JANVIER BIGIRIMANA Commendable encounters with DefendDefenders

My name is Janvier Bigirimana, the Secretary General of the Forum for Consciousness and Development (FOCODE), an organisation of Burundian origin created in 2002, to fight for human rights. I joined FOCODE in 2004, when I was at the University of Burundi. Since becoming a member, I ascended to become part of the executive committee, which is why today I am the Secretary General of this organisation.

I have known DefendDefenders for more than a decade, but I would say that the most important moment that remains engraved in my memory is in 2014 when they convened Claiming Spaces, a large event organised in Burundi where several human rights defenders (HRDs) from Burundi and the diaspora, plus state authorities were invited. It was a great success. Afterwards, the HRDs in Burundi requested and obtained assistance in the form of a grant from DefendDefenders. I think DefendDefenders was among the first partners to support the work of the HRDs in Burundi.

Then, following the 2015 political crisis in Burundi, several HRDs, including former demonstrators, opponents, journalists, and lawyers who work on the issues of human rights were forced to flee Burundi and go into exile, including the FOCODE leaders. DefendDefenders helped many of us to escape and find refuge. Since then, we continue receiving support of DefendDefenders, who have done their best to ensure that the Burundian HRDs would not be extinguished and would continue our work.

DefendDefenders plays a big role in supporting HRDs’ work in several African countries, and it is an organisation that has allowed HRDs to emerge, to be visible, to participate and interact with regional mechanisms like the African Commission (for Human and People’s Rights – ACHPR) and international mechanisms, but also in questions of Pan-African interests.

It must be noted that DefendDefenders has not only supported the work of HRDs. It has also supported individual HRDs who personally needed capacity enhancement ; who wanted to do skills training and pursue further studies; HRDs who were threatened and had to be exfiltrated from the country for their safety. There are HRDs who fell ill while in exile, or who lost their family members. In all these cases, we have had the support of DefendDefenders. It is very commendable that DefendDefenders can offer this level of psychological support, and support in every way in the individual life of each HRD.

I salute this level of work that is carried out by DefendDefenders, because it is a reliable partner for HRDs. It is an organisation that has good leadership, and I think that DefendDefenders will be able to move forward to become the reference organisation for human rights at African level, restoring ethics in terms of defending human rights.

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JANVIER BIGIRIMANA Commendable encounters with DefendDefenders

I have known DefendDefenders for more than a decade, but I would say that the most important moment that remains engraved in my memory is in 2014 when they convened Claiming Spaces, a large event organised in Burundi where several human rights defenders (HRDs) from Burundi and the diaspora, plus state authorities were invited.

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“Many of my colleagues also went through similar experiences, where DefendDefenders was able also to strategise their protection. Instead of being kidnapped or even detained, other colleagues were relocated to safer spaces across the continent. Some have been able to continue with their work, all thanks to DefendDefenders’ support, which is so important to the human rights fraternity.”

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