The capital Bujumbura has since the 7th of July, been subject to
mortar attacks by two rebel groups- the CNDD-FDD and the FNL-Rwasa faction. To
date, over 174 people have been killed in the mortar attacks and over 40,000
civilians displaced in the latest fighting in Bujumbura.
Recently, President Domitien Ndayizeye declared the
government’s intention to bolster the army in its efforts to defend Burundians.
This is seen as a response to the lack of implementation of the ceasefire
agreement where three out of four rebel groups currently fighting are
signatories to the agreement. The FNL (a non-signatory to the Arusha accords)
shows no signs of coming to the negotiating table, with statements issued
stating their refusal to negotiate with the current government regardless of
concessions or conditions.
Burundi has a history of ethnically based massacres.
While the current government has begun to introduce ethnically equitable power
sharing, the situation warrants close monitoring to ensure that there are no
renewed genocidal type massacres.
Evidence
of Abuse and Danger |
-
Rape as a weapon (UN IRIN, HRW)
-
Forcible recruitment of children under 18 years (UN IRIN, Reuters, Coalition
to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers)
-
Deliberate targeting of civilians (UN IRIN, Amnesty International)
-
Extra-judicial killings (Amnesty International, Reuters)
Field contacts Verification |
-
International Press/Media
-
Embassies
-
International Human Rights NGOs
-
International Relief NGOs
International Contacts:
UN High Commission
for Refugees (UNHCR)
The Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
World Food Program
(WFP)
UN
Secretary-General’s Office
Food and
Agriculture Organization
(FAO)
US Contacts:
State Department
State emergency
task force
Congress and Senate
Sub-Committee and
caucus-committee for human rights
Sub Committee on
Africa
Foreign Ministries:
US Embassy
Embassy of Burundi
Embassy of France
Embassy of Denmark
Embassy of Iceland
Embassy of Norway
Embassy of Sweden
Embassy of Finland
Embassy of European
Union
Embassy of United
Kingdom
NGOs/Other:
International Crisis Group
Int. Committee for Red Cross
Save the Children Fund
International Rescue Committee
|
Missions to the UN Security Council:
French Embassy
US Embassy
UK Embassy
Rwanda Embassy
Uganda Embassy
Embassy of Chile
Embassy of China
Embassy of Cameroon
Embassy of Bulgaria
Embassy of Angola
Embassy of the
United Kingdom
Embassy of SyrianArab Republic
Embassy of Spain
Embassy of the
Russian Federation
Embassy of Pakistan
Embassy of Guinea
Embassy of Mexico
Embassy of Germany
Press:
Washington Post
Washington Times
LA Times
Chicago Tribune
Reuters
BBC
CNN
The East African
The Monitor, Uganda
|
IRIN
Rebel Leaders Set
Conditions for Cantonment
June 4, 2003
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=34588&SelectRegion=Great_Lakes&SelectCountry=BURUNDI
Halfway Through
Transitional Period, Peace Remains Elusive
May 30, 2003
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=34417
AFP
Burundi Rebels Threaten to Attack African Peacekeepers
May 26, 2003
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/Rwb.nsf/s/59CBFE4DD67E3274C1256D32005F6951
HRW
Transition in Burundi: Time to deliver
April 30, 2003
http://hrw.org/backgrounder/africa/burundi/burundi043003-bck.htm
Fighting Intensifies Amid Power Shift
April 30, 2003
http://hrw.org/press/2003/04/burundi043003.htm
NEWS 24
Three killed in Burundi rebel attacks
March 19, 2003
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1349529,00.html
Unwilling Burundi parties not peace
loving, says Zuma
Feburary 12, 2003
http://www.gov.za/search97cgi/s97_cgi
The Devil is in the Details/
February 9, 2003
http://www.burundirealite.org/pol01_e.html
|