50 years of Independence

In 2012 Burundi will celebrate 50 years of independence. To reflect on the turbulent past that is still haunting the country, La Benevolencija will start a new programme series. It will be called

Akahise Kadasorongoye, or unfinished past. A series of radio documentaries, newspaper articles and publications la Benevolencija will present different versions of history, without claiming to present a complete and final picture.

With these programmes, La Benevolencija wishes to contribute to a critical reflection in Burundi on its own history, without judging and generalising into concepts of “good or wrong”. The stereotypical approach of Hutu versus Tutsi or vice versa still dominates the intellectual and popular debate. That puts a limit on the development of a shared history.

The serial itself will last for a full year and will develop 50 programmes of 30 minutes each, and press articles. Each program will reflect on a single year of independence and focus on what happened during that particular year. Starting in the year of its independence, 1962, the program will run until 2012, leading up to the official celebration of Burundi’s independence in July 2012.