Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People
Encyclopedia
The National Forces of Liberation , formerly Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People (also known as PALIPEHUTU, the acronym of its french name Parti pour la libération du peuple hutu) is a rebel group in Burundi
which fought in the Burundi Civil War
for the Hutu
ethnic group. The armed wing of PALIPEHUTU were the National Forces of Liberation (FNL or Forces nationales de libération). The FNL is led by Agathon Rwasa
and is estimated to have around 3,000 combatants.
A dissident wing is led by Jean Bosco Sindayigaya.
PALIPEHUTU was founded in 1980 in refugee camps in Tanzania
, where Hutu
s had fled following persecution by the Tutsi
-led government. PALIPEHUTU advocated armed struggle and established its armed wing, the FNL, in 1985. The National Liberation Front
(FROLINA) split from PALIPEHUTU in 1990, and the armed wing PALIPEHUTU-FNL, led by Cossan Kabura split from the political wing of PALIPEHUTU in 1991. The political wing of PALIPEHUTU was renamed the Party for the Liberation of People-Agakiza
and is led by Etienne Karatasi. In 2002 PALIPEHUTU-FNL split into two factions, one led by Kabura and one by Agathon Rwasa
.
Generally, PALIPEHUTU's support comes more from the central region of Muramvya
and Lake Tanganyika
, whereas the main Hutu political party CNDD
derives its support from the southern Bururi
region.
During the civil war, PALIPEHUTU-FNL was linked to the killing of Monsignor Michael Courtney
, the Catholic Church's chief representative in Burundi, the Titanic Express massacre
and the Gatumba
massacre in which over 150 Banyamulenge
Congolese
refugees were killed.
PALIPEHUTU also fought in the Second Congo War
alongside the Congolese army, the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda
and the Mai-Mai
against the Burundian army.
Following the Gatumba massacre, the Great Lakes Peace Initiative declared PALIPEHUTU-FNL to be a terrorist organisation, and the South African President, Thabo Mbeki
called on the International Criminal Court
to prosecute.
PALIPEHUTU-FNL was the last Hutu rebel group to sign an agreement with the Burundi government, which it did in September 2006
Further agreements led to a final agreement in December 2008, according to which it also changed its name to remove "PALIPEHUTU" to leave only "FNL" as its name (as Burundian political parties may not refer to ethnicities in their names).
On May 15, 2009, UNICEF informed that 136 ex FNL child soldiers returned to their communities 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...
which fought in 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...
for the 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...
ethnic group. The armed wing of PALIPEHUTU were the National Forces of Liberation (FNL or Forces nationales de libération). The FNL is led by Agathon Rwasa
Agathon Rwasa
Agathon Rwasa is a Burundian politician and the leader of the National Liberation Forces . He was a Hutu militia leader during the Burundi Civil War.Rwasa was reported to be a Born-again Christian....
and is estimated to have around 3,000 combatants.
A dissident wing is led by Jean Bosco Sindayigaya.
PALIPEHUTU was founded in 1980 in refugee camps in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, where 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...
s had fled following persecution by the 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 ....
-led government. PALIPEHUTU advocated armed struggle and established its armed wing, the FNL, in 1985. The National Liberation Front
National Liberation Front (Burundi)
The National Liberation Front is an ethnically Hutu rebel group that sometimes functions as a political party in Burundi. The FLN has been considered a minor group in the Burundian Civil War compared to the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy, and to...
(FROLINA) split from PALIPEHUTU in 1990, and the armed wing PALIPEHUTU-FNL, led by Cossan Kabura split from the political wing of PALIPEHUTU in 1991. The political wing of PALIPEHUTU was renamed the Party for the Liberation of People-Agakiza
Party for the Liberation of People-Agakiza
The Party for the Liberation of People-Agakiza is a small political party in Burundi led by Etienne Karatasi, which split from the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People...
and is led by Etienne Karatasi. In 2002 PALIPEHUTU-FNL split into two factions, one led by Kabura and one by Agathon Rwasa
Agathon Rwasa
Agathon Rwasa is a Burundian politician and the leader of the National Liberation Forces . He was a Hutu militia leader during the Burundi Civil War.Rwasa was reported to be a Born-again Christian....
.
Generally, PALIPEHUTU's support comes more from the central region of Muramvya
Muramvya
Muramvya is a city located in central Burundi. It is the capital city of Muramvya Province....
and Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake...
, whereas the main Hutu political party CNDD
National Council for the Defense of Democracy
The National Council for the Defense of Democracy is a former ethnic Hutu rebel group that now functions as a political party in Burundi. The party is led by Léonard Nyangoma and holds seats in both chambers of Parliament .At the legislative elections in 2005, the party won 4.9 % and 4 out of 118...
derives its support from the southern Bururi
Bururi
Bururi is a city located in southern Burundi. It is the capital city of Bururi Province and has around 20.000 inhabitants in 2007.In 1972, local Hutu gendarmes in Bururi drove out military and civil government control of the Tutsi military regime of Micombero. A republic was declared, and a week...
region.
During the civil war, PALIPEHUTU-FNL was linked to the killing of Monsignor Michael Courtney
Michael Courtney
Michael Aidan Courtney was the Apostolic Nuncio to Burundi and Titular Archbishop of Eanach DúinCourtney was born in Summerhill in Nenagh, County Tipperary...
, the Catholic Church's chief representative in Burundi, the Titanic Express massacre
Titanic Express massacre
The Titanic Express massacre was an event which took place on 28 December 2000, in which 21 people were killed in an attack on a bus, the “Titanic Express”, close to the Burundi capital Bujumbura....
and the Gatumba
Gatumba
The village of Gatumba lies on the western side of Burundi, near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The place is known for a massacre that took place at a refugee camp connected to the village.-Massacre:...
massacre in which over 150 Banyamulenge
Banyamulenge
The Banyamulenge is a term historically describing the ethnic Tutsi Rwandans concentrated on the High Plateau of South Kivu, in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , close to the Burundi-Congo-Rwanda border...
Congolese
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
refugees were killed.
PALIPEHUTU also fought in the Second Congo War
Second Congo War
The Second Congo War, also known as Coltan War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and officially ended in July 2003 when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power; however, hostilities continue to this...
alongside the Congolese army, the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda
Army for the Liberation of Rwanda
The Army for the Liberation of Rwanda was a rebel group largely composed of members of the Interahamwe and Armed Forces of Rwanda that carried out the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. Operating mostly in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo along the border with Rwanda, it carried...
and the Mai-Mai
Mai-Mai
The term Mai-Mai or Mayi-Mayi refers to any kind of community-based militia group active in the Second Congo War and its aftermath in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , formed to defend their local territory against other armed groups...
against the Burundian army.
Following the Gatumba massacre, the Great Lakes Peace Initiative declared PALIPEHUTU-FNL to be a terrorist organisation, and the South African President, Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
called on the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
to prosecute.
PALIPEHUTU-FNL was the last Hutu rebel group to sign an agreement with the Burundi government, which it did in September 2006
Further agreements led to a final agreement in December 2008, according to which it also changed its name to remove "PALIPEHUTU" to leave only "FNL" as its name (as Burundian political parties may not refer to ethnicities in their names).
On May 15, 2009, UNICEF informed that 136 ex FNL child soldiers returned to their communities in Burundi.