On
Burundi
Suspending
NGOs, UN
Hasn't Heard,
US Has No
Comment Yet
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 23 --
As killings in
Burundi have
increased, on
November 12,
the Security
Council
adopted a
belated
resolution on
Burundi.
(Inner City
Press put the
full
text online
here, and
here
in French.)
Afterward
Inner City
Press asked UK
Ambassador
Rycroft, the
President of
the Council
for November
what steps
would actually
be needed to
send any
peacekeepers
from MONUSCO
in DR Congo
(he said there
are
discussions).
Inner City
Press managed
to ask French
Permanent
Representative
Francois
Delattre why
UN
Peacekeeping
keeping using
and paying for
Burundian
troops and
police in the
Central
African
Republic (a
Press question
both the
UK and US
Ambassador
Samantha Power
have seen fit
to respond to.)
Delattre
declined to
answer - but
more politely
than his
deputy had,
here.
In Burundi,
the Pierre
Nkurunziza
government has
taken to
suspending and
freezing the
bank accounts
of civil
society
groups, not
only political
but even
medical. On
November 23,
Inner City
Press asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, video here, transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: in
Burundi, the
Government has
suspended and
frozen the
bank accounts
of a number of
civil society
organizations,
including the
one run by
Pierre Claver
Mbonimpa, who
you’ve spoken
about from
this podium
before.
What’s the
UN’s response
to basically
shutting down
civil society
and…?
Spokesman:
I think it’s
clear that
every society
needs a
healthy civil
society, needs
room for civil
society.
The
Secretary-General
has spoken out
on that
repeatedly.
As for
Burundi, Mr.
[Jamal]
Benomar is
arriving in
Burundi today,
or as we
speak.
He will have
meetings
there, which
we hope to be
able to report
back [to]
you. And
this is part
of the mandate
given to the
Secretariat by
the Security
Council to
report back,
which we will
in due course.
Inner City
Press:
And I don’t
know if you’ll
comment on
this, but this
morning, the
Obama
administration
announced
targeted
sanctions on
those
contributing
to the ongoing
crisis in
Burundi,
unquote.
Do you think
that’s a
useful move?
Question: the
Burundi
Government has
suspended the
license for 10
NGO
organization
for allegedly
the role of
playing a
failed coup
attempt.
Do you want to
address that?
MR
TONER: I
don’t. I
mean, I don’t
have any
information.
I’m aware of
the reports,
but I don’t
have any
further
information on
whether
they’re
actually
credible or
not.
Sorry.
QUESTION:
Can I – can I
squeeze in --
QUESTION:
On Burundi
also?
MR
TONER:
I’ll see if I
have anything
for you.
I just don’t.
"The accounts
of Maison
Shalom, the
local NGO
founded by
Marguerite
Barankitse
were frozen.
Maison Shalom
is very active
in
humanitarian
and
development
projects in
particular.
Thus, thanks
to the Maison
Shalom, Ruyigi
has a modern
hospital, open
to all. This
"jewel",
unique to
Burundi, will
therefore
close after
the freezing
of accounts of
the NGOs, to
punish "Maggy"
accused, among
others, to be
opposed to
third term.
She was forced
into exile.
"Iwacu
reporters
traveled to
Ruyigi, they
discovered a
completely
stunned
population by
the decision.
The hospital
will close in
the neonatal
unit, the only
one in the
region, there
are still two
babies and
then it will
be the
cessation of
activities.
The peak
unemployment,
projects
initiated by
the Maison
Shalom in
development
will stop.
It's
desperation
for tens of
thousands of
people.
Here there is
no question of
third term but
sick,
premature
babies, people
operated.
There is
reason to
question the
appropriateness
of such a
decision.
Let's just say
Maggy hatred
has blinded
the people who
took an
inhumane
decision. A
premature baby
incubator
victim of the
third mandate
... It is
difficult to
understand."
Where is
the UN on
this? On
FORSC, FOCODE
and APRODH we
aim to have
more.
Where is
Nkurunziza
taking
Burundi?
