Assessing the role of South Africa in Burundi
Date
2013-08-29
Authors
Pillay, Geevanayagi
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Abstract
This paper assesses the role of South Africa in the Burundian conflict between1999-
2004. This paper analyses the role of Third Party intervention and the role played by
the international community in resolving the Burundian civil war. The main purpose
of this research paper is to investigate the role played by external actors in African
civil conflicts and in this case, specifically looking at South Africa’s leading and
challenging role in resolving the civil conflict in Burundi.
The research design that has been followed in this paper was a qualitative approach.
This approach was utilised to collect information which is sensitive in nature so as to
explain the circumstances surrounding the conflict and the resolution thereof. The
information was then collected and then analysed to provide a qualitative explanation
of the events that had occurred and issues surrounding Third Party intervention.
Respondents were informed that their confidentiality of the interviews would be
respected.
This investigation was guided by assessing South Africa’s efforts in the management
and facilitation of the peace process in Burundi in partnership with key external
parties such as the UN, AU and Regional Initiative for Peace in Burundi. An
assessment was also conducted around the limitations and the level of success
encountered by South Africa’s involvement in pursuit of diplomatic, political and
military initiatives.
In the literature survey, conflict resolution, mediation and Third Party intervention
forms the framework of this research paper.
This paper proves that South Africa played an instrumental part in the Burundi civil
conflict, in which their participation, be it foreign policy initiatives, diplomatic efforts
and military power or the central mediation role by South African president Nelson
Mandela. This paper discusses that the Burundi conflict did not occur simply due to
the animosity that existed between ethnic groups however this was a large
contributing factor and the struggle for political power explains the root cause to the
Burundi civil conflict and the manner in which politicians manipulated ethnicity, past
injustices and policies of divide and rule as mechanisms and tools to gain power thus
ensuring economic advantage at the expense of others.
Description
Thesis (M.M. (Security))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Public and Development Management, 2012.
Keywords
Peacekeeping, Burundi, South Africa, Conflict, Civil war