12-13-2016 ■ In a correspondence addressed to William Benjamin Mkapa, Facilitator in the Burundian conflict on 12 December, the platform of the opposition parties-CNARED-GIRITEKA says it no longer recognizes Mkapa as a facilitator in the inter-Burundian dialogue process. CENARED-GIRITEKA says “Mkapa has supported the violation of the Burundi constitution and the (...)

12-09-2016 ■ The facilitator of the inter-Burundian dialogue, William Benjamin Mkapa, says that Burundi Government is legal and legitimate. He mentions that those who doubt President Pierre Nkurunziza’s legitimacy are out of their minds. “The Burundian people gave legitimacy to the Government of Burundi. The 2015 Elections were held; Burundi’s constitutional (...)

12-08-2016 ■ Burundi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alain Aimé Nyamitwe, sent a note verbale on 5 December to diplomats accredited to Bujumbura. “Heads of Diplomatic Missions invited to official ceremonies must be present physically. They may only be represented when they are outside the country and this has to be notified (...)

12-07-2016 ■ “From March 2017, local media will only play Burundian songs that will have been approved by the Burundi Musicians Association-AMB”, said Gabriel Bihumugani, Deputy-Chairman and Spokesperson of the National Communication Council – CNC. He explained that this decision refers to the law on copyright protection. Bruno Simbavimbere, AMB Chairman, (...)

12-06-2016 ■ “We should move from speeches by political leaders and sensitization campaigns to concrete actions to effectively fight corruption in Burundi. Awareness is still needed but it is not enough as the situation is becoming more and more alarming “, says Faustin Ndikumana, Chairman of the local NGO aiming at (...)

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 (...)

12-01-2016 ■ 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 (...)

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 ■ On 26 November, the Home Affairs Ministry organized a public protest march in the Burundian capital for two reasons: to protest against the deployment of the three commissioners of enquiry on the human rights situation in Burundi, recently appointed by the UN Human Rights Commission and to denounce the (...)

11-24-2016 ■ The UN Human Rights body appointed on 22 November three commissioners namely Fatsah Ouguergouz (Algeria), Reina Alapini Gansu (Benin) and Francoise Hampson (United Kingdom) to investigate human rights violations and abuses committed in Burundi. Ouguergouz will serve as the Chair of the three-member Commission. The Commission has also been (...)