On November
20, Inner City
Press asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, transcript here:
Inner City
Press: about
Burundi,
people are
saying that
the UN has
told its staff
to restrict
their
movements in
light of
planned
demonstrations
and the two,
both the
French and
Belgian I
guess
embassies
there have
said the
same.
There is also
this spat
between the
ruling party,
the CNDD-FDD
and the
Belgians where
the Belgians
said the
people should
leave and the
party said you
are a bunch of
colonialists
and if you
don’t leave we
will hurt
you.
What has
happened in
terms of the
UN’s
involvement?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
Obviously in
any place
where the
security
situation is
tense, it’s
the
responsibility
of the senior
UN official on
the ground to
recommend
whatever
measures he or
she deems
necessary, so
I’m not going
to comment on
that. We
are obviously
following the
situation
closely.
As I mentioned
to you
earlier, Mr.
Benomar is on
his way to the
region.
We hope to
have an update
from him as
soon as he
starts his
round of
consultations.
The situation
on the ground
remains of
grave concern
to us. I
think we have
seen an
increase of
violence and
it’s clear
that the
Government has
the
responsibility
to ensure the
safety of
people within,
obviously,
international
human rights
norms.
Then later in
the November
20 briefing:
Inner City
Press: In the
DRC, the UN’s
own or
affiliated
Radio Okapi
has reported
that the FDLR
has
essentially
held people -
in Walikale
which is
well-known for
a previous
mass rape and
Lubero -
hostage,
they’re not
allowing
people to make
phone calls
and I could go
on. But
what I’m
saying is, if
the UN’s own
Radio Okapi is
aware of
essentially
taking hostage
of people by
the
longstanding
FDLR militia
group, what
are they doing
about it?
Spokesman:
I don’t have
that
information.
I don’t have
an update
sitrep from
MONUSCO
today.
You are free
to call the
Mission to see
if they have
anything to
share with you
but I don’t
have
information
here.
Inner City
Press:
Yesterday
there was a
story saying
that an
unnamed UN
peacekeeping
official here
in New York
said that the
DRC didn’t,
wasn’t
properly
vetting its
troops that
were sent to
Central
African
Republic.
And I wanted
to see, I
guess, it
seems like a
big
announcement,
whether DPKO
has something
in writing on
that.
And I wanted
to ask, it
also seems
strange there
are also
allegations of
sexual abuse
by a number of
other
contingents
and including
by the
Sangaris
force.
Does DPKO or
the UN believe
that Sangaris
appropriately
vets its
people?
I mean…
I’m trying to
understand
since the
announcement
was made
anonymously…
Spokesman:
I think first
of all I don’t
have any
specific
announcement.
As you know,
we have no
authority over
Sangaris
troops.
We are
obviously all
very well
aware of the
allegations
against it and
we are we look
forward to the
continuing
French
investigation
to see that if
crimes were
committed by
the Sangaris
soldiers,
those soldiers
are brought to
justice.
And we have
full
confidence
that the
soldiers are
being – that
the right
policies are
in place but
obviously we
are very much
focused on the
judicial
investigation.
On the DRC
what I can
tell you is
that the UN,
DPKO is in
discussions
with the DRC
authorities
about the
future of the
Congolese
contingent in
the Central
African
Republic.
And we will
have more when
we have a
little bit
more official
to announce;
but,
obviously,
it’s clear
that the
results of the
assessment and
the vetting of
the unit was
not
satisfactory.
Inner City
Press:
The reason I
ask this, and
you will
remember this,
I’ve asked you
a couple times
here about the
vetting of the
Burundian
contingent CAR
and I’ve
actually seen
a document
where Mr.
Ladsous gave
them a waiver
and said give
them an
extension
until March
2016 to even
bring the
right
equipment to
the country,
so you didn’t
comment on
that one but
this one…
Spokesman:
Listen, I have
not seen the
document
you’re
referring
to. I
think there is
different, in
general terms,
different
issues between
equipment and
obviously
human rights
vetting.
The vetting of
troops for
human rights
issues is, you
know, there
are three real
components to
it:
there is the
Government
itself, there
is the UN and
different
parts of the
UN, and also
key groups
that we share
information
with. So
that is it.
