Human rights abuses in Burundi ‘persisting’, say UN investigators

THE HUMAN rights situation in Burundi has not improved, according to an independent panel commissioned by the UN.

The investigators were appointed to probe reports of horrific abuse, including extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances, and sexual violence.

The testimonies of 470 people inside Burundi and in exile indicated that the alleged human rights abuses were continuing, said Fatsah Ouguergouz, the head of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi.

“Since last June… we have received no sign of a positive evolution of the situation, in particular, as far as the restriction to certain freedoms are concerned,” he said.

“On the contrary, we have received some testimonies showing that there’s a kind of tendency that… is persisting.” He added that “there was no co-operation with the government” on these findings, and the commission had been barred from Burundi.

The nearly 500 interviews were conducted outside Burundi or through third parties with those in Burundi. The findings will be presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva next month.

The commission has been mandated to identify the alleged perpetrators of violations and abuses since April 2015, with a view to ensuring full accountability.

Security forces and intelligence services – often in collaboration with members of the ruling CNDD-FDD’s youth league, known as Imbonerakure – have been accused of numerous killings, disappearances, abductions, torture, rape and arrests.

Armed opposition groups have also killed CNDD-FDD members.