Burundi at Dangerous Tipping Point, Warns UN

By Tharanga Yakupitiyage Reprint | | Print |

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 12 2015 (IPS) - The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the increased human rights violations in Burundi and threatening sanctions against those responsible.

The emergency Security Council meeting Thursday followed fears that the African country is at risk of a Rwanda-like genocide.

Prior to the vote, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein told the Security Council that Burundi is at “a crucial and extremely dangerous tipping point” with widespread violence and torture.

The French-drafted resolution, adopted Nov 12, requests Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to deploy a team to Burundi to work with the government, African Union, and other key partners to “develop options to address political and security concerns.”

“Today’s resolution…sends a united signal to all parties in Burundi to engage in dialogue and refrain from inciting violence,” President of the Security Council Matthew Rycroft told reporters following the vote.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre also emphasized the importance of unity within the Security Council, stating: “The Security Council must fully embrace its role of prevention… and not let the genie of ethnic violence out of the bottle.”

Human rights groups including Human Rights Watch have commended the UN’s strong statements and swift action, saying that it sends a powerful warning to Burundian authorities.

“With tensions escalating, the UN should waste no time in dispatching a high level team to Burundi to assess how to help the country prevent the worst,” Human Rights Watch said.

Meanwhile, the UN, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) issued a joint statement on Nov 12 calling for a meeting of government officials and opposition representatives to be mediated by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

“No effort can be spared to achieve an end to the violence and to foster a political solution,” they said in their statement.

Like Rwanda, Burundi has a history of tension between its ethnic Hutu and Tutsi groups. Since April, at least 250 people have been killed and tens of thousands have fled to neighbouring countries.

Political violence followed Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a third term in office. He won a disputed election in July.

At the beginning of November, President Nkurunziza set an ultimatum for Burundians to surrender all weapons, warning that those who would not do so would be deemed “enemies of the nation.”

Central and West Africa Chief at the UN Human Rights Office Scott Campbell expressed concern over the UN’s role in mediating the crisis.

“We are more poorly positioned to respond to the warning signs today than we were in 1994,” said Campbell at a news conference.

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