On
Burundi, UN
Tells ICP 3
Experts, 9
Observers
& UN Team
All Fall in 1
Category
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, March
8 -- After UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon on New
Year's Eve
issued a
statement
surreally
praising the
Burundi
“talks” held
in Entebbe,
Uganda,
multiple
sources told
Inner City
Press these
not really
talks but
rather a photo
op. The
January 6
session
announced for
Arusha did not
happen.
Inner City
Press
requested to
cover the
UNSC's trip to
Burundi, but
was
UNtransparently
rejected.
Ban Ki-moon
took no press
with him to
Burundi - and
then praised
Pierre
Nkurunziza's
decision on
the media,
after having
decided,
through his
Under
Secretary
General
Cristina
Gallach and
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, to
throw Inner
City Press out
of the UN. Petition
here.Video of 1st protest here (in
Tamil).
In Burundi the
killings
continue,
including it
seems by
poison. Inner
City Press on
March 7 asked
Ban Ki-moon's
Office of the
Spokesperson
about reports
of poison, as
it did last
week on new
mass graves.
On both, the
UN's answer to
Inner City
Press was to
pass the buck
to the three
independent
experts.
On March 8,
Inner City
Press asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press:
On Burundi, it
was said by
these three
experts that
they're going
to be sending
a team of nine
to continue
their work,
and I wanted
to know, is
there any
relation at
all between
this work and
the work of
Special
Adviser
[Jamal]
Benomar and
his team on
the
ground?
I know that
the experts
are
independent,
but is this
team...
Spokesman:
But,
obviously, it
all falls
under one
category of
restoring calm
and positive
transition in
Burundi.
So what
about the
distinction
Ban makes in
other
circumstances,
to not respond
to
"independent"
UN experts' criticism?
On
March 8, the
three experts
issued a
statement
which mentions
neither mass
graves nor
poison. Here
is is, in full
text:
"After eight
days of
meetings,
interviews,
and exchanges
with a wide
range of
actors, the
United Nations
Independent
Investigation
on Burundi
(UNIIB),
created by the
Human Rights
Council last
December,
ended its
first country
visit today.
Speaking to
the press in
Bujumbura,
Pablo de
Greiff, one of
the three
members of the
investigation
noted that,
“this visit
was a first
step in our
effort to
gather
information
and views from
all relevant
actors.
Nothing is
better than
coming here,
to see by
ourselves and
meet with
various
actors.”
During their
visit
(1-8 March),
the experts
met with
government
officials –
including one
of the
country’s two
Vice
Presidents
– political
leaders, civil
society
groups, and
victims of
human rights
violations.
They also
visited a
prison in
Gitega, two
hours away
from the
capital
Bujumbura, and
met with
detainees
allegedly
involved in a
failed coup
d’état in May
2015.
“Overwhelmingly,
what we take
away is the
sense that
Burundi is at
a crossroad,
but also the
hope shared by
most people
that the
current
situation will
improve,”
noted Maya
Sahli-Fadel,
also an expert
with the team.
Christof
Heyns, the
third expert,
insisted that
“The future of
Burundi –
internally and
as part of the
international
community –
will depend on
its
performance in
the field of
human rights.”
Following
their visit to
Burundi, on 21
March 2016,
one of the
three experts
will update
the Human
Rights Council
on the team’s
initial
findings. The
three experts
are scheduled
to visit
Burundi again
in June and in
July 2016.
Meanwhile, as
part of the
investigation,
a team of
monitors will
also deploy to
Burundi in
coming weeks.
Lastly, in
September, the
experts will
issue their
final report
to the Human
Rights
Council"
Meanwhile an
Inner City
Press source
provided this
update:
"Lt. colonel
Darius
IKURAKURE head
of Muzinda and
some of his
followers in
his regiment
are on the top
list of people
who torture
and kill
anyone
believed to be
part of
opposition in
Mutakura. A
private house
occupied by
his soldiers
on 3rd avenue
no:20 Mutakura
zone to be a
place of
torture and
execution of
anyone who
protested
against Pierre
Nkurunziza."
