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STORY: UN / BURUNDI ZEID
TRT: 2:56
SOURCE: UNIFEED-UNTV
RESTRICITONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 18 MARCH 2016, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE-NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, UNHQ
18 MARCH 2016, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, delegates
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations:
“Despite some positive signals by the government in recent weeks, following visits by a delegation from this Council, by the Secretary-General, and by five African Heads of State and Government, as well as two visits by Assistant Secretary-General Simonovic and the most recent visit of independent experts at the request of the Human Rights Council, these signals have yet to be followed up with strong and consequential action to engage real reconciliation.”
6. Cutaway, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations:
“I am very deeply concerned by the lack of progress in investigating into the multiple serious human rights violations that have been reported over the past year. I take note of the recently released report of the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Ministry of Justice and led by the Prosecutor-General to investigate allegations of extrajudicial killings during the events of 11 December 2015. However, I urge further and much more credible investigations into the multiple alleged mass graves in the country, as well as into the torture, sexual violence and killings that were reported in December and many other serious allegations.”
8. Cutaway, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations:
“We have already seen hundreds of people killed, thousands detained, and over a quarter of a million Burundians fleeing to neighbouring countries. The crisis has devastated Burundi's economy, compounding the human rights violations suffered by the people; UNICEF reports that the number of children admitted for severe acute malnutrition in Bujumbura doubled between October and December 2015. The crisis has also created a major humanitarian emergency, and contributes to destabilising the Great Lakes region, with major implications for regional peace and security.”
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations:
“Half-measures will not heal the wounds that Burundi's people have suffered. There must be an end to disappearances, arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial killings and torture, and clear and public moves to hold to account perpetrators – including agents of the State and members of armed groups associated with the ruling party. These steps are vital to restoring public confidence and to replacing Burundi on the path towards development, security, and respect for human rights.”
11. Wide shot, Security Council
Addressing the a Security Council’s meeting on Burundi, the top UN human rights official said that he was, “very deeply concerned” by the lack of progress in investigating into the multiple serious human rights violations that have been reported over the past year.
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein Friday (18 Mar) urged member States “further and much more credible investigations into the multiple alleged mass graves in the country, as well as into the torture, sexual violence and killings that were reported in December and many other serious allegations.”
He said despite some “positive signals” by the government in recent weeks, following visits by a delegation from this Council, by the Secretary-General, and by five African Heads of State and Government, as well as two visits by Assistant Secretary-General Simonovic and the most recent visit of independent experts at the request of the Human Rights Council, these signals have yet to be followed up with” strong and consequential action to engage real reconciliation.”
The UN High Commissioner also said, “We have already seen hundreds of people killed, thousands detained, and over a quarter of a million Burundians fleeing to neighbouring countries.”
He added the crisis has devastated Burundi's economy, compounding the human rights violations suffered by the people.
According to UNICEF, the number of children admitted for severe acute malnutrition in Bujumbura doubled between October and December 2015.
Zeid noted that the crisis has also created a major humanitarian emergency, and contributed to destabilising the Great Lakes region, with “major implications for regional peace and security.”
He underlined, “Half-measures will not heal the wounds that Burundi's people have suffered. There must be an end to disappearances, arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial killings and torture, and clear and public moves to hold to account perpetrators – including agents of the State and members of armed groups associated with the ruling party. These steps are vital to restoring public confidence and to replacing Burundi on the path towards development, security, and respect for human rights.”
Burundi was thrown into crisis in April last year, when President Nkurunziza decided to run for a controversial third term which he consequently won in July 2015. To date, it has been reported that more than 400 people have been killed, more than 240,000 have fled the country and thousands more have been arrested and possibly subjected to human rights violations.