Inner City
Press:
What do you
mean public
with the
vetting, that
is what I’m
asking about?
Spokesman:
If there is an
issue
obviously with
the DRC, with
the DRC
contingent, I
do expect to
have something
a little more
official to
say later.
When
the UN
Peacebuilding
Commission
Burundi
Configuration
met on
November 18 it
was it was to
hear from
Swiss
Permanent
Representative
Lauber about
his trip to
the region,
including
three days in
Bujumbura. He
described a
climate of
fear -- while
adding that
Burundians are
resilient --
and of a 10 pm
curfew. He
quoted the
World Bank
that the
government has
cut health
spending; he
said he aim to
return to the
country in
January or
February. What
will the
situation be
them?
Burundi's
Permanent
Representative
Shingiro
responded that
the problems
are caused by
opposition
outside of the
country and
“the media”
within. He
stated that
Lauber had a
meeting of
confident with
Pierre
Nkurunziza,
November 11 at
noon for 45
minutes. He
said the
specter of
genocide is a
“tactic of the
radical
opposition
abroad.”
US Deputy
Permanent
Representative
David Pressman
called out
authorities'
hate speech in
the country,
as did UK
Deputy
Permanent
Representative
Peter Wilson.
When it came
the turn of
France, the
penholder on
Burundi in the
Security
Council, to
speak, neither
Permanent
Representative
Francois
Delattre nor
his Deputy
Alexis Lamek
was there.
There are two
explanations,
not mutual
exclusive.
At the
day's noon
briefing,
Inner City
Press asked
the UN about
those trying
to flee not
being allowed
to leave the
country and,
on behalf of
the Free
UN Coalition
for Access,
about
Shingiro's
comment about
the media.
During the
briefing, a statement
came in from
civil society
on Burundi,
signed by
Vital
Nshimirimana,
naming hate
speech and
even the
training of
the ruling
party's
militia the
Imbonerakure
at Kiliba
-Ondes in
Eastern DRC,
on which Herve
Ladsous' UN
Peacekeeping
never acted. Plus
ca change.
Inner City
Press: on
Burundi, it
seems
overnight
there were
these raids on
a number of
neighborhoods
thought to be
anti-third
term – Musaga,
Cibitoke et
cetera, and
people, you
know, led
out. So
I'm wondering,
with all this
talk about UN
presence on
the ground,
does the UN
have any
readout on
these mass
arrests?
Spokesman:
Obviously,
we're
continuing to
watch the
situation
through our
country office
there.
And, as I
mentioned
yesterday,
Jamal Benomar
is on his way…
is on his way
to the region.
Inner City
Press: I
saw him on
42nd Street
this morning.
Spokesman:
Well, if he's
heading… he's
probably
heading…
Inner City
Press:
Maybe he was
walking to the
airport…?
Spokesman:
…towards the
airport.
There you
go.
Thank you
Inner City
Press: In
Burundi, the
last remaining
independent
media, Iwacu,
the director
was summoned
in to be asked
by the police
if he’s
connected to
the previous
coup
attempt.
What’s the UN…
what’s your
response to
that? And,
two, what has
the UN been
doing since
naming of the
Special
Adviser?
Spokesman:
Obviously, as
we’ve been
saying, the
Secretary-General
is extremely
concerned by
the continued
violence that
we’ve seen in
Burundi,
especially the
violence we’ve
seen over the
weekend, where
at least six
people were
killed in
these grenade
attacks at
various
locations in
the
capital.
The
Secretary-General
once again
calls on the
violence to
stop. On the
case of the
head of the
Iwacu press
group, we’re
obviously
following… the
UN is
following the
closely the
court
proceedings,
which I think
took place
before the
Supreme Court
in Bujumbura
this morning,
if I’m not
mistaken.
You know,
obviously,
Iwacu remains
an important
independent
voice in
Burundi, and
the United
Nations urges
national
authorities to
safeguard the
freedom of
expression for
all media in
the country
and will
continue to
monitor the
developments
in the
region.
