We honor the memory of all Burundians whose lives were disrupted, diminished, and cut short during the era of European colonial domination. From the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, Burundi endured foreign control first under the German Empire and then under Belgian administration, a period marked by loss of sovereignty, exploitation, and deep social upheaval that shaped the nation’s subsequent struggles.

Burundi was brought under German colonial authority as part of German East Africa beginning around 1890, a period that lasted until 1916, when Belgian forces took control during the First World War. Under Britain’s and France’s arbitration of Germany’s defeat, the territory was later placed under Belgian administration from 1916 until Burundi’s independence was formally declared on July 1, 1962.

Colonial policies inflicted profound harm: forced labor, economic expropriation, social disruption, and manipulation of ethnic divisions left long-lasting scars. Recent studies and official reports presented to Burundian authorities estimate that more than 10,000 Burundians were killed directly due to colonial abuses, including massacres, punitive expeditions, and repression of dissent, while countless additional lives were lost indirectly through starvation, displacement, and dislocation.

Yet statistics alone cannot capture the depth of human suffering endured by communities across generations. We remember the hopes of those who resisted oppression and the heavy toll exacted on families and futures.

Notable Burundian leaders killed during the struggle for liberation include Louis Rwagasore (1932–1961), a principled prince and founder of the Union for National Progress (UPRONA), who became a towering voice for independence from Belgian rule. Following his party’s decisive victory in the 1961 legislative elections, he was assassinated on 13 October 1961, just weeks after being appointed Prime Minister — a profound loss for Burundi’s nascent nationalist movement.

Prince Louis Rwagasore is the principal Burundian pro-independence leader whose political murder is directly linked to the colonial context. Colonial authorities and their local allies are widely implicated in creating the conditions and tensions that led to his assassination.

May this tribute renew our commitment to remembering those who sacrificed for Burundi’s freedom and to learning from history so that justice, dignity, and peace may flourish for future generations.