Letter From a Rwandan to Burundians 

( A translation of http://virgileuzabumugabo.blogspot.com/2015/04/lettres-aux-freres-et-soeurs-burundais.html, by http://allafrica.com/) 

Waza blogger, Virgile Uzabumugabo, sent a message from his country, Rwanda to the people of Burundi. He saw thousands of Burundians crossing the border seeking safety, and he dearly wishes for his Burundian neighbors that the media have it all wrong: that the reported catastrophe did not take place. In this excerpt from his letter, he appeals to Burundians not to give up hope despite the chaos.

Dear Burundian Sisters and Brothers, especially of the younger generation, as you are Burundi's hope, today and tomorrow,

This morning I visited a camp full of people who fled your country because they feared for their safety. If I believe what the media are reporting, the security situation in Burundi is very tense at the moment and could destabilize further at any time. I hope the media are wrong.

The world watched

The world is watching what is happening in your country just like it watched what happened in Rwanda in 1994.

The world watched, but took no action, even though it saw the country erupting into a genocide, which took a million of our parents, brothers and sisters away from us. May God protect you from this.

It seems that the world has already announced that your country can succumb to disaster at any moment. I, however am convinced that there is still hope.

Hope

Yes, there is still hope for your country and that hope is YOU.

YOU, who have been able to read this message because you're on Facebook, WhatsApp, and who, I believe, have a certain level of understanding of and love for your country;

YOU, who can understand that the brother or sister, with whom you are at odds for political reasons, will be there to help you when you are trying to save your burning house, while dignitaries will be safe in their villas or offices;

YOU, who can see beyond the end of your nose and dream of a better Burundi in 10, 20 years, when you will not have to explain to your children why they don't have a grandfather, grandmother, aunt or uncle;

YOU who can rise above ... and imagine a Burundi in which none of your classmates, neighborhood friends (or you yourself, in the worst case) will have to explain to their children why they (or you) spent 10 years in prison while others were able to work and provide for their families;

YOU, who can imagine a Burundi in which a president has won or lost a third term of office without neighbors tearing each other apart or senselessly persecuting each other; and above all

YOU, who understand that no matter which political party, ethnic group or region you belong to, and no matter how MALICIOUS politicians try to exploit other differences in order to create disunity, you are all Burundians.

And when there is no petrol in Burundi, when there is famine or an epidemic, you all suffer, whether you are Hutu, Tutsi, CNDD-FDD, UPRONA, FRODEBU or whatever else.

Whether the president stays in power for a third or even fourth term, or decides to step down and make way for someone else: be careful, do not let malicious politicians manipulate you.

No violence

Do not let them incite you to senseless violence, especially not against your neighbors, your classmates, your colleagues.

Don't be fooled. After all, a country has only one president and in your case two vice presidents and some ministers.

And just because you ran into the street with a club, stones, a vuvuzela; beat up 2, 5 or 8 of your brothers and sisters, this doesn't mean you'll be getting your piece of the pie.

And if you are, or one of your friends is, a member of the Imbonerakure: we know what people are saying about you (him).

Whether this is true or false: it's up to Them to prove it and history will prove you right or wrong.

Unlike the interahambwe

I would like to tell you or your friend that I hope that, unlike the Interahamwe here in Rwanda, people will remember the Imbonerakure as a group of young patriots who, at a crucial moment in the history of their country, knew what was fitting and right, treated people humanely and chose non-violence.

Even if the world and the media held a different opinion.

And YOU, who are not part of the Imbonerakure, you could try to reach out to their members, couldn't you?

After all, they are your neighbors, colleagues, classmates, fellow students. There's no need to read this message to them, but do discuss with them what you have retained from it.

Change

Perhaps the Imbonerakure member you engage with will be able to change two of his colleagues. And wham, two more will change four more, then eight and sixteen...

You will have saved Burundi from the tragedy which the prophets of doom have been forecasting for your mother country.

I love you very much and would like to visit Saga Beach in July to celebrate with YOU the achievements of democracy, knowing that no Burundian will be mourning the loss of a loved one who fell victim to election tumult.

God bless you.

PS: This blog was written on the 21 April 2015, at the very beginning of the conflict in Burundi. But the content is still of value today. If you share it, one, two, three or more hearts may be touched and save one, two or more people.