The feasibility of printing 3 000 copies a few days after the failed coup was supposed to be out of the question, yet somehow they did it. Their online presence and their 150,000 loyal internet followers are also miracles in themselves. But Antoine Kaburahe is under no illusions. For the director of  Iwacu (literally “Home” in kirundi), the sole remaining independent media still operational in Burundi, “our capacity to survive remains extremely fragile”. In this interview granted to Infos Grands Lacs, Kaburahe explains the difficulties that he and his newspaper must confront.

“Despite the destruction of all private media and the pressure that our journalists are under every day, we have remained standing. But for how long? Just like any other newspaper in the world, Iwacu lives in part due to advertising revenue, but this has fallen by 70% since the start of the crisis. If the political context does not change, our survival will be a question of months”.

One month, possibly two, but no more. Things are thus urgent.

“And not simply for Iwacu”. On behalf of all private Burundian media,  Kaburahe has decided to launch an appeal to international donors. “We need immediate assistance to allow us to revive ourselves and to not disappear”.  For good.

by Joshua Massarenti

Translated by Kevin Hind

Photo credit: Iwacu

Click Here to listen to the entire interview in French