By April Kent
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Photo Credit: "Clashes in Burundi" by REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic
is licensed under CC Commercial 2.0.
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The United Nations has repeatedly warned that the situation in Burundi has serious genocidal
overtones, “catapulting the country back to the past” more than a decade after the
civil war between Hutus and Tutsis in which tens of thousands were killed. As a
result of the current political crisis, at least 400 people have already been
killed and 220,000 have fled to neighboring countries.
The conflict erupted on April 25, 2015, when the ruling political party
in Burundi announced that the incumbent President of Burundi, Pierre
Nkurunziza, would run for a third term in the upcoming election. The
announcement sparked protests by those opposed to Nkurunziza seeking an unconstitutional
third term in office, setting off widespread demonstrations in the capital. In
January 2016, Amnesty International published satellite images it believed to portray mass
graves where killings took place. That same month, the African Union announced
a plan to send 5,000 peacekeepers to Burundi, but the plan was shelved after President
Nkurunziza declared a military intervention “too early.”
The statement by the EU comes at a time when civil society groups and government officials in the region appear torn over the question of whether imposing sanctions will improve the situation.
In February, activists and opposition leaders in Burundi called
on the African Union to impose economic
sanctions to force Nkurunziza to enter a political dialogue following the
failure of peace talks. A charity worker from Bujumbura told IBTimes UK, “Realistically,
Nkurunziza will not even see the need of joining talks as he sees himself as
victorious and the AU has just encouraged this attitude.” Pancrace Cimpaye,
spokesperson of the coalition Council for the Observance of the Constitution
(CNARED) agreed: “Only economic and targeted sanctions could make Nkurunziza
think about dialogue.”
Others are averse to sanctions. Ms. Hafsa Mossi, a member of the East African
Legislative Assembly (EALA) from Burundi explained, “It is important for
regional leaders and neighboring countries to stand in solidarity with Burundi...
sanctions will not work.” Her remarks were supported by other legislators, who
called for a participatory approach in addressing the problems Burundi was
facing. “It is vital for the region to find a lasting solution to what is
happening in Burundi,” said Mr. Peter Mathuki from Kenya.
In advance of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit to the country on February 22-23 and a subsequent visit by a high-level African Union delegation on February 25-26, the government has made several goodwill gestures, permitting the return of a few broadcasting stations and lifting some international arrest warrants. It remains to be seen whether these signs of progress will divert international attention from both the UN visit and the possible EU sanctions.
In advance of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit to the country on February 22-23 and a subsequent visit by a high-level African Union delegation on February 25-26, the government has made several goodwill gestures, permitting the return of a few broadcasting stations and lifting some international arrest warrants. It remains to be seen whether these signs of progress will divert international attention from both the UN visit and the possible EU sanctions.
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