As for the
political
track, Jamal
Benomar, who
is the
Secretary-General’s
Special
Adviser — as
we’ve said,
Burundi is one
of his files —
and he will be
traveling to
the Great
Lakes region
later this
week.
So at
least the UN
had an
if-asked ready
on Burundi.
But what will
it come to?
On November
13, the
spokesperson
for the Pierre
Nkurunziza's
government
issued a
response to
the
resolution,
saying that it
"toes the
line" of the
Government and
that the
problems in
the country
are "nothing
other than
poverty,"
here.
On the
evening of
November 11,
the UN
Spokesperson's
office
announced that
there would be
a formal
Security
Council
meeting on
Burundi at
12:15 pm on
November 12,
that would be
to approve the
draft
resolution. An
unnamed
official of
Herve Ladsous
UN
Peacekeeping
-- wonder who
that could be
-- got Reuters
to retype
without
analysis the
idea the UN
would send
peacekeepers
from "Congo" -
that would be
DRC -- into
Burundi.
UNasked
by Reuters,
actively
covered up, is
that Ladsous'
MONUSCO has
been unable or
unwilling to
protect
civilians in
parts of the
Eastern DRC,
and has refused
to neutralize
the Hutu FDLR
militia.
So it would
take on Pierre
Nkurunziza's
forces and
youth wing in
Burundi?
This
youth wing was
allowed by
MONUSCO to
train in
Eastern Congo;
nothing was
said by
MONUSCO when
DRC detained
a Burundian
journalist.
None of this
in the
Reuters, or
AFP, or even
more
derivative
Voice of
America story.
But to retain
this "access,"
these media do
not report
when the UN's
Herve Ladsous,
on camera,
links
peacekeeper
rapes to
"R&R." Video here. This is a
scam. Watch
this site.
While
the November 9
meeting was
still ongoing,
the UN
announced that
French
Permanent
Representative
Francois
Delattre would
address the
press in ten
minutes. But
when it
happened it
was the French
Mission's
deputy Alexis
Lamek,
moderated by
the Mission's
spokesman
Thierry
Caboche.
After bragging
about a draft
resolution
French
belatedly
circulated,
Lamek and his
spokesperson
twice refused
to take a
Press question
about UN
Peacekeeping
still using
the same
Bururdian
forces accused
of the
abuses.
NewVine
here.New video,
with UK
contrast,
here.
"Ask
him," Lamek
said off
camera,
referring to
Ladsous who repeatedly refuses Press
questions on
this (and on
covering up
French
Sangaris
forces rapes
in CAR.)
Moments
later when
Inner City
Press asked UK
Deputy
Ambassador
Peter Wilson
if the UN
should keep
using
Burundian
troops or vet
them, Wilson
called this a
"big issues"
that "needs to
be looked at."
Audio
including
Elements to
the Press,
here. Fast
transcript by
InnerCityPro.com,
here:
Inner City
Press asked,
the UN uses
Burundian
peacekeepers
in CAR. Is
there, or
could there
be, some
review of
that?
UK Deputy
Peter Wilson:
"on
peacekeepers,
I think this
is a big
issue, and I
think it’s
something
certainly that
needs to be
looked at in a
wider context
of what
response we
take to the
events in
Burundi right
now. I
wouldn’t urge
precipitate
action on
that, but I
think it’s one
of the issues
that we need
collectively
to consider."
Strange
then, that the
penholding on
Burundi and
controller of
UN
Peacekeeping
wouldn't even
take the
questions. The
history of the
Great Lakes
runs deep.
More recently,
Inner City
Press is
informed is
belated
discussion
among Security
Council
Permanent Five
members that
Ladsous is a
liability,
should or can
he even be
allowed to
stay on to the
end of Ban
Ki-moon's
term.
Inner City
Press: I'll do
Burundi first
as a follow-up
to that.
Yesterday at
the stakeout,
Peter Wilson
of the UK said
that the issue
of continued
or… or service
of Burundian
peacekeepers,
particularly
those involved
in the
violence in UN
peacekeeping,
is a big
issue, is
something that
needs to be
looked at in
the wider
context of the
response to
the events in
Burundi right
now.
