By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, September 20 -- There will be no country-specific meeting about Burundi during this year's UN General Assembly high level week, it was confirmed to Inner City Press on September 15 on background and then on the record. Meanwhile Burundian refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo were slaughtered on September 15, initially without any comment by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' part-time envoy Michel Kafando. On September 20, Inner City Press asked UNHCR chief Grandi about it. He said, read my Tweet, I called for an investigation by the DRC authorities. But are they involved, as in the killings of Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan? Minutes later, the US State Department put this out: "The U.S. government is dismayed by the violence and death of more than 30 Burundian nationals and a Congolese soldier in Kamanyola, in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on September 15. We call upon the Government of the DRC to work with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and UN peacekeepers to ease tensions between Burundi refugees and their host population. The cause of the violence must be determined and perpetrators must be held accountable. We urge the Government of the DRC to protect those civilians affected by violence from further attacks. Moreover, we urge the security forces of the DRC to refrain from using excessive force." The UN Secretariat gave up placing its selected official in Bujumbura, allowing the Nkurunziza government to block it; Kafando is being offered additional UN staff posts in his home base in Burkina Faso. On September 18, Inner City Press asked Guterres spokesmen Stephane Duajrric about the killings, and after the briefing his Office sent this: "Your question on DRC: Regarding the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we are concerned by reports that at least 36 Burundian refugees were killed and 117 injured by the Congolese security forces during clashes in South Kivu. The Burundian asylum-seekers and refugees were apparently demonstrating against local authorities after four of them had been expelled from the DRC. One FARDC officer was reportedly killed in the clash, which led to an escalation of violence. The Congolese defence and security forces allegedly responded through indiscriminate firing on the protestors. We condemn the violence and recall that the defence and security forces have an obligation to use force only as a last resort. The UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has deployed teams on the ground to shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the clashes. We call on the authorities to swiftly open legal actions to establish the truth and deliver justice to the victims." Like on UN experts Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan? On August 2, the Security Council's penholder on Burundi, France, did not speak at the Council stakeout or take questions, but Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador Matthew Rycroft about it. Video here, transcript below. On September 13, informed but wanting confirmation of a raid by armed men in Bujumbura on the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights premises, Inner City Press sent a simple question to OHCHR spokesman Rupert Colville: "this is a Press request for OHCHR to confirm or deny that its office in Bujumbura, Burundi was entered by armed men, and if so, who OHCHR thinks they were, what relation to the government. Inner City Press has other questions, but starting with this one. Please confirm receipt." Three hours later, nothing. (Colville previously declined to respond to Press question about Cameroon, 49 days into the Biya government's 94 day Internet cut off in Anglophone areas.) Burundi opposition figure "Léopold Habarugira, a member of the political party-Union for Peace and Development [UPD] was abducted in the early morning of 12 September in Mutanga-Nord in northern Bujumbura by a group of four people, one of them in police uniform." Where on this is UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his part time envoy, Michel Kafando? After Colvile has not responded in any way for 24 hours, Inner City Press on September 14 asked Guterres' spokesman Staphane Dujarric. He said he had not heard of Habrugira's abduction, and that the armed raid might have been a burglary. Inner City Press asked if UN envoy Kafando will even be in New York for the General Assembly high level week and Dujarric said he didn't know but will check. On September 15, Inner City Press asked again, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I asked you a couple of days ago about Burundi, about the abduction of a major opposition leader and… and also whether Mr. [Michel] Kafando would be here. I guess… Spokesman: Mr. Kafando will be here. Mr. Kafando will be here. Inner City Press: Okay. And can you say what he'll be doing? And also whether he or you have become aware of this… this very high-profile abduction? Spokesman: I haven't gotten any more updates on that abduction. I have no doubt that he's aware, and I assume he will be having a number of bilateral meetings with delegations here, as most of the envoys will do. They… it's only natural for them to come here and use