An economic interpretation of conflict in Burundi

Abstract

This paper uses economic and political analyses to investigate the economics of civil conflicts in Burundi. It shows that conflicts in Burundi have resulted from a combination of poverty, governance policies of exclusion and the fight for the control of the country's limited resources. The public sector being the main source of financial accumulation, Burundian bureaucracy is analysed in detail and is found to be a predatory bureaucracy which cares for its own interests. In order to avoid the recurrence of war in the country, it is recommended that Burundians, with the assistance of other fellow Africans and the international community, first of all break the cycle predation-rebellion-repression. Secondly, the paper recommends that a solution be found to the country's endless problem of impunity whereby criminals responsible for some of the most horrendous crimes have never been prosecuted. The paper remarks that the challenge of bringing peace to Burundi is tall, but that the current mediator, former South African President Nelson Mandela, is probably the best but last hope Burundians can count on to enjoy a peaceful future.