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Burundi

From Bahaipedia
 Burundi
Celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Faith in Burundi.
Location of Burundi
National AssemblyBurundi
Statistics:
Total Population
 -  UN 2021[1] 12,551,213
Bahá'í pop.
 -  Bahá'í source  
 -  Non-Bahá'í source 8,654
History:
Firsts
 -  Local Bahá'í Selemani Bin Kimbulu 
 -  Pioneers Dunduzu Chisiza
Mary Collison
Rex Collison 
 -  Local Assembly 1957, Usumbura 
 -  National Assembly 1969, with Rwanda
1972, independently 
How to contact:
 -  Email bahaiburundi@yahoo.fr
Official Website https://www.bahai.org/national-communities/burundi
Related media
Categories: Burundi • People

The Republic of Burundi is a country located partially in East Africa and partially in Central Africa. The official languages of the country are Kirundi, which is also the national language, and French and English.

The area has been inhabited since ancient times, and by the 17th century the Kingdom of Burundi had been established. In the late 19th century the German East Africa Company began establishing itself in the area and in 1891 the colony of German East Africa was established with Burundi being annexed but the monarch remaining in power. During the First World War the allied powers occupied German East Africa and in 1922 Ruanda-Urundi (now the separate countries Rwanda and Burundi) became a League of Nations mandate territory of Belgium. In 1945 Ruanda-Urundi became a Trust Territory of the United Nations under Belgian control. In 1962 Burundi became an independent country.

The Bahá'í Faith was established in Burundi in the 1950's and grew steadily throughout the 1960's. In the 1970's restrictions were briefly placed on the Bahá'í community with activity being banned, but they were repealed after a short time. In the 1990's civil unrest in the country led to the Bahá'í community suffering as did the majority of the population. In 2011 the Bahá'í community had recovered to the extent that the National Spiritual Assembly was re-established.

History[edit]

At the opening of the Ten Year Crusade in 1953 opening Ruanda-Urundi to the Faith was a goal set for the National Spiritual Assembly of India, Pakistan, and Burma.[2] Rex and Mary Collison of America, and Dunduzu Chisiza of Malawi pioneered to Usumbura with all three arriving in the territory on May 1, 1953.[3][4][5] Chisiza served as translator for the Collisons.[6] In 1954 the Collisons had their visas renewed for another two years,[7] and by the close of 1954 some people had declared in Usumbura, but the Collison's noted that their teaching work had been hampered by their inability to speak French.[8] The first person to become a Bahá'í in what is now Burundi was Selemani Bin Kimbulu.[9] Despite having renewed their visas the Collison's and Chisiza had to depart Ruanda-Urundi in 1955 after just eighteen months in the country due to policies of the Belgian government.[10] There were twenty Bahá'ís in the country upon their departure.[11]

In 1956 the National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa was formed, which had the responsibility of administering the Faith in Ruanda-Urundi.[12] One delegate from Ruanda-Urundi participated in the election of the inaugural Assembly at the first Convention for Central and East Africa held in Kampala.[13] In 1957 a Local Spiritual Assembly was established in Usumbura.[14] In 1959 Philip Hainsworth visited Usumbura and assisted the Assembly in gaining a Haziratu'l-Quds, and having a letter recognizing the Bahá'í community written by the local Governor.[15]

In 1960 Alí Nakhjavání visited Usumbura for ten days, and noted that there had not been a Bahá'í pioneer living there for five and a half years, but that the community was engaging in teaching work in neighboring villages.[16] As of 1964 there were three Local Spiritual Assemblies in Burundi.[17] In 1964 the National Spiritual Assembly of Uganda and Central Africa was formed and was assigned responsibility for administrating the Faith in Burundi.[18] In 1969 the National Spiritual Assembly of Burundi and Rwanda was formed.[19] Enoch Olinga represented the Universal House of Justice at the body's formation.[20]

As of 1972 there were forty Local Spiritual Assemblies in Burundi with fifty localities having been opened to the Faith, and that year Rwanda and Burundi both established independent National Spiritual Assemblies.[21] In 1973 Rúhíyyih Khánum visited Burundi for one day, stopping in Bujumbura. The country was in a state of emergency at the time of her visit and as such no public meeting could be held, however Rúhíyyih Khánum was able to meet with an Egyptian pioneer family and five African Bahá'ís.[22]

