An appeal to: 

the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres,  the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay,  the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg

Copy to:  

The British Prime Minister, The Home Office Secretary, The House of Lords , The Border Immigration Agency, The House of Commons, The Members of the British Parliament, To the special attention of Her Majesty the Queen and members of the Royal Family, The British Ambassador in Rome, Mr Edward Chaplin, The political advisor to the British Embassy in Rome, Sir Christopher Layden, The Head of Press and Communications Section at the British Embassy in Rome, Mr Pierluigi Puglia, The European Parliament, The European Commission

We would like to bring yet another tragic case to your attention. Alvin Gahimbaze, aged 25, is living in terror of being deported back to Burundi. He fled over 10 years ago from a country where human rights are constantly being violated and where ethnic clashes have caused many tragic deaths and humanitarian dramas. His elder sister, quite rightly, was granted asylum and has recently been awarded British citizenship. Alvin is entitled to the same rights as his sister, and what's more, he is openly homosexual.

The British Government has not forgiven him for sounding the alarm on an international level and spreading the news of the situation of human and gay rights in Burundi, a country many asylum seekers are unfairly being deported back to by Member States.

We are sending you the dossier on Alvin, who is already known to the UK authorities. The young man has been living in fear for far too long, he is very depressed and worried. Please help us to save his life and prevent him being deported back to a place where he would be subjected to marginalization and violence, and where his life could well be in danger. This case has now become very urgent.

                                            Trusting in your help in this case,

                                            Roberto Malini, Matteo Pegoraro, Dario Picciau, Glenys Robinson

                                            EveryOne Group

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The Dossier sent by EveryOne Group the 26th November 2008 to the UK authorities
The case of Alvin Gahimbaze  |  The Geneva Convention and the Human Rights crisis in Burundi

To: 

the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres,  the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay,  the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg

Copy to:  

The British Prime Minister, The Home Office Secretary, The House of Lords , The Border Immigration Agency, The House of Commons, The Members of the British Parliament, To the special attention of Her Majesty the Queen and members of the Royal Family, The British Ambassador in Rome, Mr Edward Chaplin, The political advisor to the British Embassy in Rome, Sir Christopher Layden, The Head of Press and Communications Section at the British Embassy in Rome, Mr Pierluigi Puglia, The European Parliament, The European Commission

We are writing to you to express our great concern over the situation of refugees from African countries where humanitarian tragedies of terrifying proportions are taking place. As well as the massacres in the Congo and the unstable political situation in Rwanda, there is the increasingly precarious socio-political and humanitarian situation in Burundi, where peace and cohabitation between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority remains an illusion. Until political stability has been reached, ethnic violence will not cease and serious projects of social and economic development will not be undertaken. This worrying reality is confirmed by the most important analysts and historians studying the political situation of the countries of Western and Central Africa, among them Gerard Prunier and the major international human rights organizations: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, EveryOne Group etc.

As well as this precarious situation which places the opposing factions in grave danger, we must also consider that the crimes – real or hypothetical – attributed by propaganda to the Tutsi rebels in the Congo (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/07/congo-tutsi-hutus-kiwanja-rwanda)
are causing a reawakening of the hatred towards them in Burundi, where the Tutsi ethnic group is a vulnerable minority.

The arrest, on November 11th, 2008, of Alexis Sinduhije, the leader of the opposition, icon of the press, and a man of peace and respect for human rights, is significant of how far Burundi is from making any civil and social progress. The Human Rights Watch organization, (http://www.hrw.org/doc/?t=africa&c=burundi) considers Sinduhije’s arrest new proof of the country’s serious lack of a human rights culture.

The United Kingdom and its policies towards refugees

On an international level, EveryOne Group considers the United Kingdom at the forefront in its policies concerning refugees and in the granting of political asylum - as can be seen from cases that have become emblematic: Pegah Emambakhsh, Mehdi  Kazemi, and the refugee from Burundi, Annociate Nimpagaritze.

We believe that the United Kingdom today can be put forward as a beacon for the other Member States of the European Union where this extremely delicate and essential area of human rights is concerned. It is obvious that the United Kingdom also makes serious errors of judgement in this field, and the laws and policies concerning refugees and asylum seekers still need perfecting. It is precisely for this reason that our group is collaborating with the UK institutions to improve the approach towards such a delicate aspect of human and civil rights, avoiding whenever possible an echo in the media for the cases we are working on together in a desire to define and apply just and humane measures.

As an example of civility, we are asking the United Kingdom to pay special attention, at the present time, to the appeals for asylum or humanitarian protection from African refugees who have fled their countries in order to escape persecution, ethnic conflicts, poverty and disease.  It is obvious that the situation is now out of control in the Congo, but it is just as important to consider that in Rwanda and Burundi there are just as serious forms of persecution taking place towards minority groups. It becomes even more necessary and urgent to emphasize the resurfacing of dangerous social tensions that put the lives of the minorities at risk.
The Tutsis who have fled Burundi have often been subjected to persecutions that have resulted in the slaughter of their families, and their deportation back to Burundi (especially after they have lived abroad for several years) would place them in a hopeless situation.

We are therefore appealing to you to evaluate very carefully all the requests for asylum or humanitarian protection from refugees originating from these countries at risk, and wish to bring to your attention the case of Alvin Gahimbaze, a young refugee from Burundi who has lived for the last nine years in Bristol, England.

The case of Alvin Gahimbaze

Alvin Gahimbaze, born in Rumonge on May 2nd, 1984, fled from Burundi nine years ago. He arrived in the United Kingdom in the April of 2000 at the age of 16. Due to the bloody civil war between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority (which Alvin belongs to) the young man lost in the massacres three siblings, his mother, father, aunt, uncle and small cousin, as well as many other relatives, friends and acquaintances.

Left without a family or the chance of finding a home and assistance, the teenager was first given shelter in a refugee camp inside the Burundi borders where, as he belonged to a persecuted minority, he was guaranteed no rights. In desperate conditions, the boy and his older sister Danella Munezero (born in Rumonge on January 1st, 1981) fled to Bristol, England, where they applied for asylum in 2000.

Unfortunately Alvin Gahimbaze’s request for permanent asylum was turned down by the Bristol MP, while his sister Danella, now 26, and the only relative he has left, has been granted permanent residence in Bristol. In the present situation, we foresee the possibility of the boy, who has now put down roots in the UK,  being deported to a hostile country where he will encounter serious forms of persecution. He will be separated from his sister who has already been granted – rightly so – permission to live in Bristol.

Until the 2010 elections there will be no certainty of stability or a guarantee that human rights will be respected in the Republic of Burundi. If Alvin Gahimbaze were to be deported, he would have no contacts there: no relatives, no friends, no job, no home, no assistance, no access to social protection and integration programmes. Alvin fled Burundi as a very young boy, with no belongings, the victim of a terrible sequence of deaths and mourning. Sending him back to Burundi would mean separating him from his sister, his friends in Bristol, an environment he has created a new life in, throwing him back into a hostile, hopeless reality. If that weren’t enough, due to the continuing persecution of his ethnic group in Burundi and the unstable political and humanitarian situation there, his life itself would be in danger.