Since… I think
I've
previously
asked you
about… my
understanding
is the
Under-Secretary-General
of
Peacekeeping
waived Burundi
not having the
right
equipment
twice in a row
in CAR.
I wanted you
to describe,
if you could,
what is the
process, one,
for vetting
individuals
that come out
of the… what
you described
as a… big
violence in
Burundi, but
also of giving
these
waivers.
Is this
something
that's done
unilaterally
by the
Secretariat?
Spokesman:
I'm not… I
can't speak to
the waivers
because I
can't… I don't
know if what
you say is, in
fact, a fact.
Spokesman:
As far as… as
far as
Burundian
troops, they
continue to
serve in the
Central
African
Republic and
other
missions, if
I'm not
mistaken.
They are
rotated
through the
standard human
rights vetting
process, which
involves the
UN, which
involves the
government,
which involves
the High
Commissioner
for Human
Rights, and
which involves
the more… the
broader human
rights
community.
Inner City
Press:
What about the
issue of…
there have
been several
complaints by
the
peacekeepers
themselves of
not getting
paid leaving
some in
Burundi to
say, in fact,
this is a way
in which the
UN is
subsidizing
the Government
and the very
activities
that Mr. Zeid
was condemning
yesterday?
What steps are
taken to
ensure that
the money
reaches the
peacekeepers?
Spokesman:
Obviously, it
is critical
whether it's
in the case of
Burundi if it,
in fact,
happens or
other
countries that
individual
peacekeepers
receive the
monies that
are owed to
them.
Inner City
Press:
But Mr.
[Hervé]
Ladsous right
here in
September said
that he's…
that he's not
sure whether
this money
reaches
soldiers.
So what steps
does the UN
take,
particularly
in a case like
Burundi, where
you're
accusing the
Government of
cracking down
on the people,
what steps are
taken?
Spokesman:
As I said, I
think it's
incumbent on
the
governments to
ensure that
their soldiers
get
paid.
Did you have
another
question?
At the
November 9
meeting,
Burundi's
Nyamitwe
droned on by
video by
Bujumbura,
even as
Security
Council
President
Matthew
Rycroft asked
him to bring
it to an end.
He continued
speaking as
the other
speakers on
video --
Prince Zeid,
Adama Dieng,
Swiss
Ambassador
Lauber --
squirmed,
seeming like
the audience
to wonder if
Rycroft would
just cut his
mic (he
didn't.)
On
November 7
came reports
of killings,
including it
was said a UN
system staff
member. This
has been
confirmed by
UNDP - but
only the local
Buurndi
office. Still
from the UN,
nothing. The
Security
Council issued
a Press
Statement on
November 7...
about Libya.
Burundian
journalist
Blaise
Célestin
Ndihokubwayo
has been
arrested and
sent to the
Service
national de
renseignement
(SNR). Where
is UNESCO and
its director,
who wants to
be the next UN
Secretary
General?
On October 23
Inner City
Press asked UN
Ambassador
Matthew
Rycroft about
the status of
the draft
Presidential
Statement in
the UN
Security
Council. He
said there are
differing
views, but the
UK is
concerned
about the
"threat of
genocide." Video here. On November 3,
Inner City
Press again
put a Burundi
questions to
Rycroft, now
President of
the Security
Council for
November. Video here, story
here.
The son of
human rights
defender
Pierre Claver
Mbonimpa has
reportedly
been murdered,
after Pierre
Nkurunziza
tweeted that
"No one living
abroad should
consider
himself
superior to
those who
stayed in
Burundi, since
most of them
have left
their families
here."
On
November 6, a
belated
Security
Council
meeting on
Burundi was
announced --
from Paris, by
French foreign
ministry
spokesperson
Romain Nadal.
Why the delay?
Why announced
in that way?
Later on
November 6, UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon (whose
spokesman
could not tell
Inner City
Press if Ban
will have any
representative
in the
Security
Council's
meeting on
Monday) put
out this
statement.
