UN / BURUNDI

UN advisor on conflict prevention Jamal Benomar told the Security Council today many people in Burundi “live in fear as a result of widespread repression and increasing intimidation by the Imbonerakure, the ruling party’s youth militia” adding that the doors to cooperation with the United Nations have been “largely shut by the authorities.” UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:16
• Production Date: 9 March 2017
• Asset Language: English; French
• Personal Subject: JAMAL BENOMAR
• Corporate Name: SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; POLITICAL CRISIS
• Geographic Subject: BURUNDI
• MAMS Id: 1845269
• Parent Id: 1845269
• Alternate Title: unifeed170309f

Description

STORY: UN / BURUNDI
TRT: 02:16
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 09 MARCH 2017, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior

09 MARCH 2017, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jamal Benomar, Special Advisor on Conflict Prevention, United Nations:
“Many Burundians live in fear as a result of widespread repression and increasing intimidation by the Imbonerakure, the ruling party’s youth militia. Members of opposition political parties, as well as perceived opponents, reported continue to be victims of arbitrary arrest, detention, ill-treatment and enforced disappearance.”
4. Wide shot, Benomar addressing Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jamal Benomar, Special Advisor on Conflict Prevention, United Nations:
“Burundi is still suffering from the electoral crisis of 2015 and continues to face multi-faceted challenges, including ongoing serious human rights violations and abuses, mass displacement of people and economic degradation. Any attempt to seek constitutional amendments to allow the President to stand for another term in office would, in the current political climate, risks intensifying the crisis and undermine collective efforts to find a sustainable solution to the current situation.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jamal Benomar, Special Advisor on Conflict Prevention, United Nations:
“Reduced cooperation with the United Nations system is undermining efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis and to assist a population in growing need. We have tried our utmost to constructively engage with the Government and support the people of Burundi in their search for peace and stability. We engaged quietly, refrained from public criticism, and encouraged modest small steps to build confidence between the parties. Despite this moderate approach, the doors to engagement and cooperation have been largely shut by the authorities.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (French) Albert Shingiro, Permanent Representative of Burundi to the United Nations:
“My delegation believes referring to a fourth mandate, which hasn’t even been announced by the President, is typical of the double standards of which Burundi has been a victim ever since 2015, since such concerns have never been raised by any United Nations authority in cases of fourth, fifth, sixth, or indeed seventh mandates elsewhere in the world.”
10. Zoom out, Security Council

Storyline

UN advisor on conflict prevention Jamal Benomar told the Security Council today (09 Mar) many people in Burundi “live in fear as a result of widespread repression and increasing intimidation by the Imbonerakure, the ruling party’s youth militia” adding that the doors to cooperation with the United Nations have been “largely shut by the authorities.”

Benomar said the political impasse in Burundi has only deepened and the political space has been further narrowed since the crisis erupted two years ago which was sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a third term. He said the Government-established National Comission for inter-Burundian Dialogue (CNDI) concluded that the majority of citizens demanded an end to presidential term limits and were in favour of amending the constitution adding that opposition and civil society groups have raised concerns that the CNDI was no inclusive. Benomar said Burundians had the sovereign right to amend their constitution but stressed that “Any attempt to seek constitutional amendments to allow the President to stand for another term in office would, in the current political climate, risks intensifying the crisis and undermine collective efforts to find a sustainable solution to the current situation.”

Benomar said reduced cooperation with the United Nations system by authorities was “undermining efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis and to assist a population in growing need.” He said the UN had refrained from public criticism and encouraged modest small steps to build confidence between the parties but “despite this moderate approach, the doors to engagement and cooperation have been largely shut by the authorities.”

Burundian ambassador Albert Shingiro objected to the characterization of the Imbonerakure as a “militia” adding that the choice of the word falls out with the agreed language of the Security Council. Shingiro said the security situation on the ground was good despite recognizing certain challenges that need to be met. He said his delegation believed referring to a fourth mandate was “typical of the double standards of which Burundi has been a victim ever since 2015, since such concerns have never been raised by any United Nations authority in cases of fourth, fifth, sixth, or indeed seventh mandates elsewhere in the world.” He added that the intention to run for a fourth term had not been announced by the President.