To: Ambassador of Republic of Burundi in Rwanda
CC: Media
Re: Big Issues in Burundi’s Future
Dear Honorable Ambassador of the Republic of Burundi in Rwanda,
My name is Yannick Tona, and I act as Youth Ambassador for Harmony. My mission is to advocate for youth and children, Fighting Against genocide and his ideology, and to encourage all people to henceforth live in peace and harmony.
I recently took a trip to Burundi, leaving on 30/07/2010 and returning on 01/08/2010.During this time I recognized a number of problems, some of which I personally fell victim to. I am therefore writing with great concern to let you know of the problems I witnessed during this trip to Burundi, and to strongly encourage you to do some thinking about these issues:
1 Corruption: After my travelling companion and I crossed the Rwandan border, we proceeded to the Burundian immigration office in Akanyaru. While waiting in line to receive our Burundian Visas, we were reminded by a police officer that all People who are not Original Rwandans or East Community travelers should present their passports as they would need to pay for their Visas. These travelers complied by moving from the line and waiting off to the side. After getting my passport stamped, however, I found my companion still waiting. She informed me that there were no receipts, and that she had been instructed to pay for her Visa at the Office of Immigration in Bujumbura instead: an otherwise unnecessary trip that would have taken more that 45 minutes. After a long wait, the police officer called me over to state that if he was to provide us with the papers necessary to pay in Bujumbura, I would need to buy him a drink (corruption). I was personally shocked by his behavior, especially considering I was with a foreigner to whom we aught to be presenting a positive image of our continent.
This type of behavior dishonors all Burundians who have long fought for independence and liberty and for the development of their nation, including you and your government, Mr. Ambassador. Indeed, it dishonors all Africans. That corruption is becoming a big problem in Burundi I am sure you are aware, but my worry is for the youth growing up in this culture of corruption. Unless given good examples the youth will do the same, and if this type of behavior is presently acceptable, what will be the future of the country? Mr. Ambassador, it is only for the youth of your nation , I strongly encourage you to continue the fight against corruption in the country.
2 Children: The problem of impoverished street children is also detrimental to the future of Burundi. Recovering from a recent war means there are a lot orphans, and indeed one of the first things I recognized upon arriving at the Burundian border was the sheer quantity of children on the streets. Mr. Ambassador, these children are the future leaders of Burundi and they need your support. I have had the great pleasure of meeting some Burundian associations who are trying to help these children, but most told me that they don’t have government support. For the future of your nation and Africa, I also encourage you and your government to support these associations.
In the wake of all that I witnessed, Mr. Ambassador, I would like to propose a conference wherein we can invite Burundian youth to come together and debate these kinds of issues in Burundi. This conference would encourage them to become more involved in the decision making process, empowering them to help their communities without waiting on the government to do everything for them. As I am sure you would agree, it is important that we teach our youth to become more active in their futures and to take responsibility for those actions.
Mr. Ambassador, I cannot finish without also expressing my gratitude to your government for the major steps they have already taken to establish security in Burundi and for all other positive things. The hospitality shown to me by Burundian citizens during my trip was amazing, and I have great hope for the future of your country.
Thank you so much for your time,
Yannick Tona
Youth Ambassador for Harmony
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