this opportunity to meet with various stakeholders." On September 5, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Antonio Guterres' top three spokespeople: "On Burundi, what is the SG's and his envoy Michel Kafando's response to yesterday's UN Panel of Inquiry report, and separately, what is the UN's comment and action on the attached photo of Pierre Nkurunziza forces, in Bujumbura, in a white pick up truck marked 'UN'? Six hours later, no answer, not even the requested confirmation of receipt. So on September 7, Inner City Press asked Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you on Burundi. There's obviously been this report by the Panel of Inquiry saying there may be war… you know, war crimes and other crimes have been committed. I waswaiting to see either DPA or Michel Kafando, is there some response to that report? And also, I think I sent you a photograph of what purports to be Burundian soldiers inside their own country in Bujumbura in a pickup truck marked "UN". And I wanted to know is it… I know that they have deployed to CAR [Central African Republic], but is there… is there… is the UN somehow endorsing what the soldiers are doing in Bujumbura? Spokesman: "I don't know the origin of the photo or whether it's real or not real. The point is, is that no country should use UN-marked equipment that they may have used in a deployment peacekeeping mission in their home country. So, that stands." On September 1, Inner City Press asked the incoming President of the Security Council, Ethiopia's Ambassador Alemu, why Burundi is not on the Council's agenda for the month, or in Addis. He said Buurndi has "strong state institutions" (video here), contradicted by the UN Panel's statement on September 4. And by this: "On 28 August 2017, Bonith Habonimana was gravely wounded byImbonerakure who attacked him with machetes in Nyempundu in theDistrict of Mugina... On 30 August 2017, a dead body of Athanase Manirakiza was recovered in
Mwanda in the District of Bubanza; On 30 August 2017, Gaspard Niyokwizera was killed by unknown gunmen in Donge- Burasira in the District of Mugamba; On 31 August 2017, a grenade attack at the residence of Sabine Habimana located in Bunywana in the District of Buhinyuza resulted in her child, Annonciate Ndihokubwayo being wounded; On 31 August 2017, twelve (12) youths were arrested as they entered the city of Bujumbura. All were descended from the bus and told to show their
passports. Those who had stayed more than two months abroad weretaken to unknown destination. Eight passports of women coming back from Saudi Arabia were seized by the police; On 1 September 2017, Radio Isanganiro correspondent in Gitega Arthur
Kavabushi was arrested in Buraza by the Police which detained him."On August 25, Inner City Press asked Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Antonio "Mr. Refugees" Guterres, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: the Tanzanian Government has given, supposedly, UNHCR [Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] seven days to repatriate thousands of refugees that are there, saying that, if they don't, if UNHCR doesn't do it, they, Tanzania, will do it unilaterally. Many people working in the refugee field are pretty surprised by it, and I'm wondering if the Secretary-General or his envoy, Mr. Kafando, have any view of this ultimatum by the Tanzanian Government? Spokesman: "I haven't seen report. I would encourage you, as a first port of call, to call either UNHCR here or Geneva for a reaction." Inner City Press: My other… can you give any… I don't know if it will, maybe next week, any, any update on what Mr. Kafando is doing? Spokesman: we will be posting highlights daily. We'll see. In Burundi, arbitrary arrests and abductions including of those seeking to leave have continued with no response by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres or his part-time envoy Michel Kafando. For example, on 17 August 2017, Marcel Nsengiyumva aka Fiston was abducted from Kamenge and taken to unknown destination. Marcel was returning from
Rwanda where he lived for the 3 previous years. On 19 August 2017, 98 students were arrested following a police search operated at the University of Burundi campus Mutanga by the anti- riot police in partnership with Imbonerakure militiamen. On 16 and 17, an estimated number of 57 young people from Ruhororo and Tangara were arrested as they planned to travel to Tanzania. All were taken
to Ngozi police station where they were detained. Under laws Guterres used to cite in his previous job, people have a right to leave, and a right against refoulement, now ignored in Libya as in Burundi, with silence from Guterres' envoys. On August 15, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: the Burundian refugees that are in Tanzania, they actually tried to protest UNHCR because they say that food has been cut off, and, essentially, they're being pushed back to Burundi despite their fear. So, again, given António Guterres, his past history, given that he has a Special Envoy on it, is there any comment from the Secretariat on what seems to be the refoulement of or [inaudible] refoulement…
Spokesman: I don't… I would ask you to check with UNHCR as to what the actual situation is. I would highly doubt that UNHCR is involved in any active or passive refoulement.
