Burundi: Amnesty International calls for immediate mediation to end crisis

Amnesty International is urging Burundi government to fulfill its pledge of engaging in mediation to end the human rights crisis in the nation.

The body has warned of a looming civil war that needs to be addressed by regional leaders including Pierre Nkurunziza.

Speaking during the release of a report on the human rights condition in Burundi, Sarah Jackson, the Director of Amnesty International, expressed optimism that president Nkurunziza will honour the promise he made during Ban Ki-moon’s visit.

“We heard the announcement yesterday that prisoners were being released, that the media may be reopened, and that they are open to inclusive dialogue. So we hope that now President Nkurunziza will translate these words into action. What is needed in the current situation is a robust mediation to end this human rights crisis, to stop the suffering of millions of Burundians and others in the region who could be affected if this spills over into a regional crisis,” she said.

Amnesty International has further urged Burundi’s government to finalize investigations into the mass graves discovered in December. The body claims no details have been submitted by the government since it committed to carrying out the investigations.

“The mass graves that Amnesty International has discovered in Burundi through the use of satellite imagery and witness testimony is an attempt by the Burundian government to bury the truth about those killings in December. It’s absolutely vital that the government follows through on their commitment to investigate these mass graves, they made that commitment in January we have not yet seen any results from those investigations,” said the director of the International body.

The international human rights body further noted that Burundi is on the verge of armed conflict and that there is a great risk of mass atrocities adding that without support from regional and government leaders, the country might soon be torn apart.