We reassert that a serious and well-documented danger exists, that fresh persecution and further massacres of the Tutsi ethnic group are a reality.

Please find below the first letter Alvin sent to EveryOne Group, appealing to us for help to prevent the tragedy of his compulsory deportation back to Burundi.

 

We have attached the official reports of the international human rights organizations and a brief press review of the most recent articles that the local and international press has dedicated to the present political and humanitarian situation in Burundi.

Source:
Amnesty International
2008
BURUNDI - AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2008
HUMAN RIGHTS IN REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI

Head of State : Pierre Nkurunziza

Death penalty : retentionist

Population : 8.1 million

Life expectancy : 48.5 years

Under-5 mortality (m/f) : 185/162 per 1,000

Adult literacy : 59.3 per cent

Political tensions impeded the implementation of human rights protection measures by the government. Peace negotiations between the government and the last remaining armed opposition group stalled. The administration of justice remained poor, and people in detention suffered deplorable conditions. Levels of arbitrary arrests and detentions were high, and torture and ill-treatment were commonplace. Sexual violence against women and girls, notably rape, persisted. The government made slow progress in establishing mechanisms for the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes committed during the 12-year conflict that ended in 2005.

BACKGROUND
Opposition parties boycotted the National Assembly in 2007 in protest against their under-representation within the government. As a result the National Assembly failed to enact several important pieces of legislation, including a proposed new Criminal Code that would have criminalized acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, including violence against women and children, and would have abolished the death penalty.A ministerial reshuffle on 13 July exacerbated tension between the government and opposition parties. The impasse was only broken on 14 November following another ministerial reorganization which increased the representation of opposition parties in government.The terms of the September 2006 Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement between the government and the last remaining armed opposition group, the National Liberation Forces (Forces Nationales de Libération, FNL), were not fully implemented. On 19 February 2007, the Joint Verification Monitoring Mechanism – a platform for both sides to discuss the implementation of the peace process – began its work. The FNL delegation pulled out of the peace monitoring team in July, blaming threats to their security. Negotiations were still at a stalemate at the end of the year. Violent clashes between two factions of the FNL were reported near the capital, Bujumbura, during September and October.The international community expressed concern that political instability threatened the ongoing peace process and the functioning of national institutions.International financial institutions also urged the government to address corruption.

ARBITRARY ARREST AND DETENTION
Legal limits on the length of time individuals could be detained without charge were regularly breached by the authorities. Arbitrary arrests and detentions by the intelligence services, police and army were reported throughout 2007 – 112 cases of arbitrary detention were recorded in January alone. Many of those arbitrarily arrested were FNL suspects. In addition, the security forces were involved in extrajudicial executions of civilians.

    •    On 29 June, in the commune of Buhinyuza (province of Muyinga), a married man and father of two children was reportedly executed by members of the Burundian army. He was sitting and drinking beer with his neighbours close to his house, when several soldiers arrived. The soldiers, who were patrolling the area, demanded that the man and his neighbours lie on the ground. The man panicked and tried to flee. One of the soldiers killed him immediately. No investigation into the killing was reported.

TORTURE AND OTHER ILL-TREATMENT
Torture and other ill-treatment were widespread throughout the country. Cases of torture and ill-treatment by the Burundian National Police, the National Defence Force and the Intelligence Services were regularly reported by local human rights organizations, including ACAT Burundi (Action des Chrétiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture).

    •    On 28 February the police chief of Bururi town and another police officer reportedly tortured a man to make him confess to an offence he had not committed. They stripped him naked, beat him and threatened to kill him.

    •    An 18-year-old man accused of stealing a bicycle was reportedly tortured on 26 July in police custody in the town of Gitega. His arms were tied behind his back and police officers allegedly beat him with batons and then burned him. Human rights monitors reported scars on his arms and neck.

    •    A man from Nyanza-Lac, Makamba, was arrested on 18 January. He was severely beaten in custody by four policemen, including the police chief. He was fined and released from detention the same day. No investigation was carried out and the perpetrators were not brought to justice. He suffered from pain in his ears, his right eye and his feet following the attack.

    •    In February, the UN Committee against Torture recommended that the government should address the climate of impunity, strengthen the capacity

    •    of the judiciary and ensure its independence, and establish effective mechanisms to monitor all places of detention.

HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES BY AN ARMED GROUP
In Bujumbura Rural, Cibitoke and Bubanza, FNL fighters subjected civilians to repeated acts of violence. They stole, extorted money, kidnapped people for ransom and raped women and girls. Human rights monitors alleged that FNL fighters also recruited child soldiers.

    •    On 3 August, FNL fighters were reported to have entered the home of a man they accused of witchcraft in Kabezi Commune, Bujumbura Rural. They reportedly beat him to death with batons.

    •    In January, FNL fighters took five members of one family hostage, including three children, in Kanyosha, Bujumbura Rural. They demanded as ransom the return of a grenade which the head of household had found and taken to the local police station.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Sexual violence, including rape, remained prevalent throughout Burundi. Military and police personnel were responsible for a number of rapes. The majority of reported rape victims were girls under the age of 18. Perpetrators regularly escaped prosecution and punishment by the state. The rate of successful prosecutions for sexual crimes remained extremely low. Most victims remained silent – often out of fear of social stigmatization. Victims and their families resorted to traditional and informal dispute resolution systems, often negotiating and agreeing to payment from the perpetrator or the family of the perpetrator, as recompense.

    •    On 19 January, an elderly woman was raped by an unidentified man dressed in military uniform. The rapist ordered her husband to help him by carrying food supplies. The husband refused and his wife did it instead. The unidentified soldier raped her by the side of the road. The victim received medical treatment the following day but did not report the crime to the authorities.

    •    On 17 November, a 12-year-old girl was raped by her neighbour. The perpetrator was married and a father of three. The perpetrator was arrested and charged but released two days later. Local human rights defenders appealed to the police chief who ordered his re-arrest, but the man was still at large at the end of 2007.

JUSTICE SYSTEM
Burundi’s law enforcement and justice system remained weak and in need of urgent reform. The judicial system lacked human, financial and material resources. Law enforcement and judicial staff were poorly trained. Corruption remained a problem. Low levels of confidence in the justice system led to numerous incidents of mob justice, including killings and lynching.

    •    On 21 February, six policemen arrived in Nkenga Busoro, Kanyosha. They carried guns but only two wore uniform. After a recent spate of armed robberies, the local population thought the men were robbers and attacked them. Four of the policemen escaped, but two were captured and beaten to death.

    •    On 24 November, a policeman was killed by the local population of Nyamurenza, Ngozi. He had reportedly robbed a local trader and assaulted the trader’s cousin. He also shot and injured a local man who intervened in the attack.

