As Mr. Niyongere was saying, certain regional aspect have to be considered in the ongoing crisis in Burundi. We already see that Interahamwe militia who participated in the Rwanda genocide are currently in Burundi. Very recently, attacks in Rwanda originating in Burundi have been reported. So it is to be feared that this crisis, if it is not resolved quickly, may affect the entire Great Lakes sub-region. We are also starting to see attacks by Burundian rebels from the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As Mr. Niyongere was saying, the region's leaders have different perceptions of the Burundian crisis. Some are trying to make it look like an ethnic issue, but that is not the case. In reality, the current crisis has nothing to do with the previous ethnic crises in Burundi. This is a political crisis stemming from Pierre Nkurunziza's desire to hold on to power. Both the opposition and the current regime are made up of Hutus and Tutsis. So it is false to believe that this is an ethnic crisis. However, some countries in the region are looking at it that way.