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Twa are popularly known as Batwa and are basically the pygmy people inhabiting the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. Twa form the minority race among the Burundi ethnic groups and they constitute only 1 % of the population. Presently Twa tribes are found in Rwanda, Uganda and the eastern region of Democratic Republic of Congo, other than Burundi.
Twa was initially subjugated and dominated by Hutus and Tutsis and the conflict between these two powerful tribes has lead to the major loss of lives in Twa tribes.
The Twa speak the same language, Kinyarwanda, as spoken by the Hutus and Tutsis.
Twa are basically the semi-nomadic hunters and lead their lives in mountainous forests. Presently the deforestation problem and other developmental project have led this tribe to leave the forests and construct home for themselves near the towns. Most of them are poverty stricken and continuously suffer from ethnic bias and social discrimination.
Various international groups are working with the Twa for the betterment of the present condition of the Twa people along with African International Christian Ministry and they are striving hard to give the possible help to this minor ethnic group of Burundi.
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