    •    The government reportedly influenced judicial decisions.

    •    The perpetrators of the Muyinga massacre, in which at least 16 people with suspected links to the FNL were alleged to have been extrajudicially executed by military personnel in July and August 2006, remained at large. A judicial commission reported to the prosecutor in the case. Both military and civilian personnel were suspected of involvement in the killings, including high-ranking officials. However, the prosecutor stated that no civilians would be prosecuted and passed the file to the military prosecutor’s office.

DETENTION CONDITIONS
Prisons were overcrowded and conditions insanitary. Detainees were not provided with adequate access to medical care and attention, especially those suffering from HIV/AIDs. Prison registers were poorly maintained.By the end of November, the prison population numbered more than 8,000 people, most of whom were not adequately fed. Between 65 and 70 per cent had not been tried, according to human rights organizations and the prison authorities. More than 400 children aged between 13 and 18 were held, often together with adults.

    •    Mpimba Prison in Bujumbura was one of the most overcrowded prisons in Burundi. In November, it held 2,289 detainees, although its capacity was only 800. Of these, 145 were minors who were held in the same cells as adults. Only 19 per cent of these minors had been tried and convicted. Medical care from a trained professional was not available in the prison.

    •    Detainees were also held in overcrowded police detention facilities. A total of 76 people were reportedly held in a cell measuring 13m2 in police detention facilities in Kayanza. In June, 58 detainees were being held in a cell at Kirundo police station whose capacity was 40. Children also shared cells with adults: one minor was incarcerated with 71 men.

    •    During a visit to the Public Prosecutor’s office in Kirundo in June, a local human rights organization reported that the toilets in the cells had overflowed. Human waste covered the floor of the cells and the corridor outside, preventing human rights monitors from entering.

TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE
Genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict remained unpunished. The proposed establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a Special Tribunal to investigate and prosecute such crimes had not been implemented. Initially, both sides could not agree on the issues of amnesty, the links between the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Special Tribunal, and the independence of the prosecuting body.The President confirmed in May that no amnesty would be granted for war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity and other serious human rights violations. Both sides agreed to undertake national consultations on the establishment of the two mechanisms, and on the establishment of a steering committee, comprised of members of the Burundian government, the UN and civil society. The government signed an official agreement on 2 November marking the start of a six-month consultation period. The consultations were praised as an essential first step in establishing transitional justice in Burundi.

RETURNING REFUGEES
A total of 38,087 Burundian refugees were repatriated between January and November. Between April 2002 and November 2007, UNHCR repatriated more than 374,700 Burundians from neighbouring Tanzania. Approximately 9,000 Burundian families were expelled from Tanzania.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Journalists were repeatedly threatened with arrest for carrying out legitimate professional activities.

    •    Serge Nibizi, an editor for Radio Publique Africaine, and Domitile Kiramvu, a journalist for the same radio station, who had been arrested in November 2006 and charged with threatening state security, were acquitted on 4 January 2007. The Public Prosecutor lodged an appeal against the acquittal, and the two journalists were summoned three times in 2007. On each occasion, a new date for court attendance was set.

    •    Incidents of harassment and intimidation of journalists, including physical attacks, were also recorded.

    •    Gérard Nzohabona was reportedly attacked by eight policemen in October after intervening in the seemingly wrongful arrest of two girls. The officers reportedly called him a “journalist dog” as they beat him.

Source:
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Date: 14 Nov 2008
Burundi Weekly Humanitarian News, 03 - 09 Nov 2008
Activities ans Updates
Contingency Planning workshop

OCHA organised a two-day workshop on 5th and 6th November 2008 to review the interagency contingency planning for Burundi. More than 50 participants were present on the first day, including most key ministerial focal points of the National Disaster Management Platform, the Red Cross, ECHO and most key NGOs. UNICEF and WFP regional advisors for emergency preparedness were also present. The main objective of the workshop was to reach a common understanding on the main scenarios and their impact. Input from OCHA DRC was outstanding and unanimously appreciated. Similarly feedback and input from OCHA colleagues from HCR and UNICEF Rwanda were critical in having a broad understanding of the main threats and risks. Four scenarios are currently being considered: (a) Influx of populations from DRC into Burundi, (b) internal population displacements, (c) Epidemics and (d) Natural disasters. In the context of soaring food prices coupled with the current export bans in the region, WFP is closely monitoring the situation to be prepared in the case of a sudden influx of refugees from eastern DRC. The WFP Contingency plan is being updated in line with the scenarios discussed in the meeting. In the event of a refugee crisis, WFP might have to reprioritize programme activities to ensure that the refugee operation is fully maintained.

Update on food aid distribution
WFP distributed 695 tons of food assistance to a total of 149,796 beneficiaries. The most important quantities of food (69%) was supplied to persons affected by insufficient harvests in Muyinga, Karuzi and Kirundo provinces

Human rights
The HR&JD continued to receive information about restrictions of the free exercise of civil and political rights in Burundi. HR&JOs closely monitored the detention since 3 November of Mr. Alexis Sinduhije, President of the non-registered Mouvement pour la Sécurité et la Démocratie (MSD) along with 37 members. On 5 November, international NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) denounced Mr. Sinduhije's arrest and underlined growing obstacles to the free exercise of civil and political rights. Between 5 and 10 November, all the detainees except Mr. Sinduhije were released as no charged were pressed against them. Meanwhile Mr Sinduhije remained in custody pending his hearing by the prosecutor. The HR&JD is particularly concerned by this growing wave of intimidations, arrests and detentions of political opponents, which are likely to increase the run-up to the 2010 elections. HR&JOs will continue to follow-up on these cases. In addition, a public hearing was held before the anti-corruption court in the case of Mr. Juvénal Rududura, vice-chair of the non-judicial staff union. A motion for provisional release brought by his lawyers is under deliberation. Mr. Rududura was arrested on 15 September, on accusations of levelling unfounded corruption accusations against the Ministry of Justice. Another public hearing was held in the case of two UPD-Zigamibanga members, before the Kayanza TGI. They were both arrested in Kayanza on 22 September, on accusation of contempt to the Head of State. The TGI adjourned for deliberation.

The HR&JD also conducted several promotion activities this week. Within the framework of the integrated strategy to fight sexual violence against women and children, an awareness raising sessions was held in Gitega for 25 schools and in Bujumbura and Cibitoke provinces for 103 participants. A session on judicial proceedings for fifty participants, including six women, was also held in Shombo commune, Karusi province. Meanwhile from 3 to7 November in Gitega, the HR&JD in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court conducted training for 37 registrars and assistant registrars of the TGI, in the framework of the PBF project on the capacity building of magistrates and judicial personnel.

Source:
Human Rights Watch

september 12, 2008:
"The human rights situation in Burundi remains fragile":

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/09/11/letter-united-nations-human-rights-council-human-rights-organizations-burundi

Letter to the United Nations Human Rights Council from Human Rights Organizations in Burundi

As representatives of national and international human rights organizations working in Burundi, we urge you to extend the mandate of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Burundi. He has been and should continue to be an effective counselor to the Government of Burundi, a firm support to Burundian civil society organizations, and a passionate voice for victims of human rights abuses.

