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By Matthew Russell Lee, Photo, Video, CJR

UN GATE, Dec 18 – Burundi's Pierre Nkununziza government wanted all human rights presence out. Typically, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said nothing meaningful. Then it happened, on February 28, and from Guterres, nothing. Typical.

  And Guterres and his team have gotten worse. In late August Guterres' "ASG for Africa" Bintou Keita went to Burundi and said that everything is fine, you - or perhaps just she - can move around the country at any hour and there is no problem. UN propaganda article here, ghoulish laughing English audio here. Expect nothing or worse from the UNSC meeting on Burundi set for the end of October by Kafando and the South Africa mission, complicit in Guterres' now 533 day ban on Inner City Press.

   So far in December, Guterres and his spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming have refused to answer any of Inner City Press' written questions including December 16-1: On Burundi and freedom of information, what are the comments of SG Guterres and separately Michel Kafando on that Internet users in Burundi have been unable to access YouTube since Friday; and

December 6-1: On Burundi, what are the belated comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that Burundi's ruling party youth league is forcing citizens to donate money to fund next year's election, as fears of abuses and renewed violence grow ahead of the vote. Again, what is the status of Michel Kafando?

 Now on December 18 here is a report from Burundi, referencing the WFP (in French, PAM) of Guterres' UN: "As of November 26, 2019, the collectors of these funds in collaboration with young people Imbonerakure had erected barriers on all of Cankuzo's main roads to demand payment. At the beginning of this year, the local organization ADIC and PAM [WFP] had proposed to local authorities to grant them permission to rehabilitate these roads by the "Cash for Work" system, but they imposed conditions that were impossible for them to fill. These organizations had opted to rehabilitate only the roads of the commune Gisagara and Cendajuru."  We'll have more on this.

  Now on October 30 in the UNSC, Burundi's Albert Shingiro said, "With regard to cooperation with the United Nations, we look forward to the United Nations country team to the Burundi in supporting national efforts in
the implementation of the National Development Plan, the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the United Nations Master Plan for Bumndi Development Assistance, UNDAF 2019-2023. The Government of Burundi undertakes to work consistently with the United Nations country team Burundi in order to achieve sustainable socio-economic development in the interest of all Burundians. However, we continue to believe with conviction that the presence of Burundi in the agenda of the Security Council is untimely and violates the United Nations Charter. The current political and security situation in the country is not a threat to peace and international security to justify the maintenance of the Burundi on the agenda of the Security Council, we will reiterate our call for the withdrawal of Burundi on the agenda of this Council. The arbitrary retention of Burundi on the Council's agenda is in the process of create a bad precedent. The untimely organization of meetings on the Burundi that are not motivated by the reality of the terrain is a factor destabilizing the country instead of promoting the peace and tranquility. Some troublemakers take advantage of it to commit crimes during days before each meeting of the Security Council." Troublemakers?

   Banned Inner City Press has asked, without answer from Guterres' spokesman Stephane "French Whine" Dujarric and new Global Censor Melissa Fleming: "September 11-3: On Burundi and UN peacekeeper and sexual abuse, what is the response of Guterres and USG Lacroix to the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi describing abuse and rape and stating "the Burundian State may be held responsible for the acts identified in the present report, which constitute human rights violations"? Why is UN Peacekeeping still using Burundi peacekeepers?" No answer at all. As on Cameroon, Guterres is corrupt. And a censor - he and Fleming have banned Inner City Press from even entering the UN to cover UNGA high level week, unlike state media for autocratic regimes all over the world. But Inner City Press will not desist.

  And here are examples of what's been going on in Burundi, colluded in by Guterres, unremarked on by his envoy Kafando who skipped even the UN Security Council's belated June 14 session on Burundi: secret jails have been found in Bugabira and Ntega, Carubambo, Kinyovu and Rutagara in the area of Mugendo, Kigari, Nyemera, Kigaga and Mugina. And Nkurunziza has renamed not only the airport but also a street, for Adolphe Nshimirimana who allegedly killed so many people in 2015.

  And from Guterres? Total silence, as so far from the Swiss whom Guterres has praised for moving to take their pro-dictator approach to Burundi onto the Cameroon issue, beginning with tear gassing anti-Biya protesters in front of the UN in Geneva. Who'll get a street named after themselves for this? Antonio "The Censor" Guterres Boulevard...

Also: "In the second week of May 2019, the ruling party in Rumonge province organized a fundraising campaign with shop and shop owners of business. Equipped with registers and ballpoint pens, Imbonerakure crisscrossed the neighborhoods of the city of Rumonge to demand money for "the purchase of party flags and other insignia of the CNDD -FDD ".

