- Agathon Rwasa
Agathon Rwasa is a former
Burundi anHutu militia leader and the leader of theNational Liberation Forces ("Forces pour la Liberation Nationale", FNL).Rwasa was reported to be a
Born-again Christian . [http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/anctoday/2004/at33.htm Young lions of the African Century] , "ANC",2004-08-20 , accessed on2007-07-07 ]Burundi was ruled by the minority
Tutsi UPRONA from independence in 1962 until the 1993 election which was won by the majorityHutu FRODEBU party. Three months later the new president was assassinated and UPRONA took power back in a military coup. Two groups - theCNDD-FDD andPALIPEHUTU-FNL started an armed rebellion against the military government which became theBurundi Civil War .In 2002, Agathon Rwasa seized control of most of the FNL from the then leader, Cossan Kabura.
Agathon's FNL was linked to three of the worst incidents of the civil war:
* The
Titanic Express massacre in December 2000
* The massacre of 152Banyamulenge Congolese refugees atGatumba in August 2004
* The killing of Monsignor Michael Courtney, the Catholic Church's chief representative in BurundiFollowing the Gatamba masscre, South African President Thabo Mbeki called on Rwasa to be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court and the
Great Lakes Regional Peace Initiative declared the FNL as aterrorist organisation . The Burundian government also issued an arrest warrant for Rwasa.The FNL has also been accused of using hundreds of
child soldiers , and for killing and maiming children. [ [http://www.un.org/children/conflict/english/burundi28.html Developments in Burundi] , "Office of the UN Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict",2006-11-06 ]The FNL also intervened in the
Second Congo War .In September 2006 the FNL signed a peace deal with the government. [ [http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/east_africa/0,2172,134464,00.html Burundi govt, FNL sign ceasefire agreement] , "
SABC ",2006-09-07 , accessed on2007-07-07 ]In January 2007 it was alleged that Rwasa had demanded $12m to stop killing people.
ee also
*
Cases before the International Criminal Court#Burundi References
External links
* [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/london/2005/07/316594.html News story on peace process]
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