Senior UN rights investigators urge Burundi’s Government to restore democratic freedoms ahead of upcoming local and presidential elections. They warn of a worsening situation marred by violence against opposition, particularly by the Imbonerakure, and highlight serious humanitarian concerns with hundreds of thousands of refugees. The atmosphere for these elections is critical, following prior unrest linked to the President’s controversial third-term bid.
With the local and presidential elections in Burundi scheduled for two months from now, senior UN-appointed independent rights investigators have called on the Government to restore the essential “democratic, civil and political space”. The Commissioners from the Geneva-based Commission Inquiry on Burundi (COIB) stated during an oral briefing to the UN Human Rights Council on March 9 that these conditions are crucial for conducting free, transparent, and credible elections in a peaceful environment.
The Commission has expressed concern over the increasingly precarious situation in Burundi related to political, economic, and security matters. In particular, they highlighted the activities of the Imbonerakure, a youth league affiliated with President Pierre Nkurunziza’s ruling party, which has been implicated in multiple attacks against opposition politicians and their families. They reported ongoing incidents such as “killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests, detentions, acts of torture and ill-treatment and rape against actual or alleged political opposition members.”
Furthermore, the independent investigators pointed to a deteriorating humanitarian situation both within the country and in neighboring regions. They noted that there are currently 336,000 Burundian refugees outside the country, with some returning under questionable conditions regarding the “voluntary nature” of their repatriation. The worsening conditions stem from political unrest following President Nkurunziza’s controversial announcement in 2015 to pursue a third term, triggering violence that has led to hundreds of deaths and forced around half a million individuals to flee.
The upcoming elections in Burundi face significant challenges due to the deteriorating human rights landscape, as outlined by UN-appointed Commissioners. The call to restore a democratic framework is crucial to ensure a climate conducive to free elections. With an alarming increase in violence against opposition figures and a concerning humanitarian crisis, the international community must respond to prevent further destabilization in Burundi.
Original Source: news.un.org
