Deadly clashes in Burundi as president seeks third term

Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for another five years in office has sparked violent clashes between protesters and police. Activists say more than 20 have been killed.

Police fired guns and teargas grenades at protesters who were throwing stones at them in a suburb of Burundi’s capital Bujumbura.

Witnesses said police had fired guns at protesters, demonstrators had beaten up a policewoman, and one woman was shot dead amid heavy gunfire in the district of Butarere.

If confirmed, the deaths would take the number killed since demonstrations began in the central African country on April 26 to at least 22, based on an unofficial tally by activists.

The government has banned protests and the army has been deployed. Social media services have been shut down, mobile phone coverage has been cut off in certain areas and several radio stations have been prevented from broadcasting live.

Controversial third term

President Nkurunziza has said he will stand for a third term in next month’s elections, a move opposition groups say defies the constitution and a peace agreement which limits presidential tenures in Burundi to two five-year terms.

The international community have roundly denounced the President’s decision. Speaking in Nairobi earlier this month, the US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters: “We are deeply concerned about President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision, which flies directly in the fact of the constitution of this country.”

Belgium has suspended two aid packages and Amnesty International has said: “The prospect of a third term for President Nkurunziza calls into question the preservation of peace in Burundi.

“The president is risking it all by trying to force his name on the ballot, against the Catholic Church, civil society, a fraction of his own party, and most external partners.”

The country’s constitutional court has validated the president’s candidacy, albeit under reported duress, with the court’s vice-president claiming that its panel members had received death threats.

Mr Nkurunziza has said: “Whoever wants to create problems with the ruling party elected by the people, he’ll find himself in trouble.”

Worst unrest for a decade

The unrest has plunged the poor Great African Lakes region nation into its worst crisis since the end of a conflict a decade ago that pitted rebel groups of the majority ethnic Hutus against minority Tutsis.

More than 50,000 people have fled Burundi to neighbouring states including Rwanda, where a genocide killed 800,000 people in 1994.

Fears have been raised that tensions could escalate further and drive a wedge between the previously warring Tutsis and Hutus, not only in Burundi,
but in neighbouring countries involved in the refugee effort.

Mr Nkurunziza came to power in 2005, an event that signaled the end of the 13-year long civil war in which 300,000 Burundians lost their lives.