By The Centre for International Governance and Innovation, 2009.
The Arusha Agreement that ended the civil war in Burundi called for balanced representation of Hutu and Tutsi in the security and justice institutions. Lack of professionalism in those sectors prompted security sector reforms that led to the creation of a new national police force (Burundi National Police, BNP). Provisions in the Arusha Agreement called for a systematic vetting of the new forces to weed out those accused of human rights. However, former guerillas and ex-soldiers have found their way into the BNP creating challenges of legitimacy, supervision, discipline and training. This is creating operational difficulties for the institution. In addressing these challenges, the author recommends increased funding, oversight over resources, and an end to arbitrary detention of citizens.
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