Avocats Sans Frontières in Burundi
- Location: 1 central office in Bujumbura, 2 decentralised offices in Gitega and Ngozi
- Date of creation: 1999
- Team: 2 expats, 30 to 35 local collaborators and 35 collaborating lawyers
- Objective: to contribute to the emergence of the rule of law through the establishment of a fair justice system
- Financing: Belgium (DGCD), European Union (EU) and Switzerland (SDC)
Context
After a violent war lasting twelve years and costing the lives of more than 300,000 civilians Burundi is entering a new post-conflict phase. However, the peace is fragile. The FNL (Forces nationales de libération - National Liberation Forces) rebel movement does not recognise the new government. Although the party associated with the movement has declared a cease-fire, the FNL can still de-stabilise the country. The rebels possess more than 125,000 small arms and continue to mount attacks against the population in the Bubanza and Bujumbara provinces.
The latest legislative and presidential elections have radically changed the political landscape. In August 2005, Pierre Nkrunziza, leader of the partyi CNDD/FDD (Défense de la démocratie/Forces de défense de la démocratie - National Council for the Defence of Democracy/Force for the Defence of Democracy), representing the Hutu rebellion, was elected President. New prospects are opening up for the country; the international community is renewing its policy of cooperation and development.
The challenge facing Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world, is enormous. The justice system plays a vital role in guaranteeing sustainable peace and reconstruction in a state under the rule of law. The health of the country depends, among other things, on support of the Burundian legal system as well as a twin accountability mechanism instituted by the Security Council of the UN (in the form of a Truth Commission and a Special Chamber).
Description of ASF programme
ASF aims to contribute to the emergence of the rule of law by improving access to justice for groups and/or populations most at risk and by guaranteeing the independence of the Burundian legal system. The organisation’s work programmes are group around two themes:
1. Facilitating access to justice for groups and/or populations most at risk: 
- Providing legal advice to the population through the organisation’s three legal clinics (Bujumbura, Gitega et Ngozi), its telephone advice line and its presence in places of detention.
- Legal assistance to groups and individuals most at risk.
- Increasing understanding of the law among groups and/or populations most at risk. ASF uses the radio and other popular means of communication to set up awareness-raising campaigns.
2. Guaranteeing a good training for professionals working in the Burundian legal system: 
- Legal assistance for those working in the justice system through its three law clinics (Bujumbura, Gitega and Ngozi), its telephone advice line and its presence in places of detention.
- ASF collaborates with, makes recommendations, and builds the resources available to, lawyers involved in the representation of groups/individuals most at risk.
- Training and round tables on law and other themes linked to specific proceedings, designed for advocates and members of the Burundian Bar.
- Training on the struggle against torture for representatives of local authorities (administrators and police at local level).
- With its Bar programme, ASF collaborates with the Burundian Bar in setting up a system of advice and free, timely, representation.
ASF limits its work on individual cases to the following four types of proceedings:
- Crimes against humanity: ASF works to make recommendations designed to bring a just and final resolution to proceedings resulting from the 1993 massacres.
- Land law and the law of succession. ASF wishes to improve current levels of expertise and to explore new means of resolving conflicts, such as mediation.
- Torture. ASF collaborates with, and strengthens the management capacity of Christian Action for the Abolition of Torture (Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la torture - ACAT) through the organisation of joint activities reaching large numbers of people.
- Sexual assault ASF collaborates with Médecins sans frontières (MSF - Doctors without Borders) through the organisation of joint activities reaching large numbers of people.
Perspectives 
ASF works on a daily basis to ensure that the legal advice and assistance programmes that the organisation has set up work well. As to the training programme, ongoing evaluation and identification of new needs of the population and those involved in the Burundian legal system are essential.
In the near future, ASF wishes to strengthen the management and advocacy work of the Burundian Bar by carrying out joint activities. ASF wishes to develop a transitional justice programme. A precondition for this is to define the role of the organisaiton in relation to the Truth Commission and Special Chamber.
Interesting links
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ASF Programmes
