On
Burundi, Zeid
Speak to Human
Rights
Council, UNSC
Silent on
Journalist
Bireha
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, May
26 -- Thirteen
days after the
UN Security
Council, the United States
and the UN
Peacebuilding
Configuration
on Burundi on
May 15 issued
statements
urging calm in
the country
given the
return of
Pierre
Nkurunziza to
presumably run
for a third
term, on May
26 UN High
Commissioner
for Human
Rights Prince
Zeid said this
in Geneva:
"During
my mission to
Burundi last
month I was
alarmed by the
violence of
the
Imbonerakure
militia, which
is a strong
supporter of
President
Nkurunziza’s
government,
and by
politically
motivated
harassment,
threats, and
hate speech.
The attempted
coup of 13
May, and the
assassination
of opposition
leader Zedi
Feruzi on
Saturday, have
further
intensified
tension.
Opposition
politicians,
journalists,
prominent
human rights
defenders, and
indeed many
ordinary
people still
fear for their
lives. When I
left Burundi,
on 15 April,
6,000
Burundians had
fled the
country due to
fear of
political
violence and
intimidation.
Five weeks
later, that
number has
swelled by a
further
110,000
frightened
people.
"This is a
country with
deep and
terrible
knowledge of
the potential
consequences
of outbreaks
of violence.
Following a
decade of
growing
recovery, and
prosperity,
these recent
events are a
significant
setback. But
we can still
avoid the path
that could
lead back to
past
tragedies. I
am encouraged
by the
mobilisation
of the African
Union, the
International
Conference on
the Great
Lakes region,
the East
African
Community, the
European Union
and the United
Nations, and
by the
priority they
have given to
human rights
concerns. The
Special Envoy
for the Great
Lakes is
making a
tremendous
effort to draw
all actors to
the
negotiating
table, and
OHCHR's
country office
continues to
work with the
Government,
civil society,
the National
Independent
Human Rights
Commission and
the Ombudsman
to protect
human rights
and the rule
of law. I hope
the Council
can send a
strong message
to national
actors and the
international
community to
stop the wave
of violence."
The UN
Security
Council hasn't
met on the
topic in
nearly two
weeks; despite
an upcoming
"Protection of
Journalists"
event, the
UNSC's most
recent
statement did
not mention
the journalist
who was with
them who was
gravely
injured, Jean
Baptiste
Bireha of
Bonesha FM.
Here's the UN
Security
Council's full
text:
"The
members of the
Security
Council
condemned in
the strongest
terms the
killing of Mr.
Zedi Feruzi,
leader of the
opposition
Union pour la
paix et le
développement
(UPD)
Zigamibanga
party in
Burundi, and
his bodyguard,
on 23 May 2015
in Bujumbura.
The members of
the Security
Council also
condemned the
grenade attack
in Bujumbura’s
central market
on 22 May 2015
that left two
dead and many
others
injured.
"The Security
Council
expressed
their deepest
condolences to
the families
of those
killed and
wished a
speedy
recovery to
the injured.
They urged the
Burundian
authorities to
swiftly bring
the
perpetrators
of these
crimes to
justice.
"The members
of the
Security
Council
reiterated
their call on
all Burundian
stakeholders
to demonstrate
their sense of
responsibility
and exercise
calm and
restraint in
the interest
of peace and
reconciliation
in Burundi.
They called on
the Burundian
authorities to
take concrete
steps to
prevent
further
violence,
whilst
respecting
fundamental
freedoms of
expression and
peaceful
assembly.
"The members
of the
Security
Council called
on all
Burundian
stakeholders
to pursue the
consultative
political
dialogue
facilitated by
the Special
Envoy for the
Secretary-General
for the Great
Lakes region,
Mr Said
Djinnit, and
representatives
of the African
Union, the
East African
Community, the
Common Market
for Eastern
and Southern
Africa and the
International
Conference on
the Great
Lakes Region,
to create an
environment
conducive to
peaceful,
credible and
inclusive
elections in
Burundi, in
the spirit of
the Arusha
Agreements.
The members of
the Security
Council
reiterated
their intent
to respond to
violent acts
which threaten
peace and
security in
Burundi."
Wait - "intent
to respond" --
meaning this
assassination
is notnot
enough? Or
that a mere
Press
Statement is
the extent of
the Security
Council's
response?
We'll have
more on this.
And here is
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
statement,
also sans
journalist,
and artfully
dodging Arusha
and the third
term:
"The
Secretary-General
condemns the
killing of Mr.
Zedi Feruzi,
leader of the
opposition
Union pour la
paix et le
développement
(UPD)
Zigamibanga
party in
Burundi, and
his bodyguard
today in
Bujumbura.
This crime, as
well as the
despicable
grenade attack
in Bujumbura’s
central market
on 22 May that
left two dead
and many
others
injured,
threaten to
entrench
mistrust and
trigger
further
violence.
The
Secretary-General
urges the
Burundian
authorities to
swiftly bring
the
perpetrators
of these
crimes to
justice. He
extends his
deepest
sympathies to
the families
of those
killed and
wishes a quick
recovery to
the injured.