The human rights situation in Burundi remains fragile. Despite progress made by the Government of Burundi in some key areas, such as the relatively successful integration of the police and the armed forces and the recent resumption of peace negotiations with the Palipehutu-FNL, Burundians continue to suffer from human rights abuses. Rape and sexual violence continue to destroy the lives of many Burundian women and children; arbitrary arrests and procedural violations of the rights of detainees are reported every day; and over 100,000 small arms circulate among the civilian population, contributing to widespread insecurity.

Further, no one has been held accountable for the past abuses evoked by the Independent Expert in his August 2008 report, including the Gatumba massacre of 2004 and the Muyinga killings of 2006. Failure to address these abuses contributes to a climate of impunity and growing insecurity.

The government has taken steps toward the establishment of a national independent human rights commission, but the bill establishing the commission has not yet been approved. Even under the best of circumstances, it is highly unlikely that a national independent human rights commission will be functioning effectively before next year at this time. On a similar issue, that of consultations on transitional justice, Burundians have waited years for the implementation of long-agreed plans.

The Independent Expert would be well-placed to support important Burundian initiatives related to transitional justice and to civil and political rights in the context of elections scheduled for 2010. He would be an effective voice advocating for the prompt establishment and independent nature of the proposed national independent human rights commission and the proposed national electoral commission. He would be effective in encouraging the donor support that would be key to the successful functioning of these institutions.

The signatories to this letter who represent Burundian non-governmental organizations also wish to recognize the invaluable assistance of the Independent Expert in amplifying our voice as we work towards strengthening our presence in the international arena.

We strongly urge that the mandate of the Independent Expert be extended, in order to allow him to assist the Government of Burundi in the development of national mechanisms that are sufficiently robust as to safeguard the human rights of Burundians and fortify the rule of law.

We thank you for your attention to this matter.

Bujumbura, September 12, 2008

SIGNATORIES

- Action des Chrétiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture (ACAT Burundi)
- Association des Femmes Juristes du Burundi (AFJB)
- Association pour la Protection des droits humains et des personnes détenues (APRODH)
- Human Rights Watch (HRW)
- Ligue Burundaise des Droits de l’Homme ITEKA
- Ligue des Droits de l’Homme dans la Région des Grands Lacs (LDGL)
- Observatoire de l’Action Gouvernementale (OAG)

CC :

- H.E. the President of the Republic of Burundi
- H.E. the First Vice President of the Republic of Burundi
- H.E. the Second Vice President of the Republic of Burundi
- H.E. the President of the National Assembly
- H.E. the President of the Senate
- Minister of National Solidarity, Repatriation, National Reconstruction, Human Rights and Gender
- Minister of Justice and Keeper of Seals
- Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Source:
Concord Times (Freetown) - allafrica.com

Africa: Peace Building Funds Shrink.
27 October 2008

Deputy minister for foreign affairs and international cooperation has told a security council meeting in Geneva that Sierra Leone had witnessed a significant evolution in UN peacebuilding during the short existence of the Peacebuilding Commission.

Vandi Minah, however, noted that the problem of resource unpredictability was still critical, saying the secretary-general's initial allocation of $35 million from the Peacebuilding Fund in March 2007 had been exhausted.

The Geneva Intl Org. MBA Preparing leaders for jobs in development: (NGOs, UN, CSR etc.)
He noted that the Commission's engagement in Sierra Leone, as one of the pioneer beneficiaries, had had a positive impact on the government's peacebuilding efforts.

The range of bilateral and multilateral interventions intended to support projects in promoting democracy, good governance, the energy sector, justice and security reform, youth employment and empowerment continued to show promising signs of consolidating peace in the country.

It could be recalled that the country requested its partners to scale up their assistance to the resource-mobilization drive launched at high-level stakeholder meetings in May, in order to expedite implementation of the Sierra Leone Cooperation Framework.

It came out clearly that human and financial resources were key to building lasting peace, national reconciliation and combating poverty.

When the weapons of war went silent, post-conflict societies were more often than not left with the scars of massive devastation and the flight of the limited skilled workforce, leading to an enormous demand for human, technical and financial resources.

But Minah said he was encouraged by the secretary-general's recent catalytic support, through the Peacebuilding Fund, to the Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau aimed at kick-starting critical peacebuilding interventions.

Nevertheless, conflict prevention remained woefully underfunded, which was cause for a serious rethinking of the United Nations and international approach to maintaining international peace and security. More financing and technical assistance were the keys to effective implementation of the Cooperation Framework.

Meanwhile, the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission Yukio Takasu from Japan, told the briefing to security council that the upcoming third year of the Peacebuilding Commission would be its real test.

As head of the new body created to keep countries from slipping back into conflict, he told the security council that: "The foundation was laid in the first year. We started to produce results in the second session."

In the third year the Commission must consolidate its achievements and help mobilize resources so it could create a real difference on the ground.

Introducing the Commission's report, he highlighted the work it had carried out in the countries now on its agenda -- Burundi, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and the Central African Republic -- emphasizing that, with strong leadership by the chairs of its country-specific configurations, the Commission had focused its attention on supporting national efforts.

In the future, it could provide useful support to many more countries in post-conflict peacebuilding processes. For that purpose and for its current workload, serious efforts were being made to enhance partnerships at the highest levels, particularly with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the African Union and the European Union.

Priorities for the way forward included deepening strategic and policy discussions, strengthening partnerships and ensuring the coherence of the Commission's activities, he said, suggesting that, in its rapidly developing relationship with the Commission, the Security Council might find it useful to examine further its inputs and observations, while making full use of its potential and capacities.

In the discussion that followed, Council members strongly supported the Commission's work while agreeing on the crucial importance of making a real difference in the countries on its agenda. Monitoring mechanisms must be established to track progress and national ownership of the peacebuilding process must remain a priority.

France's representative, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the Commission must become more strategic, particularly with regard to the inclusion of new countries, and it should also start working on how to terminate its involvement. It was important to engage as early as possible in order to strengthen a country's ability to avoid relapsing into crisis. In addition, the Council could, when deploying a peacekeeping mission, define its military and civilian components with peacebuilding in mind, and it could even ask the Commission to intervene before an operation was established. Other Council members stressed the need for more vital and integral cooperation between the Council and the Commission.

Source:
www.afrol.com

Human Rights.
Burundi crisis may jeopardise future stability.
20 August 08

Burundi’s political crisis is not solved and may yet jeopardise the country’s future stability, an international think tank group warned.

In its latest briefing, the International Crisis Group said Burundi's disarmament barely started, and no consensus has been reached on integrating former rebels into state and security institutions. It said the country cannot afford to have "wasted years in legislative gridlock" and then move directly towards the preparation of the 2010 elections without delivering peace dividends.