According to shop owners contacted, these young Imbonerakure demanded the minimum payment capped at 2000FBU per shop. Whoever paid this money was registered in a register. Traders members of the ruling party refused to give these contributions arguing that they were going to do it at party permanence. Collectors
thus fell on non-party traders who were intimidated before resign to pay the contribution. Shopkeepers and store sellers said they were overwhelmed by collections and forced contributions. They were trying to count the number of times they had been forced
contribute in particular to the 2020 elections at the household level, the Crusades of the ruling party."  Inside joke: sounds like UNCA dues, in which Guterres and his spokesman also collude. If a journalist doesn't pay, they are evicted from their work space then banned from UN, while Guterres uses the group for propaganda.

   On June 14 there was a belated UN Security Council meeting on Burundi - but Guterres' envoy Michel Kafando did not even speak at it. Inner City Press live tweeted the meeting, here; and is uploaded Albert Shingiro's speech, typical of Guterres' UN, here.

On 28 May 2019 even the briefing by Guterres' pro-Nkurunziza envoy Michel Kafando to the Security Council, was entirely cancelled.

Now, typical of FrancAfrique as on Cameroon and elsewhere, Agence France Presse has come in revisionist trying to make France and Guterres look good, reporting for example: "Burundi is threatening to cut ties with the UN envoy appointed to the country, ahead of elections next year... France requested that the council hold a closed-door meeting on Burundi on Friday, but those talks were pushed back to June to allow time to defuse the situation, diplomats said.  Asked about the row with Burundi over the envoy, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said Thursday: "I am not aware of any official announcement from Burundi, so there is nothing to respond to as yet."   Kafando replaced Jamal Benomar, who was UN envoy for two years before the Bujumbura government demanded his resignation.  Burundi's threats come just four months after Somalia expelled a UN envoy who raised questions about human rights."

AFP does not mention that Guterres threw the envoy Nicholas Haysom, whom they leave unnamed, under the bus by telling UN staff that he was impolite for signing a human rights letter. Exclusive video here, from Inner City Press banned by the UN of Guterres with an assist from... AFP. This is today's UN, and its apologists and censors.

  Now this: "Kigoma province in Tanzania has become like part of Burundian territory where Pierre Nkurunziza's regime makes rain and shine. The latter imposes an intense and terrible political repression against the refugees who fled the bloody persecution that has reigned in the country since 2015. Repeated attacks by armed men and weapons seizures firearms introduced into the camps by men from Burundi constitute a serious threat to the security of Burundian refugees in the camps in Tanzania. At least 37 grenades, one machine gun and 200 rounds have already been seized in Nduta camp. In addition to these attacks, there are cases of rape, arbitrary arrests, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment, enforced disappearance, armed robbery are registered every day in these Burundian refugee camps. Obviously, the Tanzanian authorities play the complicity with the Burundian regime, and reinforce pressure to compel these refugees to return forcibly their country of origin. In their desperate attempts to flee the camps to Kenya and the Rwanda, they are caught by the Tanzanian police as criminals to shoot down, forced to two choices: return home or stay on the spot and suffer! (1) Since the announcement in April 2015 of President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to run for third term, and public demonstrations against the fragrance violation of the constitution of 2005 and the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, signed in 2000, a political crisis bloody has taken hold in Burundi and has had terrible consequences on the rights and freedoms individuals and groups of the population. Thus, more than 500.000 Burundians took the road of exile of which a significant number were hosted in the United Republic of Tanzania, which counted February this year, at least 274,445 refugees."

   Nor has Guterres or his spokes - / hatchetman Stephane Dujarric answered banned Inner City Press' written questions on Burundi, for example this one: "March 20-6: On Burundi and freedom of expression, what is the SG's comment and action if any on that arresting seven schoolchildren last week. The children were accused of having scribbled on Nkurunziza's photo in their school books.  Six girls were taken to the local police station jail. Three were later released, but the three others, all teenagers under the age of 18, remained in jail over the weekend. They were charged on Monday with insulting the head of state, and could spend up to five years in prison if found guilty. AGAIN, immediately explain how it is legitimate to ban from enter into the UN the media that has been asking about these and other questions, with no hearing or appeal."

On April 15 banned Inner City Press asked the UN, "April 15-3: On Burundi, what is the SG's comment and action if any on the six schoolgirls and one boy, arrested last month for doodling on the Burundian president’s photo and charged with “insulting the head of state" and expelled them permanently from the school, now facing charges of “insulting the head of state"?  By April 16, no answer from the UN; spokesman Stephane Dujarric and head of Communications Alison Smale didn't even acknowledge the question, despite both having promised answers. This is Guterres' UN.

