Archives

12-02-2016 ■ The Imbonerakure, a “dynamic and polite” youth group, are being unfairly represented as killers in order to justify killing them, according to General Secretary of Burundi’s ruling party, the CNDD-FDD. Speaking on 1 December, the Secretary General refuted accusations against the party’s youth group by the United Nations and (...)

12-02-2016 ■ In a statement issued on 29 November, the facilitator of the Inter-Burundi Dialogue and former Tanzania President Benjamin William Mkapa said a roadmap for the Burundi Dialogue process was developed and presented to the Mediator President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda on 2nd November 2016 following the EAC Summit decision. (...)

12-01-2016 ■ Jeanne Gapiya, Legal Representative of Burundian National Association in Support of People Living with HIV/AIDS–ANSS, says Burundians seem to ignore the existence of HIV/AIDS. She says that while the world celebrates on December 1st of each year the day dedicated to HIV/AIDS. The Health Ministry states it is much (...)

12-01-2016 ■ Pedestals are being built in the municipality of Bujumbura for life-size statues of the heroes of independence and democracy, Prince Louis Rwagasore and President Melchior Ndadaye respectively. The mayor of Bujumbura, Freddy Mbonimpa, says the statues will be erected to honour the heroes. He also says the statues to (...)

12-01-2016 ■ Pierre Nkurikiye, the spokesman of the Burundi national police, refutes the accusations by the chairman of the road safety watchdog organization (OSR) that soldiers and police officers violate or fail to enforce the road safety code. The police spokesman said the accusations have no other purpose than tarnishing the (...)

11-30-2016 ■ A woman complains that she has been unfairly jailed by an administrative official who abused his power to solve family conflict in Gitaza zone of the southern province of Rumonge. Gitaza zone chief, Sébastien Sinzotuma, has arbitrarily imprisoned a woman in Gitaza police holding cell due to a conflict (...)

11-30-2016 ■ In a statement issued on 29 November, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has called on Burundi government to take prompt and effective action to protect civilians, by authorizing a United Nations police contingent to monitor the security and human rights situation in the (...)

11-30-2016 ■ World Organization Against Torture –OMCT General Assembly held on 26 November in Geneva, Switzerland, elected new members including Armel Niyongere, a Burundian human rights defender. He was chosen for his commitment to fighting against impunity and torture in Burundi. The Chairman of the Christian Action for the Abolition of (...)

11-29-2016 ■ Willy Nyamitwe, senior advisor to President Pierre Nkurunziza in charge of communication has survived an assassination attempt in the capital Bujumbura in the night of the 28th November. Nyamitwe was slightly injured on his arm, one of his bodyguards killed and another one seriously injured. “He was attacked while (...)

11-29-2016 ■ The price of sugar varies between BIF 2400 and BIF 2600 in some Bujumbura neighborhoods while the official price is BIF 1900. In Bwiza neighborhood of Mukaza Commune, a kg of sugar costs BIF 2400. “We can hardly find sugar. It has gone scarce since the past two weeks”, (...)