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| 1996, March 26 |
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| The government announced a recent escalation in fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis, causing many to flee from Bujumbura, the capital. | 1 |
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| July 25 |
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| The Burundi army, dominated by Tutsis, announced that it had seized power in a coup amid continuing ethnic strife. Former president Maj. Pierre Boyoya was declared the new president. | 2 |
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| July 31 |
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| At a meeting of regional East African powers in Arusha, the assembled nations declared their intention to impose severe economic sanctions against the new regime. | 3 |
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| Aug |
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| Military events in eastern Zaire resulted in a shift in the balance of power in the region. Burundi managed to export and import goods through Goma, the major city of that region. | 4 |
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| Sept. 12 |
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| Pres. Boyoya announced that political parties could resume their activities if they were prepared to make a “positive contribution” to the life of the nation. | 5 |
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| Dec |
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| The government began to enforce a policy of “regroupment,” leading to the massive transfer of populations from one region to another. The UN estimated that more than 10 percent of the entire population consisted of internally displaced persons. Another 800,000 Burundians lived as refugees in neighboring countries. | 6 |
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