Third Republic

The Third Republic of Burundi began in September 1987 when Major Pierre Buyoya overthrew the Second Republic. This change was largely driven by a crisis in church-state relations. Buyoya, a Tutsi, led a military junta and repealed restrictions on the church, releasing political prisoners. However, discriminatory practices against the Hutu majority persisted, leading to ethnic violence in August 1988, which resulted in over 20,000 deaths, primarily Hutu. Buyoya's response was conciliatory, acknowledging the Hutu-Tutsi issue and aiming for ethnic parity in government. A new constitution in 1992 prohibited tribalism, and the first democratic election in 1993 brought Hutu president Melchior Ndadaye to power.12