. • Respecting the law. • Monitoring institutions to prevent the diversion of public resources and exposing wrongdoing wherever it appears. Remaining silent when a wrong is committed neglects the common interest. An exemplary Burundian woman or man strengthens the country for everyone’s benefit. Pillar 5: DEMOCRATIC JUSTICE — INTAHE Y’UKURI Justice must be equal for everyone, independent and accessible to all. Without justice, there is no lasting peace, genuine reconciliation or development. 6. The interaction of the pillars: a new birth The five pillars do not operate separately. They cooperate and support one another. Each Burundian woman and man applies them in daily life wherever they are. As citizens put them into practice, the country changes its conduct. One pillar alone is insufficient. Together, they bring transformation to Burundi. 7. Why KOMEZAMAHORO adopts the Intelligentsia Policy The KOMEZAMAHORO Pan-African Movement adopts it because it goes beyond ethnic ideas introduced by colonizers, recognizes that democracy is misused by institutions that privilege ethnicity based on the shape of people’s noses, and seeks to rebuild Burundi and its women and men. It is not a group of anger and riots. It is a movement to awaken and rebuild Burundian women and men and Burundi. PART III — THE HISTORY OF COLONIAL RULE AND DIVISIONS CREATED BY THE BELGIANS HOW BURUNDI WAS REDUCED IN ORDER TO BE DOMINATED 1. Burundi before colonization: one country, one king Before Europeans arrived, Burundi was neither chaos, a country of scattered populations, nor a collection of warring ethnic groups. It was an organized kingdom with Imana, the king, chiefs, judicial institutions, the Intore — the king’s warriors —, education from childhood, families, cultural identity, customs, unity through marriages and other ceremonies, and one language: KIRUNDI. The words Umuhutu, Umututsi and Umutwa had long existed in Kirundi, but did not designate ethnic groups based on nose shape or political power. They described a position related to resources — cattle, fields and other property — or the activity of one’s family group, such as Abanyakarama, Abasafu, Abagaranzura, Abashoka, Ababibe, Abarwiza and many others. A person’s position could change according to property acquired or lost. From the 1500s, Burundian women and men lived in one country under one king. 2. 1895: the arrival of the Germans, the first colonizers In 1895, German colonizers entered Burundi by force. The king’s Intore defended the country for many years. The Germans ruled through existing authorities; they did not immediately change all customs, but introduced the whip. They also introduced the plan to conquer the kingdom, territorial maps and foreign rule. Burundi lost its full independence and people’s thinking changed. 3. 1906–1910: the Belgians and destructive transformation, the introduction of ethnic groups The Belgians established rule that divided Burundian women and men into three ethnic groups. They did more than govern: they changed every institution’s organization, reduced the territory and taught people to hate one another. The objective was not peace. It was domination, plunder, the prevention of demonstrations and keeping the country in subjection. 4. “Divide and rule” in Burundi The Belgians divided Burundian women and men into ethnic groups to prevent them from thinking together. Nose shape became the criterion for identity. Schools were reserved for Tutsi while others were forcibly excluded. Hatred was established, and ethnicity continues to serve as an instrument of this policy. 5. Turning “ethnic groups” into instruments of power Social terms became political tools and ethnic labels based on differences in noses. Hateful teachings relied on appearance, bodily features and height. Noses, skulls, bodies and heights were measured. Ethnicity became a legal category, a route to advantages for some and an instrument of power. These practices were presented as European “science.” Today they are called ethnic discrimination and are punishable under international law. 6. Ethnic schooling: an instrument of bad government Destroying a country destroys its future. The Belgians introduced schools run by white priests, granted only Tutsi the right to study and denied it to those called Twa and Hutu. Schooling became the privilege of a minority, a political instrument and a means of creating inequalities in knowledge among Burundians. 7. 1926: the division of Burundi, a deep wound To establish the British project called “Tanganyika Territories,” Belgian colonizers ceded a large region situated in present-day Tanzania. That region exceeds the area of Burundi today. A line on paper dividing Burundi in two caused a wound from which the country has not yet healed. 8. Lasting consequences Hatred between those called Hutu and Tutsi, killings, divisions in government, institutions and the army, and Burundi being described as the world’s poorest country do not arise from Burundi’s nature. They are consequences of colonization. 9. Why teaching history matters Not teaching history means accepting lies, giving leaders the means to divide Burundians and returning the future to darkness and colonial subjection. Speaking the truth is not sowing hatred. It is protecting the FUTURE. 