Inner
City Press at
the November 6
UN noon
briefing asked
how these
concerns were
consistent
with Ban
deferring to
the Ugandan
Defense
Minister (for
the EAC, Ban's
spokesman
pointed out),
and asked if
Ban will even
have a
representative
briefing the
UN Security
Council on
Monday.
UNclear. Video
here.
The US'
Tom Perriello,
filmed at the
State
Department,
noted the
weekend
deadline. But
why then was
the UN
Security
Council
meeting left
until after
the deadline?
US
Ambassador
Samantha Power
put out
this
statement,
here.
Behind
the continued
killing,
here's an
issue: Inner
City Press is
informed that
a number of
Burundian
civil society
leaders and
journalists
have
improperly
been flagged
to Interpol as
if their
passports had
been stolen.
This has made
it impossible,
for example,
for Vital
Nshimirimana
to travel to a
speak about
the crisis in
Burundi at a
conference in
(Ban Ki-moon's
native) South
Korea.
Inner
City Press on
November 4
asked the UN
Office of the
High
Commissioner
for Human
Rights' Ivan
Simonovic and
UN spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
this.
Interpol often
brags at the
UN how it is
useful on the
issue of
foreign
fighters. It's
Secretary
General Jurgen
Stock spoke
before the UN
Security
Council on May
29, 2015. But
what about
when Interpol
is misused by
a government
like Pierre
Nkurunziza?
What do it,
the Security
Council and
its members do
that? Watch
this site.
On
November 2
Inner City
Press asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
two speeches
given in
Burundi (the
full text of
one is below).
Video
here, UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: In
Burundi, there
was a speech
by the
President of
the Senate
[Révérien
Ndikuriyo]
saying that
opposition
neighborhoods
may be razed
[or raided.
Some] people
are calling it
a genocide
speech.
There's also a
speech by the
President,
saying anyone
who doesn't
disarm within
the next five
days will be
treated as an
enemy of the
State.
So, I'm
wondering, not
to overdo it,
but things
seem pretty
serious.
I wanted to
know:
what is the UN
doing?
Spokesman:
"It's clear
that those in
position of
power, whether
in Government
or in the
opposition,
have a
responsibility
not to incite
fear or hate
of any
kind. I
think that's
very important
and that
whatever
security
measures the
Government
takes fully
comply with
international
law and
respect for
the right of
people to
freely
assemble and
protest."
After
Burundi was
elected to the
UN Human
Rights Council
with 162 votes
on October 28,
on October 31
security
forces in
Burundi opened
fire on a
funeral
procession in
Buringa,
killing
many.
These are the
Burundian
forces that UN
Peacekeeping
under Herve
Ladsous keeps
in service,
offering
waivers
while the
Government
keeps the
payments?
It is
reported the
Burundian
authorities
are accusing a
medical NGO of
offering
treatment to
insurgents,
and are ready
to attack.
Frankly, the
weak UN
Security
Council
Presidential
Statement
which France
belatedly
proffered in
the Council,
then didn't
even hold a
question and
answer
stakeout
about, is
woefully
insufficient,
as is the UN
Secretariat's
response.
On
October 28,
Inner City
Press asked UN
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
another
threat. From
the UN
transcript:
Inner City
Press: this is
a tweet
from the
official
account of
Pierre
Nkurunziza,
President of
Burundi:
"No one living
abroad should
consider
himself
superior to
those who
stayed in
Burundi since
most of them
have left
their families
here."
So people see
this as an
open-source
threat to
retaliate
against the
families of
those who have
fled the
country.
And I'm
wondering…
Spokesman:
I haven't seen
the
tweet. I
shall look at
it.
Inner
City Press
showed it to
him on his way
out. Earlier
on October 28,
Burundi got
162 votes for
the UN Human
Rights
Council, less
than the other
also unopposed
candidates,
but still
enough to get
on the
Council. The
UN Security
Council had
just issued a
Presidential
Statement,
here,
which gave
weight to the
Museveni
"mediation,"
and which the
US
later
"welcomed."