"The absence of a constructive dialogue between the ruling CNDD-FDD party and opposition parties is harmful for the country’s governance and its long-term stability," observed François Grignon, Crisis Group’s Africa Program Director. "Local political actors and Burundi’s international partners must recognise the dangers of running the country unilaterally."

Burundi's current political impasse is believed to have stemmed from the crisis within the CNDD-FDD leadership and President Pierre Nkurunziza's refusal to conclude a power-sharing agreement with the leaders of opposition parties. Consequently, tensions between political parties have heightened in the national assembly to the extent that government action was paralysed.

Under pressure from CNDD-FDD, the constitutional court in June authorised the replacement of 22 dissident CNDD-FDD parliamentarians with loyal supporters of the party leadership, in violation of the constitution. The authoritarian move was in line with the ruling party's clear desire to "limit all checks on its power."

To avoid any violence in the run-up to the 2010 elections, it is essential that political consultations are carried out to choose the members of the Independent National Electoral Commission and begin revisions of the electoral code, the Crisis Group advised, warning that any constitutional changes should follow recommendations of a National Committee for Institutional Reforms, whose membership should reflect all political camps and ethnic-regional groupings.

"The CNDD-FDD’s authoritarian tendencies are pushing opposition parties towards radicalisation," warned Daniela Kroslak, Deputy-Director of Crisis Group’s Africa Program. "They could be tempted to pursue alliances with the Palipehutu-FNL during the next election, which could lead to a renewed ethnic tone to political discourse and put into question the progress achieved by Arusha."

Source:
www.afrol.com

Human Rights.
Burundi peace still fragile.
21 May 08

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned that the situation in Burundi is still very fragile.

He said a fresh outbreak of fighting in the Central African country could derail valuable progress made since a peace agreement was reached in 2000.

“The recent rapid relapse into violent conflict is alarming evidence of the extreme fragility of the situation in Burundi," Mr Ban said in a report to the Security Council.

The UN chief condemned the continued fatal clashed between the government and the Paliphehutu-FNL group. He said "nothing justifies the loss of innocent lives resulting from this fighting", especially in a country where a gruesome civil war had earlier claimed thousands of lives.

Despite the signing of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement in 2006, more than 100 people have been killed in the capital Bujumbura and its suburbs in recent weeks.

Unless the peace pact is not "put back on track," he said, "the new cycle of violence could undo all the gains painstakingly made by the people of Burundi since the signing of the Arusha Agreement eight years ago".

Mr Ban feared that the resumption of hostilities and political instabilitiy could threaten the stability in the Great Lakes region.

He called on both the government and the FNL to end fighting and return to dialogue to solve their differences. While urging the FNL to return to Burundi and participate in the Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism and the Political Directorate [components of the ceasefire] the Secretary General also asked the Burundian government to give priority to the implementation of the agreement.

Besides, he said issues that fueled insecurity and the reintegration of ex-fighters must be addressed in "an environment characterised by abdject poverty, high unemployment, and sharply rising fuel and food prices."

The report noted the reported alarming new cases of torture and summary executions by the police and the national intelligence service.

Source:
Association Internationale des Tutsi du Burundi et de la dispora SurviT- Banguka Pour l'Unité des Barundi dans la diversité Solidarité et sécurité pour une communauté solidaire

Burundi-sécurité.
La chasse aux tutsis se poursuit.
Bujumbura le 17 novembre 08 (SurviT-Banguka).

L’Officier de Police Félicien Harerimana n’est plus. Ce jeune tutsi, cadre de la Police Nationale du Burundi, a été mitraillé, puis achevé à la grenade, par des assassins encore inconnus. Ils l’attendaient à l’entrée de son domicile situé en commune urbaine de Musaga (1ère avenue).

C’était durant la nuit du 14 novembre 08. Félicien commandait la Police de Sécurité Intérieure en commune urbaine de Kanyosha. Comme elle le fait après chaque assassinat sélectif, la Police a démarré ses enquêtes pour mettre la main sur les meurtriers. Point trait. Après le choc émotionnel consécutif à cette mort atroce, les habitants de la commune Musaga (à dominante tutsie) se sont replongés dans leur train-train quotidien. En attendant le prochain crime.

Car même si cela n’a l’air de rien, la machine est en marche depuis plusieurs mois. Assassinats sélectifs de tutsis suivis des enquêtes policières qui n’aboutissent pas. Hier encore, c’était Monsieur Ferdinand Ntabishimwa, directeur général au Ministère de la Jeunesse et des Sports, qui a été carbonisé par la même main criminelle, au même endroit. Mais les tutsis ne sourcillent pas. Au lieu de prendre collectivement conscience du danger et de se considérer effectivement dans la ligne de mire, ils sont accaparés par l’accessoire : la bière, le sexe ou d’autres chicanes internes qui les perdront, à coup sûr.

Burundi-partis politiques.
Le ministre de l’Intérieur et du Développement Communal mange son chapeau.

Bujumbura le 17 novembre 08 (SurviT-Banguka).

Venant Kamana, ministre burundais de l’Intérieur et du Développement Communal, est revenu sur sa décision : la restriction des réunions qui avait été récemment imposée aux partis politiques, consécutivement à son ordonnance est annulée. « Comme avant, les partis politiques ont le droit de se réunir partout et à tout moment, sur simple information du responsable local ; je dis bien simple information et non demande formelle d’autorisation », a-t-il laissé entendre, le 15 novembre dernier.

Il paraissait ridicule car ce ménestrel tutsi, payé pour faire barrage à l’opposition politique, n’a pas hésité de reconnaître que la décision avait été prise dans la précipitation, en violation flagrante de la constitution et de la loi sur les partis politiques au Burundi. Mais il s’est naturellement gardé de révéler le véritable donneur d’ordre, en l’occurrence l’état-major de son parti (présidentiel).

Car, comme tous les rares tutsis qui prennent leurs aises dans un système engagé à mettre leur communauté sur le carreau, Venant Kamana n’agit que par procuration. Et le vrai décideur se moque de ses chiffons de d’ordonnances. C’est ainsi qu’aucun administrateur communal, militant du puissant CNDD-FDD, ne fait attention à ses balivernes ou à ses décisions. Le centre de commandement est visiblement ailleurs. Pour prouver cette insoutenable insubordination, au lendemain de la sortie médiatique du ministre Venant Kamana, l’administrateur de la commune Giharo (province Rutana)a empêché aux membres du parti FRODEBU de se réunir, arguant que l’ordre lui avait été donné « d’en haut ». Venant Kamana y perd son droit. Si le ministre de l’Intérieur et du Développement Communal était plus attaché à l’Etat de droit qu’à son ventre, il aurait jeté l’éponge. Mais hélas, il fait avec. En attendant le prochain camouflet.

Le MSD relooké.

Bujumbura le 17 novembre 08 (SurviT-Banguka).

