this curious life

When people think of genocide in Africa, Rwanda comes to mind, but neighbouring Burundi has also faced numerous massacres and has addressed ethnicity head on to find healing, writes the BBC's Kevin Mwachiro.

 

'When people think of genocide in Africa, neighbouring Rwanda usually comes to mind after the slaughter of some 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus in 100 days in 1994.

 

But over the years Burundi, which has a similar ethnic make-up and tensions, has also faced killings by both Tutsi and Hutus, driving a wedge into the fabric of the nation.

 

The most shocking was in 1972, when some estimate up to 300,000 Hutus were massacred in six weeks.'