Burundi: The Biography of a Small African Country

by Nigel Watt

Burundi is Rwanda's twin, a small country in Central Africa with a complex history of ethnic tension between its Hutu and Tutsi populations and a deep familiarity with traumatic events, including the mass killing of over 200,000 people. Burundi was trapped in a state of civil war until 2004, after which Julius Nyerere and Nelson Mandela mediated a lengthy and eventually successful movement toward peace. Burundi's contemporary era has brought new institutions to the country, including a more open constitution, which led to the election of a majority Hutu government in 2005. Still, apart from ethnic tensions, many problems persist, particularly the entrenched poverty of most Burundians, which has led NGOs to call Burundi one of the most deprived countries on earth. Nigel Watt traces the origins of Burundi's political crises and illuminates recent historical events through interviews with leading political figures and survivors of atrocity. A unique and rare portrait, Watt's "biography" demystifies Burundi's little-understood "ethnic" divisions and provides a thorough understanding of this beautiful and cultured land, which has produced a remarkable line of peacemakers, journalists, teachers, and political and religious leaders.

Genres: History, Africa, Nonfiction, Burundi

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Innocent Magambi]

As a Burundian born in a refugee camp in Congo where my father sought refuge after fleeing the 1972 massacres, I have always loved my country from afar. As the author of Refugee for Life, a book about my own refugee experience, reading this book was an emotional journey. It made me cry, smile, and, most of all, feel deep anger at the atrocities my people have endured and continue to face.

I learned so much that I wasn’t aware of, such as how our kings successfully resisted the slave trade on Burundian soil and the extensive reconciliation efforts that helped bridge the divide between hostile communities.

Thank you, Nigel, for loving my country and for serving my people. Your book has strengthened my determination to be part of the solution—helping my people overcome poverty and build a better future.

[Nico · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seems to lack rigour in its writing, as many events seem somewhat overlooked and/or do not necessarily appear to viewed objectively. If you know close to nothing about Burundi and can't find any other book about the country, then this can provide somewhat of a background to the country.

[Soeren · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I thought the summary of the political situation was easy to follow. I lost interest in the chapter discussing the various NGOs.

[Bangui Boy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview, not particularly detailed

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burundi
Hutu and Tutsi are both indigenous Africans.
Both have equal right to the land.
But the Hutu’s decided they’re sooo much better they should just kill all the Tutsis and steal their stuff.
So they did — repeatedly. This book is mainly about the 1993 genocide, but there are many, many more.

[Jeremy Hopkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some useful background but very amateur and at times unprofessional to the point of being misleading. However, worth a read if you want to get a sense of someone's perspective on what has been happening in Burundi- and in English. And of course no disrespect meant to the author who certainly went to some effort to write it.