Narratives of Ethnic and Political Conflict in Burundian Sites of Persuasion

Burundian memorial sites, including Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero, reflect local partisan narratives rather than a unified national historical memory of ethnic violence. Unlike Rwanda, these sites lack international positioning for tourism and instead serve as tools of persuasion aligned with the ruling party's perspective at the time of their construction. The study reveals that Burundian government-supported memorials have not consistently advocated for reconciliation or national remembrance but have been shaped by contradictory local efforts to commemorate genocide and ethnic conflict, primarily for a domestic audience in this densely populated country.

Nimuraba, S. V., & Irvin-Erickson, D. (2019). Narratives of Ethnic and Political Conflict in Burundian Sites of Persuasion. Museums and Sites of Persuasion, 174–192. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781138567825-14