10. KOMEZAMAHORO’s position We reject ethnic groups in Burundi because they do not exist. We understand colonization and oppose it. We build a policy grounded in Burundian identity. We deny neither the negative nor the positive aspects of our history. We understand it in order to fight the injustices that came from it. PART IV — BORDERS, TERRITORY AND THE LEGACY OF NTARE RUGAMBA WHEN AFRICA’S MAPS WERE DRAWN, BURUNDI WAS REDUCED, BUT DID NOT DISAPPEAR 1. African borders: a colonial project Current borders did not result from negotiations among Burundians, our kingdom’s own history, or culture, identity and languages. They arose from European conferences without a single Burundian or African participant. The Berlin Conference (1884–1885) decided to divide Africa according to European interests. Burundi did not escape this process: it was reduced and deprived of a region larger than the territory it retains today. 2. Burundi and the Tanganyika region (1921–1962) Before colonization, Burundi was united as a kingdom, in culture, government and social relationships. It belonged to the regional space linked to Lake Tanganyika. BUGUFI and BUHA were provinces of the Kingdom of Burundi. 3. Fragmenting Africa to dominate it Large African countries worried colonizers: unity enables peoples to assert themselves, resist colonization and avoid domination. Their solution was to shrink united kingdoms, create small states divided into groups and establish artificial borders. 4. A colonial line dividing people Maps show straight lines, borders disconnected from African lives and families divided in two. The line in eastern Burundi is neither a river nor a mountain: it is a line of colonial domination. It cut families, trade and the kingdom in two. 5. European agreements without consulting Burundians Borders were established through agreements between Europeans and colonial administrative documents. Burundian women and men were not consulted. 6. Why the territorial issue remains Discussing territory today is not a call to war. It means understanding the origins of our weaknesses, studying how to cooperate with Tanzania and preparing genuine African unity in the Great Lakes region. 7. Resources and global interests A fragmented country is easier to plunder and oppress because of its weakness. The Great Lakes region has valuable minerals, electric power, drinking water, grazing land, extensive agricultural and livestock land, and a large population. Division allows others to exploit us. 8. KOMEZAMAHORO’s territorial position • Recognize current borders as the framework of international law and pursue, through dialogue, the return of territories we consider to have been taken from our country. • Reject war among the countries concerned. • Begin discussions among Burundi, Tanzania, Belgium and the United Kingdom. • Promote education in patriotism and African unity. The answer is not war. It is unity and intelligence. 9. Genuine independence A country is independent when it controls its wealth, protects its borders, understands its past, present and future, lives and cooperates harmoniously with its neighbors — Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania — and protects Burundian women and men. Independence is more than borders. It includes the ability to protect them. 10. The Intelligentsia Policy and territory A country’s size and the place where God situated it can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on its leaders. History prepares the future; when it is not understood, the present becomes dangerous. Remembering without rebuilding ourselves and building a respected country is not enough. PART V — THE ECONOMY, MINERALS AND GLOBAL INTERESTS WHY AFRICA IS THE HEART OF THE WORLD AND BURUNDI THE HEART OF AFRICA 1. The lie that Burundi is poor by nature People often say, “Burundi is the poorest country in the world.” That expression reveals the consequences of bad governments that must be changed. Burundi is not poor by nature: it has been impoverished. Poverty results from colonization, territorial fragmentation, current bad governments, dependence on foreigners and corruption that plunders Burundi while enriching its leaders. 2. Wealth beneath Burundi’s soil Mining maps indicate nickel, vanadium, cobalt, gold, cassiterite, rare earth elements, phosphates, peat, electricity-generating potential and other resources yet to be discovered. This is not insignificant. These are the riches of the twenty-first century. The world needs batteries, new technologies, clean energy, robotics and artificial intelligence. 3. Why major powers seek minerals Science and computing advance quickly. Electric vehicles multiply, satellites and robots become more numerous, wealthy people want to reach Mars and large technology companies expand worldwide. All of this requires coltan, cobalt, gold, nickel, uranium, lithium, rare earth elements and other minerals. The Great Lakes region therefore has strategic importance for global interests. 4. East Africa at the center of global interests The United States, Europe, China, Russia, private investors and major companies watch Congo, Burundi and Rwanda. This is not merely affection: it is interest. 