Introduction

Like its neighbors Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the tiny African country of Burundi has a long history of internal violence. Members of the Hutu and Tutsi tribes have often fought for control of Burundi.

Historical Background

In 1993, the country's first democratically elected president, a Hutu, was voted into office; his assassination a few months later sparked a civil war that resulted in more than 100,000 deaths and a million refugees.

Peace Efforts and Current Situation

In November 2003, a peace agreement was signed that many observers hoped would end the bloodshed in Burundi. But although the peace has held for a decade, the country is still struggling to recover from its history of ethnic violence.