1996 Burundian coup d'état
Encyclopedia
The 1996 Burundian coup d'état was a military coup d'état
that took place in Burundi
on 25 July 1996. In the midst of the Burundi Civil War
, former president Pierre Buyoya
(a Tutsi
) deposed Hutu
President Sylvestre Ntibantunganya. According to Amnesty International
, in the weeks following the coup, more than 6,000 people were killed in the country. This was Buyoya's second successful coup having overthrown Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
in 1987.
first came to power in Burundi following a military coup
in September 1987, when he deposed Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
. Buyoya was president until the country's first democratic presidential election on 27 June 1993, which was won by Hutu Melchior Ndadaye
. On 21 October, Ndadaye was assassinated, sparking the Burundi Civil War
between Hutu and Tutsi groups. Moderate Hutu Cyprien Ntaryamira
became president in February 1994, but both he and Rwanda
n president Juvénal Habyarimana
were assassinated in April that year, an event that sparked the Rwandan Genocide
. Ntaryamira was succeeded by another Hutu leader, Sylvestre Ntibantunganya.
. The army took power on 25 July, a move announced over the radio by Defense Minister Firmin Sinzoyiheba. Pierre Buyoya was named interim
president. The military takeover was condemned by international leaders including US president Bill Clinton
, United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
and the head of the Organisation of African Unity, Salim Ahmed Salim
. It was the fourth such takeover of the Burundian government since the country's independence in 1962, and the second to result in Buyoya taking power.
, in the weeks immediately following the coup, more than 6,000 people were killed in the country. Buyoya was succeeded as president in 2003 by Domitien Ndayizeye
. The civil war continued until 2005.
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
that took place in Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
on 25 July 1996. In the midst of the Burundi Civil War
Burundi Civil War
The Burundi Civil War was an armed conflict lasting from 1993 to 2005. The civil war was the result of long standing ethnic divisions between the Hutu and the Tutsi tribes in Burundi...
, former president Pierre Buyoya
Pierre Buyoya
Major Pierre Buyoya is a Burundian politician who has ruled Burundi twice, from 1987 to 1993 and from 1996 to 2003...
(a Tutsi
Tutsi
The Tutsi , or Abatutsi, are an ethnic group in Central Africa. Historically they were often referred to as the Watussi or Watusi. They are the second largest caste in Rwanda and Burundi, the other two being the Hutu and the Twa ....
) deposed Hutu
Hutu
The Hutu , or Abahutu, are a Central African people, living mainly in Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DR Congo.-Population statistics:The Hutu are the largest of the three peoples in Burundi and Rwanda; according to the United States Central Intelligence Agency, 84% of Rwandans and 85% of Burundians...
President Sylvestre Ntibantunganya. According to Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, in the weeks following the coup, more than 6,000 people were killed in the country. This was Buyoya's second successful coup having overthrown Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
Jean-Baptiste Bagaza is a Burundian politician who was Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council in Burundi until November 10, 1976, and President from November 10, 1976 to September 3, 1987. While travelling abroad, Bagaza was deposed in a military coup d'état. He was replaced as president by...
in 1987.
Background
Tutsi Pierre BuyoyaPierre Buyoya
Major Pierre Buyoya is a Burundian politician who has ruled Burundi twice, from 1987 to 1993 and from 1996 to 2003...
first came to power in Burundi following a military coup
1987 Burundian coup d'état
The 1987 Burundian coup d'état was a bloodless military coup d'état that took place in Burundi on 3 September 1987. Tutsi president Jean-Baptiste Bagaza was deposed whilst travelling abroad and succeeded by Major Pierre Buyoya, also a Tutsi.-Background:...
in September 1987, when he deposed Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
Jean-Baptiste Bagaza is a Burundian politician who was Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council in Burundi until November 10, 1976, and President from November 10, 1976 to September 3, 1987. While travelling abroad, Bagaza was deposed in a military coup d'état. He was replaced as president by...
. Buyoya was president until the country's first democratic presidential election on 27 June 1993, which was won by Hutu Melchior Ndadaye
Melchior Ndadaye
Melchior Ndadaye was a Burundian intellectual and politician. He was the first democratically elected and first Hutu president of Burundi after winning the landmark 1993 election...
. On 21 October, Ndadaye was assassinated, sparking the Burundi Civil War
Burundi Civil War
The Burundi Civil War was an armed conflict lasting from 1993 to 2005. The civil war was the result of long standing ethnic divisions between the Hutu and the Tutsi tribes in Burundi...
between Hutu and Tutsi groups. Moderate Hutu Cyprien Ntaryamira
Cyprien Ntaryamira
Cyprien Ntaryamira , was President of Burundi from 5 February 1994 until his death when his plane was shot down on 6 April 1994.-Biography:...
became president in February 1994, but both he and Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
n president Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana was the third President of the Republic of Rwanda, the post he held longer than any other president to date, from 1973 until 1994. During his 20-year rule he favored his own ethnic group, the Hutus, and supported the Hutu majority in neighboring Burundi against the Tutsi...
were assassinated in April that year, an event that sparked the Rwandan Genocide
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
. Ntaryamira was succeeded by another Hutu leader, Sylvestre Ntibantunganya.
July 1996 events
On 21 July 1996, Hutu rebels attacked a refugee camp in the country and killed more than 300 people. On 23 July, President Ntibantunganya went into hiding at the home of the US ambassadorUnited States Ambassador to Burundi
The part of Africa that is now Burundi and Rwanda was a feudal monarchy headed by a mwami and a ganwa, a feudal hierarchy of Tutsi nobles and gentry until 1890. In that year the Germans attacked the nation and attempted to subdue it with armed force. Eventually the Germans backed an attempted coup...
. The army took power on 25 July, a move announced over the radio by Defense Minister Firmin Sinzoyiheba. Pierre Buyoya was named interim
Interim
Interim is an album by British rock band The Fall, compiled from live and studio material and released in 2004. It features the first officially released versions of "Clasp Hands", "Blindness" and "What About Us?" — all of which were later included on the band's next studio album Fall Heads Roll —...
president. The military takeover was condemned by international leaders including US president Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1992 to December 1996...
and the head of the Organisation of African Unity, Salim Ahmed Salim
Salim Ahmed Salim
Salim Ahmed Salim a Tanzanian diplomat who has worked in the international diplomatic arena since the early 1960s. Salim is married to Amne and they have three children: Maryam, Ali and Ahmed....
. It was the fourth such takeover of the Burundian government since the country's independence in 1962, and the second to result in Buyoya taking power.
Aftermath
According to Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, in the weeks immediately following the coup, more than 6,000 people were killed in the country. Buyoya was succeeded as president in 2003 by Domitien Ndayizeye
Domitien Ndayizeye
Domitien Ndayizeye is a Burundian politician who was President of Burundi from 2003 to 2005. Of Hutu descent, he succeeded Pierre Buyoya—a Tutsi—as national president on April 30, 2003, after serving as Buyoya's vice-president for 18 months...
. The civil war continued until 2005.