Like its neighbors, Congo and Rwanda, Burundi is a war-torn land. Its troubles have not riveted world attention in recent years, probably because Burundi's rebels failed to plumb the depths of savagery seen in Rwanda and Congo. But, unlike its neighbors, this year can mark a turning point for Burundi. Thanks to agreements between the rebels and the government that Nelson Mandela and South African Vice President Jacob Zuma helped broker, Burundi can now either turn decisively away from civil strife, or risk a return to the machete politics that have mauled Africa's Great Lakes region for a decade.
Like its neighbors, Congo and Rwanda, Burundi is a war-torn land. Its troubles have not riveted world attention in recent years, probably because Burundi's rebels failed to plumb the depths of savagery seen in Rwanda and Congo. But, unlike its neighbors, this year can mark a turning point for Burundi. Thanks to agreements between the rebels and the government that Nelson Mandela and South African Vice President Jacob Zuma helped broker, Burundi can now either turn decisively away from civil strife, or risk a return to the machete politics that have mauled Africa's Great Lakes region for a decade.