Mwanda in the District of Bubanza; On 30 August 2017, Gaspard Niyokwizera was killed by unknown gunmen in Donge- Burasira in the District of Mugamba; On 31 August 2017, a grenade attack at the residence of Sabine Habimana located in Bunywana in the District of Buhinyuza resulted in her child, Annonciate Ndihokubwayo being wounded; On 31 August 2017, twelve (12) youths were arrested as they entered the city of Bujumbura. All were descended from the bus and told to show their
passports. Those who had stayed more than two months abroad weretaken to unknown destination. Eight passports of women coming back from Saudi Arabia were seized by the police; On 1 September 2017, Radio Isanganiro correspondent in Gitega Arthur
Kavabushi was arrested in Buraza by the Police which detained him."On August 25, Inner City Press asked Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Antonio "Mr. Refugees" Guterres, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: the Tanzanian Government has given, supposedly, UNHCR [Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] seven days to repatriate thousands of refugees that are there, saying that, if they don't, if UNHCR doesn't do it, they, Tanzania, will do it unilaterally. Many people working in the refugee field are pretty surprised by it, and I'm wondering if the Secretary-General or his envoy, Mr. Kafando, have any view of this ultimatum by the Tanzanian Government? Spokesman: "I haven't seen report. I would encourage you, as a first port of call, to call either UNHCR here or Geneva for a reaction." Inner City Press: My other… can you give any… I don't know if it will, maybe next week, any, any update on what Mr. Kafando is doing? Spokesman: we will be posting highlights daily. We'll see. In Burundi, arbitrary arrests and abductions including of those seeking to leave have continued with no response by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres or his part-time envoy Michel Kafando. For example, on 17 August 2017, Marcel Nsengiyumva aka Fiston was abducted from Kamenge and taken to unknown destination. Marcel was returning from
Rwanda where he lived for the 3 previous years. On 19 August 2017, 98 students were arrested following a police search operated at the University of Burundi campus Mutanga by the anti- riot police in partnership with Imbonerakure militiamen. On 16 and 17, an estimated number of 57 young people from Ruhororo and Tangara were arrested as they planned to travel to Tanzania. All were taken
to Ngozi police station where they were detained. Under laws Guterres used to cite in his previous job, people have a right to leave, and a right against refoulement, now ignored in Libya as in Burundi, with silence from Guterres' envoys. On August 15, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: the Burundian refugees that are in Tanzania, they actually tried to protest UNHCR because they say that food has been cut off, and, essentially, they're being pushed back to Burundi despite their fear. So, again, given António Guterres, his past history, given that he has a Special Envoy on it, is there any comment from the Secretariat on what seems to be the refoulement of or [inaudible] refoulement…
Spokesman: I don't… I would ask you to check with UNHCR as to what the actual situation is. I would highly doubt that UNHCR is involved in any active or passive refoulement.
Really? On August 7, three more corpses were found dumped in a river in Cibitoke. Silence from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in the middle of a two week initially UNdisclosed vacation. Silence from his part time envoy Michel Kafando. No answers from Guterres' spokespeople to Inner City Press' questions about the deployment of human rights abusers to peacekeeping missions. We'll have more on this. From the UK August 2 transcript: Inner City Press: On Burundi, is it your position that the mandate to send the police remains? That they are under legal requirement, under Chapter VII, to take them? Why wasn’t it just extended to make clear that Chapter VII applies to this deployment?
Amb Rycroft: Yes, you are right that the initial resolution calls on this police mission to take place. And you’re right that the reason that it hasn’t is that the Government of Burundi has made absolutely clear that they have no intention at all of allowing even a small deployment in. So they are in breach of that obligation and so we are reminding them of that obligation and encouraging them to do what they should be doing... I think there are other obligations that they are in breach of as well, but this is an important part of their engagement with the international community and we need to take from it the fact that they are not engaging on this or indeed many other parts of that resolution and we call on them to have a genuinely inclusive political process.
Amb Rycroft: Yes, you are right that the initial resolution calls on this police mission to take place. And you’re right that the reason that it hasn’t is that the Government of Burundi has made absolutely clear that they have no intention at all of allowing even a small deployment in. So they are in breach of that obligation and so we are reminding them of that obligation and encouraging them to do what they should be doing... I think there are other obligations that they are in breach of as well, but this is an important part of their engagement with the international community and we need to take from it the fact that they are not engaging on this or indeed many other parts of that resolution and we call on them to have a genuinely inclusive political process.
