Michel Micombero: Difference between revisions
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'''Michel Micombero''' (1940–[[July 16]], [[1983]]) was the first [[Rulers and Heads of State of Burundi|President]] of [[Burundi]] from [[November 28]], [[1966]] to [[November 1]], [[1976]]. |
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In the years after independence Burundi had seen a rapid descent into anarchy. The king [[Mwambutsa IV]] rapidly changed the Prime Minister as anti-[[Tutsi]] forces threatened to unleash the same violence as had hit [[Rwanda]]. On [[October 18]], [[1965]], [[Hutu]] leader [[Gervais Nyangoma]] launched a [[coup]], ousting the king. Soon afterward the largely Hutu police force, under the control of [[Antoine Serkwavu]], began to massacre Tutsis in some parts of the country. |
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Michel Micombero was a young Tutsi army captain who had been born in [[Rutovu]]. In 1965 he had only recently returned from school in [[Belgium]] and had quickly risen to become [[Secretary of Defence (Burundi)|Secretary of Defence]]. He rallied the army, and its largely Tutsi officers, against the coup and overthrew them. This was followed by numerous attacks on Hutus throughout the nation. |
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Micombero became [[Prime Minister of Burundi|Prime Minister]] on [[July 11]], [[1966]] and was the real power in the nation technically ruled by King [[Ntare V]], who deposed his father with the help of Micombero. Soon afterward, on [[November 28]], [[1966]], Micombero overthrew the monarchy and made himself President. |
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As President, Micombero became an advocate of [[African socialism]] and received support from the [[People's Republic of China]]. He imposed a staunch regime of law and order, sharply repressing Hutu militarism. |
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In 1972 Hutu refugees from surrounding nations organized an uprising of Hutus in Burundi. This was repulsed and was followed by organized ethnic violence that killed some 150,000 Hutus. Micombero unquestionably played a leading role in this genocide. After this event Micombero became increasingly corrupt, and also turned to heavy drinking. Some reports allege he became delusional. He was overthrown four years later in a coup by Deputy Chief of Staff [[Jean-Baptiste Bagaza]], a distant cousin of Micombero from the same clan and political faction. |
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Micombero went into exile in [[Somalia]], where he died of a heart attack in 1983. |
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{{succession box|title=[[Rulers and heads of state of Burundi|Head of State of Burundi]]|before=[[Ntare V Ndizeye]]|after=[[Jean-Baptiste Bagaza]]|years=1966–1976}} |
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{{BurundiPres}} |
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{{BurundiPMs}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Micombero, Michel}} |
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[[Category:1940 births]] |
[[Category:1940 births]] |
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[[Category:1983 deaths]] |
[[Category:1983 deaths]] |
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Revision as of 16:54, 21 November 2008
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