Meanwhile
others say
that Burundi's
Kiki Ndimaso
and Edmomd
Bizabigomba,
Vice President
of the Tax
Authority died
of poisoning
and that their
families are
afraid to
talk. In that
context, we
publish these
dispatches;
and then asked
the UN about
them, while we
still can.
On March 7,
Inner City
Press asked UN
Deputy
Spokesperson
Farhan Haq
what if
anything the
UN system is
doing about
the new
deaths,
including
allegedly by
poison.
Haq's
response, like
the UN before
on mass
graves, was to
rely entirely
on the three
UN /
independent
experts who
are in the
country, set
to hold, Haq
said, a press
conference on
March 8. On
poison? Mass
graves? Ban's
supposed
"Rights Up
Front"? (See Sri Lanka
update).
Watch this
site.
On March 4,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq, UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you, it's been
announced that
the EAC (East
African
Community) has
replaced a…
the mediator
on the Burundi
talks and put
Mr. [Benjamin]
Mkapa, former
Tanzanian
president, in
charge.
And I wanted
to know, one,
will Mr.
[Jamal]
Benomar be
working with
him?
Presumably,
yes. But
do you have
any comment on
this change of
mediator, and
is there any
renewed hope
for more than
took place
under the
Ugandan
mediation?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, we
certainly hope
that the
mediator will
work to help
resolve the
problems that
Burundi has
been
facing.
We have our
utmost faith
in President
Mkapa that he
can help in
his capacity
as
mediator.
And, yes, Mr.
Benomar will
work with him.
Inner City
Press asks, if
this just deck
chairs on the
Titanic?
Inner City
Press: In
Burundi, the
Government
itself has
acknowledged
and is putting
on display
what it says
is a mass
grave in
Mutakura with
30 bodies in
it, recent…
you know,
recently and
hurriedly
buried.
And I wanted
to know, given
the
discussion… I
know that Mr.
[Ivan]
Šimonovic had
said that he
wanted to have
people
present.
I know that
the experts
are
there.
I'm not sure
if they're
going to go to
this
site.
What is the
UN. what is
the response
to the finding
of this mass
grave?
And what is
the UN team
being
assembled by
Mr. [Jamal]
Benomar going
to do as it's
looked into?
Deputy
Spokesman
Haq:
Well, we're
concerned
about any
allegations of
mass
graves.
There is a
team there,
and they are
going about
their work,
and they will
report back on
their
findings.
But, right
now, what
we're looking
for is for
them to be
able to go
about their
work, to meet
officials in
the Government
of Burundi,
and follow up
on whatever
information
they think is
important.
Three
experts, for
all these
corpses?
On the
other end of
the human
rights
spectrum, Ban
made much of
Nkurunziza's
ostensible
commitment to
release
political
prisoners and
meet with "the
opposition."
But which
opposition?
And which
prisoner?
Inner City
Press while
ousted from
the UN
published what
Nkurunziza
signed, here
and here,
and on
February 25,
filing a
lawyer's
letter
directing the
UN to not
touch its
office or
files, entered
and asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric these
questions, UN transcript:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you about
Burundi
first. I
saw the
statement by
the
Secretary-General
praising the
reopening of
some radio
stations and
the release of
prisoners.
And I wanted
to ask you two
questions
about
that.
One is, is he
aware, and
what do you
say that two…
two of five
radio stations
have opened
and they've
been forced to
sign pledges
to not
undermine the
country's
security?
Is that… does
he think that
that type of
pledge is
legitimate?
And on the
prisoners,
most people
are saying
that the… this
document
signed by
President
[Pierre]
Nkurunziza
doesn't
involve the
release of any
political
opponents, FNL
[National
Liberation
Front] members
or anything
else.
It's sort of
a… it's one of
those fake
releases where
these are
people that
have nothing
to do with the
unrest.