These acts of
violence
constitute a
stark reminder
of the need
for all
Burundian
political
leaders to
address the
current
political
crisis with
the highest
sense of
responsibility
and to place
peace and
national
reconciliation
above partisan
interests.
The
Secretary-General
reiterates his
calls for calm
and restraint.
He calls on
the Burundian
authorities to
uphold the
human rights
of all
Burundians,
including the
freedoms of
assembly,
association
and
expression,
and to take
concrete steps
to prevent
political
killings and
violence.
The
Secretary-General
encourages
Burundian
stakeholders
to pursue the
consultative
political
dialogue
facilitated by
his Special
Envoy Said
Djinnit and
representatives
of the African
Union, the
East African
Community, the
Common Market
for Eastern
and Southern
Africa and the
International
Conference on
the Great
Lakes Region.
He calls on
the parties to
the
consultative
political
dialogue not
to be deterred
by those who,
through
violence, seek
to prevent the
creation of an
environment
conducive to
peaceful,
credible and
inclusive
elections in
Burundi."
On May
22 Ban said he
was encouraged
by the
dialogue since
and concerned
about
refugees.
Ban said
nothing about
demonstrators
shot, or the
crack down on
media.
Here
is the full
text:
"The
Secretary-General
is encouraged
by the ongoing
political
dialogue in
Bujumbura.
This involves
representatives
of civil
society,
political
parties,
religious
organizations
and the
Government
with the
facilitation
of Special
Envoy Said
Djinnit and
representatives
of the African
Union, the
East African
Community, the
Common Market
for Eastern
and Southern
Africa and the
International
Conference on
the Great
Lakes Region.
"The
Secretary-General
applauds the
participants
for the
progress
achieved so
far in the
discussions,
especially on
measures to
reduce
tensions and
create
propitious
conditions for
free, fair,
inclusive and
peaceful
elections. He
is concerned,
however, about
the ongoing
humanitarian
crisis
involving
refugees. He
expresses
appreciation
to the
neighbouring
countries for
their
hospitality to
the refugees
and urges the
Government of
Burundi to
create
conditions for
their return.
"The
Secretary-General
encourages the
stakeholders
to pursue the
ongoing
dialogue with
a view to
reaching a
comprehensive
agreement on
all the issues
they have
identified. He
reiterates the
availability
of the United
Nations to
accompany the
people of
Burundi and
the region
during this
process."
What about the
demonstrators
shot? Ban's
silence on the
crackdown on
media is a
pattern, as
Inner City
Press and the
Free
UN Coalition
for Access
reported
yesterday,
here.
On May 19 the
International
Committee of
the Red Cross
issued
a carefully
worded press
release
that did not
directly say
people were
dragged out of
hospitals:
"The
International
Committee of
the Red Cross
(ICRC) is
extremely
concerned
about the
tense
pre-election
atmosphere in
Burundi and
its
humanitarian
impact on the
people of that
country. The
organization
is appealing
for calm among
all parties
involved and
asks that
health-care
staff be
allowed to do
their work
safely and
that medical
facilities not
be interfered
with.
"We are very
troubled by
the
repercussions
of the
violence that
has taken
place in
Burundi," said
Georgios
Georgantas,
head of the
ICRC
delegation in
the country.
"People must
remember that
human life and
dignity have
to be
respected at
all times, and
that
health-care
staff and
medical
centres must
be spared
from, and
protected
against, acts
of violence
and
vandalism,"
said Mr
Georgantas.
The ICRC is
also
requesting
that the
orders issued
to police
comply with
prevailing
standards and
regulations so
that the use
of force will
be kept to an
absolute
minimum.
"The crisis
has given rise
to
humanitarian
needs in the
capital
Bujumbura and
in
neighbouring
countries,
forcing the
ICRC to step
up its
efforts. In
Burundi, ICRC
delegates
visit those
who have been
arrested to
ensure their
living
conditions and
the treatment
they are
receiving are
in line with
international
standards. The
organization
also provides
medicines and
medical
equipment to
the prison
authorities as
needed."
What of people
dragged out of
hospitals? Now
there's
medical
equipment to
jails.
On
May 19 the UN
spokesperson
Farhan Haq
said UN envoy
Said Djinnit
would briefing
the Security
Council and,
he hoped, the
media on May
20. But it did
not happened;
the Council's
penholder,
when asked,
did not say
when it might
happen.
Meanwhile
Inner City
Press was
multiply
informed of an
offer that had
been made to
Nkurunziza, to
ween him from
the third term
dream: a high
but honorary
post in FIFA,
the football
federation, as
a sort of
goodwill
ambassador.
Nkurunziza
turned it
down, Inner
City Press is
informed by
Permanent
Representatives
at the UN and
other
diplomatic
sources. Now
he has sacked
ministers and
said it is him
or Al Shabaab.
What could
have been,
FIFA. (Inner
City Press
also asked on
May 18 about
Qatar
detaining a
BBC journalist
while he
reported on
the situation
of migrant
workers
preparing
there for the
FIFA World
Cup.)
On Burundi,
from the UN's
May 18 noon
briefing
transcript
, 
