In
Burundi, UN
Says Helping
Disarm,
Panelist Says
No Full Scale
Conflict
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, July
13 -- As in
Burundi the
crackdown on
those opposing
or even
questioning a
third term for
Pierre
Nkurunziza
continued
through the
boycotted
parliamentary
elections on
June 29,
Nkurunziza
dismissed the
UN's
replacement
mediator
Abdoulaye
Bathily,
ostensibly
because he
wasn't
sufficiently
deferential to
Nkurunziza
(with whom UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon has
been unable to
speak for some
time.)
On July 13,
when Burundi
was mentioned
on a panel
about UN
Peacebuilding
held just
across First
Avenue from
the UN at IPI,
Inner City
Press ran over
to ask some
questions as
before.
Such Press
questions were
not possible,
but on Burundi
UN panelist
Saraswathi
Menon said
that UN
Peacekeeping
has seen
success in the
country since,
she said,
there has been
no collapse
into full
scale
conflict.
Audio
here.
What would
that consist
of? Minutes
later the UN's
Assistant
Secretary
General for
Peacebuilding
Oscar
Fernandez
Taranco spoke
and also
raised
Burundi. Inner
City Press
expected him
to modify or
amplify the
previous
statement
about Burundi.
Taranco said
that UN
Peacebuilding
is helping
with
disarmament of
militias
affiliated
with political
parties.
Really? Audio
here. We'll
have more on
this.
On the evening
of July 10,
the US State
Department put
this out:
"The
United States
is deeply
concerned by
reports that
fighting has
broken out in
several areas
of Burundi and
by recently
broadcast
remarks by
Burundians
threatening to
use force
against the
Government of
Burundi.We
urge all
parties in
Burundi to
commit
themselves to
constructive
dialogue to
resolve
peacefully the
political
impasse that
threatens to
unravel the
peace and
stability
ushered in by
the
implementation
of the Arusha
Agreement over
a decade
ago. The
United States
condemns
violence as a
means to
attain
political
goals, and
opposes any
attempt to
seize power
through
extraconstitutional
means.
We strongly
oppose any
armed activity
or incursions
into Burundi
and will seek
to hold
accountable
those
responsible
for gross
human rights
abuses."
Earlier
on July 10,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
increased
violence,
including the
reported
blocking of
people
attempting to
flee into
Rwanda, and
what role if
any the UN is
playing in the
mediation or
facilitation
ostensibly
taking place
in Burundi. Video here.
Dujarric said
the UN was
aware of the
reports of
violence and
was trying to
verify them.
On mediation
he said the UN
is now merely
in support and
that Inner
City Press
should ask
others. To
this has the
UN been
reduced.
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