Les promoteurs du Mouvement pour la Sécurité et la Démocratie (MSD) ont pris acte du refus obstiné de l’agrément de leur parti et ont décidé d’en tirer les conséquences qui s’imposent pour contourner l’embûche. Leurs récentes démarches ont, en effet, toujours achoppé sur la dimension « sécurité » qui, aux yeux du ministère de l’Intérieur et du Développement Communal, est l’unique apanage du Gouvernement.

Pour décrocher son agrément et ne pas rester en banc de touche pendant les prochaines consultations électorales, le mouvement laisse tomber l’aspect « sécurité » et le remplace par « la solidarité ». On passe ainsi du MSD au MSD, sans empiéter sur les prérogatives du Gouvernement. Et les responsables de ce mouvement prennent les Burundais à témoins pour montrer que le refus de son agrément procède davantage de la mauvaise foi du Gouvernement.

« Nous tenons à informer l’opinion que désormais, le refus d’agrément de notre parti devra trouver des explications ailleurs, car comme le recommandait le ministre de l’Intérieur et de la Sécurité Publique Venant Kamana, nous avons changé de nom et c’était le seul point de blocage officiel ; mais je suis convaincu que demain, ils auront d’autres prétextes pour nous exclure comme ils en ont toujours cherché », explique Maître François Nyamoya, Chargé de l’Information au sein du MSD. Mais l’agrément ne serait pas pour demain. Car le pouvoir CNDD-FDD voit derrière cette organisation d’Alexis Sinduhije (écroué à Mpimba pour les besoins de la cause), le fer de lance du mouvement de refus de sa reconduction. Il le croit aussi à la solde des forces extrémistes tutsies, nostalgiques

Source:
burundi-info.com

La sécurité est l’affaire de tous, selon le Président Nkurunziza
lundi 17 novembre 2008 par

Bweru, le 14 novembre 2008 (PP) : Le Président de la République Son Excellence Pierre Nkurunziza a precisé vendredi à Bweru (province Ruyigi, est) que la sécurité du pays incombe, non pas aux seules forces de l’ordre, mais à tous les citoyens, toutes catégories confondues.
Le Chef de l’Etat s’entretenait avec les administrateurs et les fonctionnaires des provinces Ruyigi et Cankuzo, deux régions situées à l’est du Burundi où la criminalité à main armée prend de plus en plus des allures inquiétantes.

Cette recrudescence de la violence a récemment frappé les Albinos, un groupe plutôt minoritaire, recherchés et pourchassés dans les villages comme des bêtes de somme par des individus armés, déchaînés par une folie meurtrière. Les parties du corps des Albinos feraient des fortunes en plusieurs millions de nos francs au profit des féticheurs/sorciers tanzaniens.

En effet, pour les raisons précitées, la chasse aux Albinos est un phénomène très répandu au pays de Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, où la croyance dans la magie noire dans certains coins du pays dépasse l’entendement.

Après avoir fustigé ce comportement criminel « sans nom », le Président Nkurunziza a appelé la population tout entière à collaborer avec les forces de l’ordre en vue de débusquer et de châtier les malfrats.

« Où que tu sois, la sécurité te concerne car ce n’est pas la seule responsabilité des policiers et des militaires », a-t-il martelé, expliquant que les hommes en uniforme pourraient ne pas mener à bien leur mission si la population civile ne collabore pas avec eux.

« La population doit être ‘l’œil et l’oreille’ de l’appareil sécuritaire », a insisté le Numéro Un burundais, rappelant au passage une injonction faite récemment aux gouverneurs de province de faire une évaluation hebdomadaire de la sécurité chaque samedi après les travaux communautaires.

e Président Nkurunziza a enfin introduit une notion plus vaste de la sécurité, expliquant qu’au delà de la définition liée à l’usage des armes (à feu), il y a aussi la sécurité alimentaire, sanitaire, routière, environnementale telle que les feux de brousse, les incendies criminels, la sorcellerie, etc qui sont autant de facteurs qui ont un impact négatif sur la vie des hommes.

En guise de solution, le Président Nkurunziza a exhorté les familles à promouvoir l’éducation de leurs enfants en multipliant notamment les écoles car, selon lui, « il n’y a pas meilleure sécurité que l’éducation » qui ouvre les horizons et permet aux hommes de se prémunir contre la pauvreté.

Les régions de Ruyigi et Cankuzo sont parmi les moins développées du pays, a fait remarquer le Chef de l’Etat, demandant aux responsables administratifs concernés de travailler dans le sens de relever le niveau de vie de leurs populations.

Source:
www.info-burundi.net

Lettre au Secrétaire Général de l’ONU par les parlementaires Burundais
REPUBLIQUE DU BURUNDI
ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE

Bujumbura, le 21 Septembre 2008

A Son Excellence Monsieur le Secrétaire Général des Nations Unies à NEW YORK

Excellence Monsieur le Secrétaire Général,
En date du 16 Juin 2008, Nous, signataires de la présente correspondance, avons fait part à votre Très Haute Excellence, de nos préoccupations en rapport avec la gestion antidémocratique et le non respect des principes de bonne gouvernance sans oublier la violation massive des Droits de l’Homme au Burundi par le régime en place. Cette dernière s’inscrivait dans la suite logique de celle du 22 Février de la même année qui faisait état des menaces proférées à l’endroit des Honorables Députés et Sénateurs Burundais par le même régime. De ces deux correspondances, la réponse est restée tumultueuse à tel point que cela a ouvert les étendards aux autres violations sans cesse répétitives des Droits de l’Homme au Burundi par le même régime.

Excellence Monsieur le Secrétaire Général,
Au moment où la prestigieuse organisation mondiale que sont les Nations Unies s’apprête à tenir ses assises sur le Burundi en ce qui concerne l’analyse du rapport sur les violations des Droits de l’Homme au Burundi et par ricochet analyser le possible renouvellement ou prolongation du mandat de l’Expert Indépendant,AKICH Okola ,sur le Burundi,il est superfétatoire qu’on puisse penser faire une promotion de la bonne Gouvernance dans le Pays qui émerge des conflits tout en fermant les yeux sur la violation de la Constitution ,qui est par excellence la colonne vertébrale de la Bonne Gouvernance.

Excellence Monsieur le Secrétaire Général,
Au Burundi, la Constitution et bien d’autres textes légaux et réglementaires sont foulés aux pieds par le régime en place. A ce sujet il nous revient de rappeler à votre Très haute Excellence que vingt deux Députés ont été interdits, par le régime en place, d’exercer le mandat populaire leur dévolu par le Peuple. Comme si cela ne suffisait pas, trois d’entre eux ont été par la suite emprisonnés pendant que d’autres, ceux qui n’ont pas été contraints à l’exil vivent en cachette car la Justice, travaillant dans les aisselles de l’Exécutif, a lancé des mandats d’arrêt contre eux. Le chaos se généralise même dans les Elus locaux où les membres des Conseils communaux sont démis de leurs mandats leur dévolu par le Peuple.

