BUJUMBURA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Burundian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has discovered over 110 mass graves in Mwaro province in central Burundi, TRC said on Friday in Bujumbura, capital city of Burundi.
"Statistics on mass graves in Mwaro province show that massacres that took place in Burundi in 1972 and 1993 left more than 110 mass graves discovered in several areas of the province," said Monsignor Jean Louis Nahimana, chairman of TRC.
Citizens showed us where those mass graves are located, but we verified before trusting them, said the chairman.
Nahimana was presenting the results of a three-week field visit in Mwaro and Karusi provinces whereby the TRC interviewed 4,792 people who lost members of their families during crises that happened since the east African nation's independence in 1962.
The TRC is mandated to investigate into crimes and perpetrators of massacres that happened in Burundi between Burundi's independence on July 1, 1962 and Dec. 4, 2008 that coincides with the signing of a ceasefire between the Burundian government and the last rebel group -- the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People-National Liberation Forces (Palipehutu-FNL).
Burundi faced several crises that led to inter-ethnic massacres between the Hutu majority group and the Tutsi minority group.
Those massacres notably happened in 1961, 1965, 1969, 1972, 1988, 1991 and in 1993.
Other mass graves were also discovered in Karusi province during the TRC field visit that happened in both provinces between Aug. 9 and Aug. 29 this year.
"In addition to interviewing people who lost members of their families, we also interviewed 30 key witnesses of the 1972 and 1993 crises," said Nahimana.
He urged administration authorities in Mwaro and Karusi provinces to protect the evidence in mass graves as there are some "wrongdoers" who might suppress the evidence of "barbaric" acts.
Nahimana indicated that the TRC will continue its field work in the country's remaining provinces, adding that such a field work has already been achieved in Ngozi, Mwaro, Karusi and in the municipality of Bujumbura.
