By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, August 10 -- As in Burundi the crackdown on those opposing or even questioning the third term for Pierre Nkurunziza continued, a journalist covering the killing of Adolphe Nshimirimana was beaten by security forces, and human rights defender Pierre Claver Mbonimpa was attacked. Still, the UN has yet to name a replacement for its last envoy Bathily, rejected by Nkurunziza.
On August 10, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric would the crackdown included police abductions in the Jabe neighborhood of Bujumbura, when Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will name and send a new envoy and what Ban would like to see out of the Security Council meeting scheduled for the afternoon of August 10.Video here.
Dujarric had no update on an envoy; pressed, he said that the UN has a central office in Bujumbura which victim could contact. There are names of the abducted, and photographs. We'll have more on this.
On August 7, Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Samantha Power, at the end of a question and answer stakeout, if the UN should name a new envoy to Burundi. Video here. Power paused and replied, "I'm sure they will, I expect them to."
Minutes later at the UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, "Are there any moves afoot to do this?"
Spokesman Dujarric: "I think we alluded to foots and moves. An announcement will be made in due course when we are ready to make that announcement. Obviously, you know, we have gone through, to speak plainly, I think we have gone through a number of facilitators and envoys in Burundi. I think we just need to make sure that whenever an envoy is named he or she has the support, at least the promise of support from all parties. It’s a critical, critical situation. I mean, we are seeing the situation in Burundi on a tinder box. So when we have something to announce, we shall."
Spokesman Dujarric: "I think we alluded to foots and moves. An announcement will be made in due course when we are ready to make that announcement. Obviously, you know, we have gone through, to speak plainly, I think we have gone through a number of facilitators and envoys in Burundi. I think we just need to make sure that whenever an envoy is named he or she has the support, at least the promise of support from all parties. It’s a critical, critical situation. I mean, we are seeing the situation in Burundi on a tinder box. So when we have something to announce, we shall."
Back on August 6 at the UN noon briefing, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric disclosed that the previous day, Ban had spoken with Nkurunziza. Inner City Press immediately asked if Ban had raised to Nkurunziza the prospect of a new UN envoy or person to lead up the UN's work; Dujarric would not answer this.Video here. Audio here.
For the UN Burundi is handled by the African I Division of the UN Department of Political Affairs; Inner City Press asked Dujarric about its scoop, that the outgoing president of the UN General Assembly Sam Kutesa, still the foreign minister of Uganda, has asked Ban's chef de cabinet Susana Malcorra to put his chief of staff, Arthur Kafeero, atop UN Africa 1. Dujarric would not even describe the status of recruitment. Audio here.
Video here. We'll have more on this.
Video here. We'll have more on this.
