On 25 May 1999, the President of the Ligue burundaise des droits de l'homme (The Burundese League for Human Rights (ITEKA)), an organization that defends human rights in affiliation with the Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH), provided the following information:

The New Generation was founded in 1994 by Mr. Dieudonné Nahimana. It is made up of a group of young people in the city of Bujumbura and through a program of cultural and socio-economic mentoring activities, strives to achieve the following objectives: "to develop a spirit of reconciliation, tolerance and peace among youths; to re-emphasize the importance of their culture through artistic and scholastic mentorship; to contribute to socio-economic development by promoting local production." Please find attached a list of the ten members who form the "board of officials" which constitutes the organization's Executive Committee.

In a telephone interview, on 26 May 1999, the founding president and legal representative of The New Generation provided the following information about his organization:

The New Generation is an organization that provides guidance to youths in Bujumbura. It is officially recognized and registered as a non-political organization with the Bujumbura City Hall. The New Generation currently has about 50 members representing every ethnic and social group in the city of Bujumbura. At present, the organization's services are available in only some neighbourhoods, but its future goal is to extend their outreach to cover the entire city. Because the group's only purpose is to provide youths with guidance, so far, it has not been subjected to ill-treatment from either the authorities or other organizations.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Ligue burundaise des droits de l'homme (ITEKA), Bujumbura. 25 Mai 1999. Correspondence from president.

Office of The New Generation, Bujumbura. 26 May 1999. Telephone interview with the founding president and legal representative.

Ligue burundaise des droits de l'homme (ITEKA), Bujumbura. 25 Mai 1999. Correspondence from president.

Africa Confidential [London]. 1994-April 1999.

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. 1994-1998.

L'Autre Afrique [Paris]. June 1998-May 1999.

Amnesty International. 1994-1999.

Country reports. 1995-1999.

Resource Centre Country File: Burundi, since 1994

Electronic sources: Internet research, IRB databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, World News Connection (WNC)

Human Rights Watch. Annual Reports. 1995-1999.

Jeune Afrique [Paris]. 1994-May 1999

La Lettre (FIDH Newsletter) [Paris]. 1994-1998.