Spokesman:
I think what
the
Secretary-General
did yesterday
was to welcome
these as
initial steps
and said that
it was not
enough and he
would want to
see
more. I
don't have any
particular
reports on
pledges that
were
signed.
Obviously, as
a matter of
the principle,
radio stations
in Burundi
should be able
to broadcast
freely and
fairly any
news that they
want.
And, as for
the detainees,
I don't have
the details of
who they
were.
Obviously,
there are
different
reports.
But as I said,
we would want
to see more
people
released.
Inner City
Press:
Well, the
document that
the President
signed, it's
been published
and it's clear
that it
doesn't cover
the people
that are part
of the
opposition.
Spokesman:
I think it's…
as I said, we
welcome this
as an initial
step, and we'd
like to see
more.
Inner City
Press:
And will there
be
follow-up?
What follow-up
is the UN
going to give
having…?
Spokesman:
Mr. [Jamal]
Benomar has an
expanded team
there.
They are in
constant
contact with
the
Government.
Compare
Dujarric's
canned answers
to this
critique from
ICP's sources
on the ground:
Article 1
mentioned
categories of
those who are
supposed to be
realized. The
common fact is
that those
mentioned in
the article do
not have any
relation with
the Ongoing
political
unrest.
Actually, we
were excepting
the realise of
FNL, MSD, and
all political
prisoners such
as insurgents,
and the above
mentioned
opponents to
the regime.
But none of
them would
fall under the
categories
evoked by the
article.
On Ban
Ki-moon's
meeting with
Nkurunziza: Is
the dialogue
going
inclusive. We
shall be able
to see it if
Nkurunziza
says that is
going to meet
key opposition
figures and
the civil
society
leaders,
including
Nyangoma
(CNARED),
Sinduhije (Red
Tabara),
Nininahazwe
Pacifique,
etc. When? And
where?
Remember
Nkurunziza
said that
he'll never
seat on same
table with
co-plotters,
protest and
insurgent
leaders as
well. So, what
is the
guarantee that
he changed is
mind? We'll
have more on
this.
In Bujumbura
on February
23, Ban said:
"I welcome the
decision by
His Excellency
President
Nkurunziza to
withdrawal
some media
bans, cancel
the arrest
warrants and
release
detainees as
good will
gestures.
President
Nkurunziza
told me this
morning that
he will
release a list
of twelve
hundred
detainees and
take other
measures. I
have asked
him, while I
welcome these
generous
support and
measures but I
would expect
that
additional
measures
should be
taken. This is
an encouraging
step. I hope
again
additional
measures will
be taken."
But even from
the park
in front of
the UN on 43rd
Street in
Manhattan,
Inner City
Press
interviewed
Security
Council
ambassadors
about Ban's
trip, which
despite his
typical lack
of
transparency
has in fact
begun on
February 22.
Inner City
Press tweeted
a photo, here,
and reports
from sources
that already,
five men have
been killed in
Bujumbura and
Gisozi while
Ban was in the
country.
At the
February 5 UN
noon briefing,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's Deputy
Spokesperson
Farhan Haq
about Burundi,
video
here, transcript here.
Handpicked to
go and
memorialize
the trip was
Reuters, which
barely
reported what
happened.
There is a
history, of
Reuters UN
bureau here
and here;
on February 3,
Reuters
correspondent
Michelle
Nichols went
so far as to
cut off Inner
City Press'
questions to
the UN, Vine
here.
Inner
City Press in
the spirit of
transparency
is publishing
the (update)
report, dated
January 15,
2016, signed
by Coordinator
Gaston
Gramajo, and
its two
paragraphs
about 18
Burundian
combatants, here.
On January 29,
Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric
again, transcript
here.
So it's
all on Zeid,
nothing from
Ban Ki-moon,
who appears to
be playing
this like he
did Sri
Lanka...
At the
UN Security
Council
stakeout,
Inner City
Press waited
-- including
through two
North Korea
questions, and
softballs --
then asked if
this UN use of
Burundian
troops makes
sense. There
has yet to be
an answer,
although there
are
indications
one might be
forthcoming.
