Browsing by Author "Muhimpundu, Betina"

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    The EAC treaty and prevention from internal armed conflicts: the case study of Burundi
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2015) Muhimpundu, Betina
    This dissertation analyzes prevention as one of the mechanisms used to tackle violent conflicts in the East African Community (EAC). The analysis is made with an overview on prevention, as applied regionally and internationally. The EAC regions went through various human rights abuses and internal armed conflicts, but for a long-time more emphasis were put on punitive measures than on preventive measures, and it widened the conflicts. One of the EAC Partner States, Burundi, faced internal armed conflicts. In 2011, these facts were worsened by the denial of the Burundian government to admit the extrajudicial killings that occurred from the post election period 2010-2011. The main question that emerges is how EAC could provide a legal framework on prevention and protection of nationals, without going beyond the principle of sovereignty, especially in case the government acts like a rebel group. When it comes to the internal armed conflicts, the EAC Treaty is vague. However, although those conflicts were considered in the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security and other related draft protocols, they would still need to be ratified, implemented and enforced at national level. As a leader in Peace and Security, the European Union actions of prevention in Yugoslavia can serve as a model for the EAC. Therefore, the main challenge for EAC is no longer the lack of conflict prevention strategy, but the lack of political will for its applicability and implementation at national level. That will help more in preventing and eradicating the source of internal armed conflicts within EAC, particularly in Burundi.