Usually it's
the penholder
(France) which
speaks. But
not here, not
on Burundi
(see Ladsous,
below).
On
October 28
Burundi was
poised for
election to
the UN Human
Rights
Council, as
one of five
African Group
candidates for
five seats.
Meanwhile on
October 26,
the European
Union adopted
the letter
to President
Pierre
Nkurunziza
that Inner
City Press
asked the UN
about last
week, here.
Can EU
members on
October 28 not
vote against
Burundi's
"Human Rights"
Council
candidacy at
this time? And
other Western
NGOs coming to
the UN early
this week to
set forth
their
positions,
will they just
phone it in
with regard to
Burundi? Watch
this site.
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
on Burundi,
just this
morning the UK
Ambassador
said that the
UK is
concerned of a
threat of
genocide, is
the word that
he used, so
I'm wondering
under Rights
Up Front what
are your
thoughts about
Burundi and
what the UN or
the
Secretariat
can do.
SG Ban: "On
this genocide
issues, I hope
there should
be some
creative
investigations
by the
relevant
experts and
there should
be, first of
all, a clear
understanding
and
investigations.
And if the
conclusion is
that there
were such kind
of genocide
issues, then
there should
be
accountability,
justice must
prevail and
perpetrators
must be
brought to
justice."
But
what is the UN
Secretariat
DOING about
it?
On
October 16
Inner City
Press asked
Haq if the UN
thinks the
government can
investigate
itself. This
was based on
UN Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
October 15
statement that
"The
Secretary-General
condemns the
killing of
nine civilians
and two police
officers in
Bujumbura on
13 October...
He urges
Burundian
authorities to
undertake a
rigorous and
prompt
investigation
into the
circumstances
and motives
behind these
despicable
crimes in
order to
ensure that
their
perpetrators
are brought to
justice."
So can
the Nkurunziza
government
investigate
itself (as the
UN purports to
be
investigating
or "auditing"
itself in the
wake of
corruption
revelation
about former
Presidnet of
the General
Assembly John
Ashe among
others)? Inner
City Press
asked this
question (video
here) as
well as
following up
on
this, from
October 13:
Inner City
Press: the
Burundi
question is
one that maybe
you can check
with DPKO
[Department of
Peacekeeping
Operations].
Burundian
human rights
activists say
that an
officer,
Jerome
Ntibogora,
N-t-i-b-o-g-o-r-a,
who was
accused of
being involved
in killing
people in a…
in a hospital
after they
fled from the
Government,
has now been
deployed to
MINUSMA
[United
Nations
Multidimensional
Integrated
Stabilization
Mission] in
Mali. So
I wanted to…
Spokesman
Dujarric:
Let's see what
we can find
out.
Dujarric did
not come back
with an
answer, by
this deputy
when Inner
City Pres
asked again on
October 16
said he,
Ntibogora is
not being
deployed.
We'll see -
watch this
site.
Amid
crackdowns in
Burundi by
security
forces, and
allegations of
sexual abuse
by Burundian
peacekeepers
serving under
the UN flag,
UN
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous on
October 1 held
a meeting with
Burundian Vice
President
Joseph Butore.
Inner
City Press has
already tweeted
a photograph
of the
meeting, but
has now
received the
complete UN
read-out,
which raises
more questions
about Ladsous.
On the
crackdown,
Ladsous
assured Butore
that he has a
“pragmatic
approach” and
is of no mind
to question
what happens
in any
country, does
not involve
himself in
"domestic
affairs."
On the sexual
abuse
allegations,
Ladsous spoke
only in
platitudes,
without
requiring or
even inquiring
into any
actions taken
by the
Burundians on
the alleged
abuse.
Even though
Burundi was
already given
a “grace
period” to
bring
appropriate
equipment into
the Central
African
Republic for
the MINUSCA
mission, they
have not done
so. In the
meeting,
according to
the read-out,
Butore
"acknowledged"
the
substandard
equipment.
Butore
requested, and
Ladsous for
now granted,
yet another
extension to
bring the
requirement
equipment --
until March
2016 for light
equipment, and
to June 2016
for heavy
equipment.
, 