In 1974 restrictions were placed on the Faith in Burundi by the government banning Bahá'í activities on the recommendation of the country's Egyptian charge d'affaires who provided inaccurate information to the Burundi Minister for Justice. The Universal House of Justice consulted with the government through Aziz Navidi and in 1975 the restrictions were lifted nationally, however it was left to local officials' discretion whether or not to keep them in place. Local Spiritual Assemblies were re-established where possible.[23] In 1978 the National Spiritual Assembly was re-established.[24] Dr. ‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá represented the Universal House of Justice at the re-establishment of the Assembly.[25] At some point Gamal Rushdy secured full legal recognition of the Bahá’í Faith with the government of Burundi.[26]

In 1980 a public meeting at which two Bahá'ís spoke on the Faith was attended by three hundred students at Notre Dame College in Gitega.[27] In the early 1980's the Kagunuzi School was established, financed by the National Assembly.[28] In September 1985 the National Haziratu'l-Quds of Burundi in Bujumbura was inaugurated.[29] In 1986 a copy of The Promise of World Peace, the peace statement by the Universal House of Justice, was sent to the Head of State of Burundi by mail.[30] In October 1988 the Minister of Justice of Burundi approved a legal representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of Burundi.[31] In 1989 a Bahá'í Center in Ndava was inaugurated.[32]

In early 1996 a Local Spiritual Assembly was reformed in Rohero and elected to the body were two Hutu members, three Tutsi members, three Canadian members, and one Iranian member. In Bahá'í World Volume 24 this was noted as a landmark occasion, as the diversity of the Assembly contrasted with the unrest in the rest of the country.[33] At Ridvan 1996 the National Spiritual Assembly of Burundi was disbanded due to the unrest sweeping the country.[34] Many Bahá'ís had left the country due to unrest, during which some Bahá'ís had been killed and several regional Bahá'í centers were destroyed.[35]

The golden jubilee of the Bahá'í Faith in Burundi was celebrated at the national Bahá'í center in Nyakabiga in August 2004.[36] In 2011 the National Spiritual Assembly of Burundi was re-established.[37]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  2. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1956). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 12 (1950-1954), Pg(s) 122. View as PDF.
  3. ↑ Baha'i News (1959). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 339, Pg(s) 8. View as PDF.
  4. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 455. View as PDF.
  5. ↑ Baha'i News (1954). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 277, Pg(s) 6. View as PDF.
  6. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2006). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 33 (2004-2005), Pg(s) 45. View as PDF.
  7. ↑ Baha'i News (1954). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 281, Pg(s) 6. View as PDF.
  8. ↑ Baha'i News (1954). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 283, Pg(s) 11. View as PDF.
  9. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2006). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 33 (2004-2005), Pg(s) 45. View as PDF.
  10. ↑ Baha'i News (1970). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 475, Pg(s) 3. View as PDF.
  11. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2006). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 33 (2004-2005), Pg(s) 45. View as PDF.
  12. ↑ Baha'i News (1954). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 285, Pg(s) 2. View as PDF.
  13. ↑ Baha'i News (1956). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 305, Pg(s) 7. View as PDF.
  14. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 1120. View as PDF.
  15. ↑ Baha'i News (1959). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 339, Pg(s) 8. View as PDF.
  16. ↑ Baha'i News (1960). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 351, Pg(s) 4. View as PDF.
  17. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1974). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 14 (1963-1968), Pg(s) 125. View as PDF.
  18. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1974). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 14 (1963-1968), Pg(s) 96. View as PDF.
  19. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 205. View as PDF.
  20. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 629. View as PDF.
  21. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 205. View as PDF.
  22. ↑ Baha'i News (1973). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 513, Pg(s) 20. View as PDF.
  23. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1978). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 16 (1973-1976), Pg(s) 137. View as PDF.
  24. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1981). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 17 (1976-1979), Pg(s) 86. View as PDF.
  25. ↑ Baha'i News (1978). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 569, Pg(s) 2. View as PDF.
  26. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2000). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 27 (1998-1999), Pg(s) 312. View as PDF.
  27. ↑ Baha'i News (1980). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 593, Pg(s) 16. View as PDF.
  28. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 226. View as PDF.
  29. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1994). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 19 (1983-1986), Pg(s) 90. View as PDF.
  30. ↑ Baha'i News (1988). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 683, Pg(s) 3. View as PDF.
  31. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 554. View as PDF.
  32. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 168. View as PDF.
  33. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1997). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 24 (1995-1996), Pg(s) 108. View as PDF.
  34. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 25 (1996-1997), Pg(s) 41. View as PDF.
  35. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2006). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 33 (2004-2005), Pg(s) 43. View as PDF.
  36. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2006). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 33 (2004-2005), Pg(s) 43-45. View as PDF.
  37. ↑ https://news.bahai.org/story/822/


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