The government of Burundi says that Rwanda should handover a group of 20 people allegedly responsible for plotting a coup in 2015.
Albert Shingiro the head of Burundian Diplomacy on Thursday briefed media saying Gitega’s position has not changed regarding to the demands that Rwanda handsover the twenty putschists.
Gitega still demands the extradition of the authors of the failed coup of May 13, 2015 against the late President Pierre Nkurunziza, who have found refuge in Rwanda.
Kigali maintains that the said Burundians are under the protection of the UNHUR
“We want very good relations with all our neighbours. Even with Rwanda, a country with which we had problems following the 2015 crisis, we are doing everything we can to return relations to normal,” said Minister Shingiro.
Despite the tete-a-tete between the Rwandan President and the Burundian Head of State, on the sidelines of the 20th extraordinary summit of the EAC held last weekend, despite their handshake and their long hugs, relations between Kigali and Gitega are not yet in good shape.
“You have seen that the Rwandan Head of State, Paul Kagame came to Burundi on Saturday February 4, it is an important step in the process of renormalizing relations between our two countries. But there is still a sticking point of contention. We are waiting for them to hand over to us the perpetrators of the coup attempt of May 2015, who have requested asylum in this country,” said Minister Albert Shingiro.
“We dare to hope that they will return them to us shortly or as they see fit because we remain convinced that a country cannot sacrifice good neighborly relations to put forward the interests of around twenty people”, states the head of Burundian diplomacy.