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Burundi opposition wants talks moved from EAC headquarters

Saturday August 13 2016
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Burundi mediation team has been meeting at the East African Community (EAC) headquarters. However, an opposition group wants talks relocated claiming the EAC Secretary General Liberat Mfumukeko is a government’s sympathiser. PHOTO | FILE

The Burundian Coalition for the International Criminal Court, a lobby of 11 civil society organisations, is calling for an independent secretariat for the Benjamin Mkapa-led mediation team, saying East African Community Secretary General Liberat Mfumukeko is not neutral in the Burundian dialogue talks.

They claim that Mr Mfumukeko has sidelined key stakeholders who Bujumbura is uncomfortable with.

“Mr Mkapa should have his own secretariat in this mediation. Mr Mfumukeko is from Burundi and continues to sideline the parties at the centre of the conflict, while inviting others,” said Lambert Nigarura, the chairperson and legal representative of the lobby group.

“We have written to the EAC Heads of State Summit and to Mr Mkapa himself. Mr Mfumukeko is just following the agenda of the Burundian government; this is not helping the process,” he said.

The government of Burundi issued arrest warrants for some of the parties to the talks whom it accused of insurrection. But the civil societies said the warrants are baseless despite the involvement of Interpol.

“Interpol no longer takes these warrants seriously, everyone can easily see these warrants don’t hold any water, they are issued by a government that is committing atrocities against its people,” said Mr Nigarura, who now lives in Rwanda.

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Among the parties that have been participating in the Mkapa-led dialogue are FNL led by Jack Bigirimana Radebu.

Cenared, an umbrella body of civil society, against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s third term headed by Vital Nshimiyimana, has not attended the peace dialogues.

The UN Committee Against Torture in a recent meeting in Switzerland, voiced concern about reported reprisals against Burundians and civil society leaders.

Members of Burundian civil society who attended the meeting accused the government of torture, killings and human rights abuses.

UN Committee of Experts expressed concern about the situation in Burundi, in particular impunity and violence caused by armed groups.

The experts listed a number of offences, including killings and forced disappearances to explain.

Questions were also asked about lack of protection for journalists and human-rights defenders, the disproportionate use of force against demonstrators, and the use of rape as a weapon.

The Burundian government, delegation which was in attendance on the first day, asked for more time to respond to the allegations, but opted not to attend the second day.

READ: Burundi peace talks collapse in Arusha

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