Politics in Burundi remain sharply divided along ethnic lines, with the minority Tutsi seeking to control the majority Hutu population.
From 1966, the Tutsi UPRONA was the only legal party. Tutsi dominated the civil service, judiciary and the army. The army engaged in occasional mass slaughter of Hutu. In 1990, President Buyoya, a Tutsi, called for greater unity between the two groups, leading to hopes that Hutu could be brought into the political process. His report was approved by referendum and opposition parties were legalized. Burundi's first free presidential elections were held in June 1993. They were won by Melchior Ndadaye, a Hutu and leader of FRODEBU. Tutsi fears of Hutu dominance led to a coup in October and the assassination of Ndadaye. Thousands of Hutu were killed by the army; 150,000 fled into Rwanda and Zaire. In 1994, Burundi's new president and the Rwandan president died when their aircraft was shot down in Rwanda as they were returning from ethnic peace talks.
