Burundi election countdown amid ‘deteriorating’ human rights situation
A
young Burundian refugee completes an exercise on a blackboard at Jugudi
Primary School in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp, Kigoma Province, north-west
Tanzania. (February 2019)
10 March 2020
Two
months ahead of Burundi’s planned local and presidential elections,
senior UN-appointed independent rights investigators have urged the
Government to reopen the “democratic, civil and political space” there.
“These
are not only basic human rights, they are also an absolute requirement
for the holding of free, transparent and credible elections in a
peaceful climate”, said a statement from the Commissioners leading the
official Geneva-based Commission Inquiry on Burundi (COIB) during an oral briefing to the UN Human Rights Council on 9 March.
The Commission reiterated its warnings that the situation in Burundi continues to worsen – politically, economically as well as in terms of security.
Of particular concern are the Imbonerakure - members of a youth league linked to President Pierre Nkurunziza’s ruling party – and to multiple attacks against opposition politicians and their families.
They have continued to carry out “killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, acts of torture and ill-treatment and rape against actual or alleged political opposition members”, the Commissioners warned.
“The humanitarian situation remains worrying, with 336,000 Burundian refugees in neighboring countries and some being returned in circumstances where the ‘voluntary nature’ is questionable,” said Commissioners.
In 2015, President Pierre Nkunrunziza announced that he would seek a third term, reportedly seen by many Burundians as a breach of the constitution, and which led to political unrest and an upsurge of violence in the country, leaving hundreds dead and prompting around half a million to flee the country.
Since then, Burundi has been trying to find a peaceful solution to the political crisis through the Inter-Burundian Dialogue, which is led by the region and supported by the United Nations, while the country is also preparing for the 2020 elections in May.
The Commission reiterated its warnings that the situation in Burundi continues to worsen – politically, economically as well as in terms of security.
Of particular concern are the Imbonerakure - members of a youth league linked to President Pierre Nkurunziza’s ruling party – and to multiple attacks against opposition politicians and their families.
They have continued to carry out “killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, acts of torture and ill-treatment and rape against actual or alleged political opposition members”, the Commissioners warned.
'Voluntary' repatriation?
In addition to widespread impunity for crimes, the investigators also described a worsening humanitarian situation inside and outside the country.“The humanitarian situation remains worrying, with 336,000 Burundian refugees in neighboring countries and some being returned in circumstances where the ‘voluntary nature’ is questionable,” said Commissioners.
In 2015, President Pierre Nkunrunziza announced that he would seek a third term, reportedly seen by many Burundians as a breach of the constitution, and which led to political unrest and an upsurge of violence in the country, leaving hundreds dead and prompting around half a million to flee the country.
Since then, Burundi has been trying to find a peaceful solution to the political crisis through the Inter-Burundian Dialogue, which is led by the region and supported by the United Nations, while the country is also preparing for the 2020 elections in May.
Please share as you read okay you may save a soul today,natural herbs
ReplyDeleteare really great, I was cured from HIV positive by a doctor
called DR ONUWA from West Africa, now I believe that natural
herbs and roots has their own way of working, based on medical report
I was told that HIV positive has no cure even when I saw a post
about Dr ONUWA how he cured many people with his herbal medicine I
doubted it at first but just decided to give it a try because I was so desperately trying to get rid of my problems not knowing it was going to be the end of this deadly virus in my body, please if you have anyone with this same virus or diseases like this contact Dr ONUWA on EMAIL DRONUWA2@GMAIL.COM I'm a living testimony of his
herbal medicine and don't forget to share as you read okay,
please save a soul today
I Can't still believe that i got cured from Genital Herpes through herbal treatment from Dr Oyagu who I met through the internet, I actually couldn't believe it at first because it sounded impossible to me knowing how far I have gone just to get rid of it. Dr Oyagu send me his medicine which I took as instructed and here I am living a happy life once again, a big thanks to Dr Oyagu, I am sure there are many herbal doctors out there but Dr Oyagu did it for me, contact him oyaguherbalhome@gmail.com , also call or whatsApp him on +2348101755322
ReplyDelete