Burundi has renewed the mandate of its Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CVR) for another four years, extending the work of a body tasked with investigating historical violence, documenting human rights violations and promoting national reconciliation.
The commission’s members took an oath before President Évariste Ndayishimiye and Parliament on Monday, Oct. 26, following the renewal of their mandate.
Established under a May 15, 2014, law, the Commission for Truth and Reconciliation, known by its French acronym CVR, investigates conflicts, massacres, forced disappearances, killings and other serious human rights violations in Burundi’s history. Its work includes collecting testimony from victims and witnesses, conducting historical investigations, holding public hearings and exhuming mass graves.
The commission’s mandate covers historical events dating from the colonial period. Its investigations have included the 1972 violence, while its work also encompasses land disputes and claims involving property allegedly seized during successive crises.
In a recent update published Oct. 23, the commission said it had met local officials from five provinces in Gitega to encourage dialogue and help direct land disputes linked to past crises to the commission.
The commission says its mission is to establish the truth about serious human rights violations and promote forgiveness, reconciliation and social cohesion.
The four-year renewal extends the commission’s work as it continues investigating historical violence and addressing claims related to property loss.
