Martyazo
The Republic of Martyazo (French: République de Martyazo) was a short-lived secessionist state proclaimed by Hutu rebels at Vyanda in Burundi at the province of Makamba in the early May 1972 during the genocidal violence of 1972 as a bid to create a political base.[2][3] At first, the state was located inside the mountainous Vugizo commune, between Makamba and Nyanza Lac. However, it quickly expanded to its surroundings, even reaching the border with Tanzania.
Republic of Martyazo
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| 1972 | |||||||||
 Possible flag[lower-alpha 1] | |||||||||
| Status | Unrecognised state | ||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||
| President | |||||||||
| Historical era | Ikiza | ||||||||
• Established | 1 May 1972 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 9 May 1972 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• Total | 1,960 km2 (760 sq mi) | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Burundi | ||||||||
A few days after the republic was declared, forces of the Tutsi-dominated government of Michel Micombero occupied the region, ending the rebellion and the existence of Martyazo. The number of people to have perished in the rebellion is believed to have ranged between 800 and 1200.[2] Because of the nature of the government and the rebellion, many killed were Tutsi hostages held in plantations in the area tried by the self-proclaimed "people's courts" established in the secessionist state.[1]
Academics have dubbed the state "mysterious"[4] and "ephemeral"[1] because of a lack of reliable information on it. Owing to its life span of little more than a week, no formal government structures were ever established in Martyazo.
Notes
- The flag is described as either a tricolor or bicolor in conflicting reports. An official report released by the secessionist government mentions a green-red-green flag. Contemporary reports, however, mention a green-red-black or even green-red-blue tricolor. This is attributed to the second-hand nature of the information, as well as a language barrier between French and Kirundi.[1]
References
- Jean-Pierre Chrétien & Jean-François Dupaquier, Burundi 1972, au bord des génocides, pp. 89-90
- "The Burundi Killings of 1972 | Sciences Po Mass Violence and Resistance - Research Network". www.sciencespo.fr. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- Cathie Carmichael, Richard C. Maguire, ed. (2015). The Routledge History of Genocide. Routledge. ISBN 9781317514848.
- René Lemarchand, The Dynamics of Violence in Central Africa, p. 136
Further reading
- Jean-Pierre Chrétien & Jean-François Dupaquier, Burundi 1972, au bord des génocides, pp. 89–91.