Tout cela est orchestré par le régime en place et ce dernier fait peur à la population en vue de tronquer les résultats des échéances prochaines de 2010.

Comme le régime recourt à la violence de tout genre pour se faire entendre sous l’œil complaisant de la Communauté Internationale, d’aucuns se demandent qui seront les comptables et responsables de toutes ces violations pour le Burundi de demain dans la mesure où même les attaques à la grenade répétitives sur les Honorables Députés et Sénateurs, les tueries sélectives des paisibles citoyens sans défenses,les restrictions des libertés publiques aussi bien collectives qu’individuelles semblent non sujettes à des mesures urgentes contraignantes à l’endroit des responsables Burundais ,auteurs de ces crimes crapuleux.

Excellence Monsieur le Secrétaire Général,
Face à la dégradation sans cesse de la situation au Burundi où les formations politiques sont malmenées par le régime en place,la presse muselée,la jouissance des libertés publiques tant collectives qu’individuelles mise en cause,la justice agonisant et travaillant pour le compte de l’Exécutif et du Parti au Pouvoir sans oublier les éléments de la Police Nationale et du Service National des Renseignements qui oeuvrent inéluctablement pour le compte du Parti au Pouvoir sous l’oeil complaisant de l’Exécutif, Nous signataires de la présente correspondance ,lançons un cri d’alarme à la Communauté Internationale pour attirer son attention particulière sur les violations de tout genre commises quotidiennement au Burundi à la rusée de tout le monde et en appelons au sursaut pour sauver les valeurs démocratiques au Burundi et faire respecter la volonté populaire en réhabilitant les Vingt deux Députés.

Excellence Monsieur le Secrétaire Général,

L’apport de votre Très Haute Excellence est vivement requis pour toutes ces questions généralement qui fâchent et particulièrement de celle de la réhabilitation des vingt Deux Députés sans oublier de faire noter avec force que la ferme décision de l’Organisation Mondiale qu’est les Nations Unies dont vous avez l’honneur de patronner actuellement va inspirer et servir de garantir les échéances prochaines en toute quiétude.

Veuillez agréer, Excellence Monsieur le Secrétaire Général, les Assurances de Notre Haute Considération.

Source:
www.info-burundi.net

COMMUNIQUE N° …05…..DU PARTI CNDD-FDD/2008

lundi 17 novembre 2008

AU BURUNDI COMME AILLEURS, LE NON RESPECT DE LA LOI NE FAIT PAS PARTIE DES LIBERTES FONDAMENTALES

L’inquiétude et le désespoir envahissent l’esprit des politiciens dont les cœurs battent précipitamment au rythme de l’issu des élections de 2010. Au lieu de concevoir des programmes politiques à présenter à l’issu de ces élections tant attendues, ils les précipitent, les pronostiquent et prêtent des intentions au parti CNDD-FDD juste par peur des assises populaires de ce dernier.

Cette fuite en avant qui pousse certains de nos compatriotes dans le « démocratisme » ne peut que fragiliser davantage la démocratie durement acquise et au prix de beaucoup de sacrifices. Elle les amène à franchir le Rubicon dans le non respect de la loi sous prétexte de jouir des libertés démocratiques et d’expression mises à leur disposition par le Gouvernement. .

Le parti CNDD-FDD invite encore les uns et les autres à mettre en avant le sens de responsabilité et l’Amour de la patrie pour que le contexte actuel de situation post conflit s’achemine vers un pays uni, respectable et respecté et régi par un système d’une démocratique réussie ;

C’est dans cet objectif visé que :

1.Le Parti CNDD-FDD salue la patience, la réserve et la tolérance dont fait preuve le Gouvernement face à la provocation de certains politiciens malveillants, qui visiblement tentent d’étouffer la démocratie naissante dans notre pays ; 2. Le Parti CNDD-FDD encourage les Forces de l’ordre et de Sécurité à s’acquitter convenablement de leur noble mission de protéger les acquis de la Démocratie et notre Nation en identifiant très tôt les dangers de manière à écarter les menaces tout en gardant à l’esprit le sens de professionnalisme actuellement observé pour rassurer tout le monde ;

3. Le parti CNDD-FDD salue la compréhension rapide des Burundais qui se sont vite inscrits en faux contre toute tentative visant à remettre en cause les acquis de la démocratie ;

4.Le Parti CNDD-FDD ne laissera rien au hasard qui va à l’encontre de l’exercice démocratique au Burundi et invite le Gouvernement à continuer à décourager toutes les actions de subversion avérée de tendance à mettre en péril les efforts de consolidation démocratique ;

5. Le Parti CNDD-FDD remercie la Communauté Internationale, particulièrement les Nations Unies, l’Union Européenne, l’Union Africaine, l’Initiative Régionale, le Facilitateur, les Institutions Financières Internationales et tous les autres partenaires qui n’épargnent aucun effort pour être au chevet de notre pays afin de lui éviter de retomber dans les travers du passé et leur demande de continuer de l’accompagner jusqu’à la consolidation effective et définitive de la paix, la démocratie, la réconciliation et la reconstruction nationale ;

6.Le Parti CNDD-FDD demande à ces derniers et à tous les Pays et Peuples Amis de poursuivre leurs efforts de soutien politique et financier en faveur du Burundi. Puisque Rien au Monde ne saurait justifier quelque recul que ce soit au regard du pas déjà franchi.

Fait à Bujumbura, le 12/11/2008 Pour le Parti CNDD-FDD Onésime NDUWIMANA Porte parole

Source:
www.burundi-quotidien.com

Assassinat de l’épouse du Procureur de la République à CANKUZO.
BURUNDI- SECURITE

Bujumbura 19 Novembre 2008(RTNB)- Selon le correspondant de l’Agence Burundaise de Presse basé à Cankuzo, la femme du Procureur de la République dans cette province a été assassinée le 17 Novembre 2008 près de son domicile. Ce cadavre a été retrouvé le lendemain matin dans un caniveau. La même source précise que la Police et les curieux n’ont pas vu aucune goutte de sang, ce qui laisse penser que la personne est morte étranglée. Au moment de cette sale besogne, son mari était en mission de service à Ruyigi.

La chasse aux albinos se poursuit en province de RUYIGI.
Bujumbura 18 Novembre 2008(RTNB)- L’on croyait que les choses étaient rentrées dans l’ordre, mais hélas la chasse aux albinos a repris en province de Ruyigi. Un enfant de 6 ans a été tué le 16 Novembre 2008 par des inconnus qui ont utilisé des armes à feu. La scène macabre s’est déroulée en commune de Kinyinya. Les bras et les pieds ont été emportés par ces criminels qui ne sont pas encore identifiés. C’est la 3ème personne de cette catégorie qui est tuée en l’espace de deux mois dans cette entité administrative. Le Président de cette Association des Albinos demande du gouvernement d’infliger des sanctions exemplaires aux auteurs de ces crimes.