(More than 24
hours later,
no). Here
for now is
about the US
training
Burundian
troops.
Watch this
site.
We're
told that
Ambassador
Albert
Shingiro, who
blocks the
Press on
Twitter, told
the scribes
that US Power
said she would
send “a strong
message to the
government of
Rwanda."
Again,
Shingiro
blocks the
Press on
Twitter: some
diplomat.
On January 22,
Inner City
Press asked UN
Deputy
Spokesperson
Farhan Haq for
the UN's
response to
Pierre
Nkurunziza
denying the
existence of
his party's
youth militia,
and why there
was no video
or even audio
stream of the
Security
Council's -
and
Nkurunziza's
-- press
statements. Video here.
Haq
replied that
"the
facilities are
difficult,"
that the UN
Spokesperson's
Office had
reached out to
the traveling
party for
information
but hadn't
gotten any.
The Free
UN Coalition
for Access
calls this a
failure.
On
January 21
Inner City
Press in New
York learned
both of Pierre
Nkurunziza
plans to
parade
"community
work" for the
Security
Council
members on
January 22 and
has been
provided with
a letter
promoting
same, here.
On
January 21,
Inner City
Press and the
Free
UN Coalition
for Access asked
UK Permanent
Representative
Matthew
Rycroft about
his stop-over
on Addis
Ababa, "will
you as UK meet
with AU before
heading to
Burundi? About
AU's proposed
deployment?"
Rycroft replied,
"Yes! Looking
forward to
meeting
@AU_Chergui
today. Will
also return to
Addis with
whole UNSC
after
Burundi."
In
Addis,
Chergui had
filed the
Concept of
Operation for
the MAPROBU
peacekeeping
mission. We'll
have more on
this.
Burundian
civil society
has written to
Ban seeking
the
repatriation
of the
country's
peacekeepers.
Inner City
Press has put
the letter
from Vital
Nshimirimana
to Ban online
here, and
will be asking
the UN about
it. Watch this
site.
On
December 30
Nkurunziza
threatened to
have his
forces attack
peacekeepers
proposed for
the country.
On
December 16
Inner City
Press was
banned from
questions to
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon, but
learned from
the mission
MINUSCA that
Baratuza was
already in
Entebbe. Inner
City Press
asked several
Security
Council
members, then
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric on
December17.
Dujarric told
Inner City
Press
Baratuza's
deployment is
suspended and
he is being
repatriated:
"based on the
information
we've received
regarding the
Lieutenant
Colonel, his
deployment has
been
suspended, and
he will be
repatriated
back to
Burundi." Video here. Dujarric told Inner
City Press
this shows the
UN system
working - on a
day when a
report on
rapes was
issued showing
UN
Peacekeeping
under Herve
Ladsous not
sufficiently
vetting for
human rights.
We'll have
more on this.
Amid the
escalating
killings in
Burundi,
summary
executions in
neighborhoods
opposed to
Pierre
Nkurunziza's
third term
stand out. But
Burundi Army
spokesman
Gaspard
Baratuza was
quoted on
December 12
blaming all of
the deaths on
attempts to
steal weapons
to free
prisoners.
Inner City
Press heard
that Mr.
Baratuza was
already in the
process of
being deployed
to the UN
Peacekeeping
mission in the
Central
African
Republic
(MINUSCA) even
when he was
giving these
quotes,
issuing
statements and
speaking to
state-owned
radio, and so
asked
MINUSCA's
acting
spokesperson,
“Is Gaspard
Baratuza of
Burundi's army
getting a
MINUSCA job?”
Ultimately,
after the
questioning,
he didn't.
But the UN
should have to
say more.
Inner City
Press has
repeatedly
asked the UN
how its
Department of
Peacekeeping
Operations
under Herve
Ladsous vets
those who
deploy to UN
missions;
Inner City
Press exclusively
reported
on an October
1, 2015
meeting in
which Ladsous
told Burundi's
Vice President
Joseph Butare
that he is
“pragmatic” on
human rights.
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