  Back on 6 December 2018, the day after Guterres like any dictator moved from his Mercedes with guards to a fancy dinner refusing a Press questions about corruption in his organization, Inner City Press asked Guterres and his spokesmen: "December 6-1: On Burundi, on which you have been refusing to respond to Inner City Press' written questions, please immediately confirm or deny that Burundi has asked the UN system to decrease its human rights presence and state the SG's view and response. Also, what is the UN's comment on the reporting about the Nkurunziza government's “torture house”?" Still, no answer at all, despite USG Alison Smale's promises such questions would be answered. Now on March 19 from Code Blue, this: "Since 2015, President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi has ordered his defense forces to attack anyone deemed to oppose his regime, an onslaught that has generated international condemnation.  During the same period, the United Nations has paid the Nkurunziza regime large sums of money for the services of those same Burundian defense forces, who don blue helmets and patrol crisis zones as UN peacekeepers.  There are currently 767 Burundian peacekeepers serving with the United Nations. A total of 751 of those 767 peacekeepers are in MINUSCA, the UN’s mission in the Central African Republic, which has been rocked by numerous sexual exploitation and abuse scandals.  The UN continues to deploy Nkurunziza’s forces despite an explicit statement from the United Nations Independent Investigation on Burundi (UNIIB) that Burundian soldiers are not fit to be peacekeepers.  "The United Nations and the African Union should phase out the use of Burundian troops in Peacekeeping operations while the crisis continues," the UNIIB said in a report from September 2016.  Burundian peacekeepers serving in UN peacekeeping missions have been accused of committing sexual abuse against those they are pledged to protect: A total of 43 Burundian peacekeepers have been accused since 2015 of committing child rape, sexual activity with a minor, sexual assault of an adult, or rape of an adult, according to the UN's Conduct and Discipline database. None of the 43 has been punished. The alleged victims include 50 children, 25 adults, and five individuals of unknown age.   As of July 2018, the UN pays USD 1,428 per month for each soldier provided by a troop-contributing country to a peacekeeping mission, a rate set by the UN General Assembly. The UN delivers the money not to the soldier but to the troop-contributing country.  The UN, then, pays Burundi $1,095,276 a month for its 767 peacekeepers, which amounts to $13,143,312 a year.  The money is a significant contribution to the coffers of the East African nation. Burundi’s military budget was $56.3 million in 2017.  UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly claimed that the UN is vetting troops to weed out individuals with criminal records of sexual offenses. But what about an entire military with a criminal history of sexual offenses, with a record of rape-as-policy?" As in Cameroon, some say, Big Tony likes to watch. Only through regional media we learned that Guterres' part time Burundi envoy Michel Kafando used public funds to visit Uganda's Museveni on January 31 and, according to the story, praise him for his tireless efforts on Burundi? Really? How? On February 19 at a UNSC press encounter Inner City Press was banned from for the 230th day in a row by Guterres, South Africa's Permanent Representative told those present that the UN and the African Union should "help Burundi to move on," and said the East African Community and the AU are capable of managing the situation. No one there asked him any follow up questions. Then Kafando said "Je me suis ensuite rendu le 31 Janvier 2019 a Kampala pour une visite de travail avec le President Museveni, Mediateur du Dialogue inter-burundais. Cette rencontre m'a permis de reiterer au President Museveni, le soutien du Secrtaire general." This as Museveni's foreign minister Sam Kutesa took $500,000 from UN briber CEFC China Energy, to which Guterres himself is connected, and roughs up and bans the Press which asks. This is thuggery. And UN  Spokesman Stephane Duajrric said on camera he would be answering questions, here. Now this, from Burundi: "President Pierre Nkurunziza says he has given wealth to Burundians since 2002, he wants to be thanked. Thus, offerings in money, livestock or food products are collected throughout the provinces and have been used for some time. A crusade of prayer and collection of offerings was organized from 24 to 27 January 2019 in Gitega province where President Pierre Nkurunziza was in person. On the basis of the verses of the Old Testament, he compared to Moise and asked the Burundians to offer him offerings. "God said to Moses today in Nkurunziza because two lightnings do not share the sky- give him offerings ... ", said Pierre Nkurunziza in front of a parterre composed of all the high personalities of his diet. At least 1.8 billion Burundian francs were collected during this crusade. In Gitega province, the young Imbonerakure have traveled the town of Gitega from 21 January 2019 to raise money and food. From boutiques to boutiques, from shops to stores, from pharmacies in pharmacies, kiosks in kiosks, ... they required between 2000 and 5000 FBU in failing which they closed the doors. The food traders gave the food. On January 22, 2019, it was the turn of households and services. Every household had to give 2000FBU, and to the service, each employee had to give 2000FBU to his department head responsible for collecting this money. The person who paid this contribution was mentioned on a listing. The one who gave nothing received a very severe warning. This was done in all municipalities of Gitega province. In Rumonge province, the provincial secretary of the ruling party, Diomede Niyonsaba sent invitations to all heads of public and private services, organizations 21 non-governmental organizations and association leaders working in the province for their ask to participate in this presidential crusade, and especially to contribute to its success. According to one of the officials who received this invitation, "it's amazing to be invited and forced to contribute in activities of a political party of which one is not a member." Sounds like Guterres and his UN press corpse.  Nor will Spokesman Stephane Dujarric answer on Guterres obvously incomplete Public Financial Disclosure, here.

More here.

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