Burundi relying on US to find missing teenagers
WASHINGTON: Burundi is counting on US law enforcement officials to find six teenagers who went missing after a robotics competition in Washington, an official with the East African country’s embassy said.
The teens, aged 16 to 18, were last seen on Tuesday after the FIRST Global Robotics Challenge, and two have since been spotted crossing the border into Canada, according to Washington DC police.
“We have been in touch with the Metropolitan Police Department; they told us that they are doing what they can to find those teens,” Benjamin Manirakiza, first counsellor in the Burundi Embassy in Washington, said yesterday.
“We have confidence in the capacity of the police... It’s very important, of course, that the kids be safe.”
Teams of high school students from more than 150 countries took part in the compe- tition, which was designed to encourage careers in maths and technology.
An all-girl squad from Afghanistan drew worldwide media attention when President Donald Trump intervened after they were denied US visas.
A Washington police spokeswoman said the disappearance of the Burndian teenagers was under investigation.
Two of the teens – Audrey Mwamikazi, 17, and 16-year-old Don Ingabire – were reportedly spotted crossing the US border into Canada.
The other missing Burundians were named as Nice Munezero, 17; Kevin Sabumukiza, 17; Richard Irakoze, 18; and Aristide Irambona, 18.
Police said the students had one-year visas.
Officials at Canada’s Border Services Agency, as well as the Burundian embassy in Ottawa, said they had no information on the teens’ whereabouts.
Burundi has long been plagued by civil war and other violence. Fighting has killed at least 700 people and forced 400 000 from their homes since April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza said he would run for a third term in office.
FIRST Global, a US-based non-profit that organised the competition, said it had notified police about the missing competitors. – Reuters