5. The danger facing a divided and weakened country A country fragmented before its minerals are exploited, dominated by ethnic divisions and too weak to negotiate its interests signs poor contracts and is plundered through legally permitted mechanisms. Division is the foremost ally of plunder and thieves. 6. Plundering without building Minerals are diverted by senior institutions, sold cheaply and inadequately processed within the country, then return as products that Burundian women and men find expensive. Burundi remains poor and suffers environmental harm from extraction not planned by environmental specialists, without benefiting from it. Colonization continues in another form. 7. The Intelligentsia Policy and economic independence This policy requires understanding the value of resources, training Burundian experts in strong institutions, working truthfully, properly organizing the mining map and exporting minerals through channels that benefit the country and increase Treasury revenues. Economic independence begins with trained, qualified specialists. 8. The diaspora’s role Burundian women and men abroad possess knowledge the country needs, understand the world, speak many languages and can export Burundian products. They are a bridge between Burundi and the world. A country that neglects its diaspora betrays itself. 9. Public resources: young people’s future Without electricity, markets, schools, health centers, roads, jobs and decent wages, young people leave for other countries, are exploited because of poverty and lose their future. Managing resources well prepares the future of young people. 10. Burundian unity and national wealth Wealth can unite people, build schools and networks and strengthen the country. It can also divide people, fuel corruption and provoke wars. Everything depends on unity among Burundian women and men. 11. KOMEZAMAHORO’s position Wealth belongs to every Burundian woman and man without exception. It must serve everyone’s interests and its benefits must be shared with citizens wherever they live in the world. National wealth is intended for citizens, not solely to enrich institutional officials. PART VI — A PROGRAM OF PRACTICAL ACTION TURNING IDEAS INTO ACTION RATHER THAN REMAINING WITH TEXTS AND WORDS 1. General direction: AWAKEN! KOMEZAMAHORO A country does not change through words alone. It changes through education, organization and cooperation in actions that bring transformation. The KOMEZAMAHORO program brings all members together, offers “NAWE NUZE” — “You too, come” — training, teaches service to the country and the construction of a state governed by the rule of law, and unites Burundian women and men without ethnic discrimination. 2. Activities for every age A. Children (ages 4–12): “I am Burundian” — learning unity and love for the country. B. Adolescents (ages 13–17): “I understand my country” — learning history without hatred. C. Young adults (ages 18–35): “I build the future” — trades, good leadership, technology and African unity. D. Adult women and men (ages 36–60): “I protect my country” — responsibilities, laws and unity. E. Elders (ages 61 and over): “I advise future generations” — expertise, mediation and teaching one another. 3. Activities for refugees Burundian refugees are not a problem. They are forgotten and undervalued national wealth. Activities include learning Kirundi, learning about Burundi, vocational and technical education, and preparing for a peaceful return. 4. The diaspora Organize knowledge, find markets for Burundian products, educate future generations and advocate positively for the country abroad. 5. Women and children For women: leadership, economic development and security. For children: schools, health and security. A country that devalues women and children loses its honor. 6. Burundian culture and communities Activities are organized in provinces, communes, the Great Lakes region and the diaspora. 7. Annual calendar • January–March: organization. • April–June: training. • July–September: action. • October–December: evaluation and planning for the future. 8. Why become a KOMEZAMAHORO member Membership provides access to distinctive training, a voice in projects and the opportunity to build Burundi together. It is not compulsory. People join freely, out of love for our country. PART VII — FINAL APPEAL AND CLOSING CHIEF KARYENDA’S FINAL ADDRESS Burundian women and men, The time of fear is over. The time of divisions is over. Let the time of empty words end. The time to commit ourselves to our country has arrived. RISE, LET US MOVE TOGETHER! Strive for peace without lowering yourself. Demand justice without revenge for the past. Defend freedom without chaos. AWAKEN! Rise through intelligence. Move forward with courage. Build through unity. One God. One language. One Burundi. THE HOMELAND OR DEATH. WE SHALL PREVAIL. CONCLUSION This document is not an ending. It is a beginning. Our children are watching us. When tomorrow’s generations ask what you did for the country, what answer will you leave them? KOMEZAMAHORO — PAN-AFRICAN MOVEMENT The Intelligentsia Policy as the foundation for restoring Burundi’s HONOR.