Les négociations avec le FNL Palipehutu dans une phase de blocage.
Bujumbura 18 Novembre 2008(RTNB) Malgré les appels lancés par la Communauté Internationale et Initiative Régionale pour la paix au Burundi; les négociations conduisant à la mise en application de l’Accord de cessez-le-feu avec le Mouvement FNL Palipehutu sont actuellement dans une phase de blocage. Le Mouvement a refusé de changer le nom pour être reconnu comme parti politique. Le Représentant du gouvernement au Directoire Politique le Général Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE a indiqué que le FNL Palipehutu doit accepter de changer le nom pour se conformer aux clauses de la constitution. Et tant que le mouvement ne sera pas agrée comme parti politique, les autres étapes sont complètement paralysées notamment le soutien logistique aux combattants se trouvant dans les zones de rassemblement.

Source:
Various sources

In Burundi the risk of ethnic genocides has never been removed. Analysts and students have wide demonstrated this reality, that only a deep social change will be able to remove
For example read: Burundi: Ethnic Conflict and Genocide (Woodrow Wilson Center Press/Cambridge University Press, 1994).

Human Rights, restrictions (GLBT):
http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=5&detail=905

Human Rights, the Albinos:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200811190001.html

INSECURITE : Toujours des morts dans les bistrots de Bujumbura et précisément à BWIZA2008-11-24http://www.world-newspapers.com/burundi.html L’insécurité devient grandissante presque dans tous les contraints du pays et les causes ne sont pas encore établies par les autorités compétentes, qu’elles soient de l’administration ou des forces de l’ordre et de la sécurité intérieure. L’on parlera à maintes reprises de règlements de compte, de conflits fonciers, d’éléments du PALIPEHUTU-FNL, etc. La vérité est loin d’établir la vraie version. Pour une fois de plus et en plein milieu de la capitale burundaise, un responsable de famille vient d’être victime d’un assassinat ciblé alors qu’il partageait un verre avec ses amis dans la soirée de ce dimanche 23 novembre vers 21h30 (heure de Bujumbura) au niveau de la commune urbaine de BWIZA au 3ème avenue, numéro 58 dans un bistrot d’un certain TUNDARARA. La victime répond au nom de Didace NZOSABA de la commune urbaine de NYAKABIGA et échangeur de monnaie.

Killing risks: http://www.world-newspapers.com/burundi.html

Comparution de l’honorable Pasteur Mpawenayo : Me Prosper NIYOYANKANA dénonce les risques d’élimination physique2008-11-23

Ce prisonnier de trop et gênant pour le pouvoir du président Nkurunziza n’est autre que l’honorable Pasteur Mpawenayo actuellement détenu dans la prison de Rutana. Alors qu’il doit comparaître devant les juges de la cour suprême ce 26 novembre 2008, les autorités pénitentiaires de Rutana lui auraient déjà signifié qu’il devra se débrouiller pour se déplacer jusqu’à Bujumbura. Son avocat, Me Prosper NIYOYANKANA, dénonce cette décision et y voit une manière de chercher à éliminer physiquement son client en cours de route et affirme que c’est une décision prise en violation de la loi. Me NIYOYANKANA appelle la justice à ne pas travailler sous les caprices du pouvoir et demande que le transfert de son client soit légal pour le protéger dans la mesure où il est aux mains de la justice.

Risks of new rebel forces that causes instability and persecutions:
http://www.world-newspapers.com/burundi.html

Le MSD et l’ UPD réagissent contre les accusations portées à leur endroit2008-11-23. Après les rumeurs faisant état de l’existence dans la Kibira des rebelles appartenant au mouvement MSD et au parti UPD, les leaders de ces formations n’ont pas tardé à publier leurs réactions, chacun à sa part. Pour Jean Bosco BIVUGIRE, chargé des questions de sécurité au sein du MSD, cela est un montage qui n’a autre objectif que de bloquer encore l’agrément de son mouvement au sein du ministère de l’intérieur. Il annonce du même coup que le MSD n’a jamais eu un projet ni même une idée allant dans le sens de la formation d’une rébellion. „ Nous menons un combat idéologique «, a-t-il souligné. Du côté de l’UPD ZIGAMIBANGA, c’est aussi une consternation. Le porte parole de ce parti considère que cela n’est qu’un montage destiné à déstabiliser leur parti. Chevineau MUGWENGEZO a aussi fait savoir que son parti n’entend jamais fonder une rébellion pour faire face au gouvernement. Rappelons que ces réactions font suite à des rumeurs propagées à partir de Bubanza, disant qu’il y aurait des nouveaux groupes introduits dans la Kibira, qui appartiennent au mouvement MSD et au parti UPD.

Threats against the bench (judiciary) by the hand of the security forces (police): http://www.world-newspapers.com/burundi.html

Immixtion de l’administration dans le fonctionnement de la justice. Les hommes de loi dans les provinces de Kayanza et Ngozi n’apprécient pas l’interférence de l’administration dans les affaires judiciaires surtout dans les dossiers concernant le mouvement Palipehutu-Fnl et le mouvement pour la solidarité et la démocratie d’Alexis Sinduhije. Dans la province de Kayanza, le gouverneur de province accompagné d’une armada de policiers aurait intimidé ce 13 Novembre au parquet le substitut du procureur de la République à Kayanza, Jean SEBATWA en l’accusant de corruption. Celui -ci venait de libérer 38 jeunes gens accusés de collaboration avec le Palipehutu-Fnl d’Agathon Rwasa et qui avaient été arrêtés en commune Gatara. D'après Jean SEBATWA, ces jeunes gens ont été libérés parce qu’ils étaient innocents. C’est le même climat qui règne à Ngozi où certains magistrats indiquent que l’administration s’ingère dans leurs affaires surtout dans le traitement des dossiers des membres des partis et mouvements politiques arrêtés. Pour preuve, deux hommes André RWASA et Omer HABARUGIRA viennent de passer respectivement 16 jours et une semaine dans les cachots de la police accusés de collaborer avec le mouvement Palipehutu-Fnl.

Executions: http://www.world-newspapers.com/burundi.html

Vindicte populaire à Kamenge2008-11-22

Vindicte populaire à Kamenge Ce matin du 21.11.08 vers 9h00, au Quartier TWINYONI, 11èAv. Nﾰ170, un travailleur de l’abattoir a été attaqué par des bandits armés qui étaient à bord d’une voiture CARINA. Ils ont tiré sur lui et la victime a été blessée au niveau du bras. Après le coup, les bandits ont fui vers CIBITOKE. Un parmi les bandits a été appréhendé par la population étant à bord du véhicule ayant servi de crime. Le malheureux a été tabassé et il a succombé aux coups et blessures tandis que le véhicule a été remis à la police.

LINKS

http://www.tutsi.org
http://www.burundi-info.com
http://www.info-burundi.net
http://www.burundi-quotidien.com
http://www.hrw.org

http://www.amnesty.org
http://www.afrol.com
http://allafrica.com

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