United States Warns Against Violence in Burundi

Press Statement

Jeff Rathke
Director, Office of Press Relations

Washington, DC

May 15, 2015

The United States is alarmed by reports of retaliatory attacks in Burundi following the attempted unlawful seizure of power on May 13 and the growing risk of greater violence and atrocities. The United States urgently calls on President Nkurunziza to condemn and stop the use of violence by the police and the ruling party’s Imbonerakure youth militias against those who participated in protests against a third term. The United States strongly condemns all acts of violence and retribution against those who have participated in protests against a third term. Individuals who perpetrate or incite violence, or exact retribution against those who oppose a third term, should be held accountable.

The United States supports the rule of law and opposes attempts to seize power unlawfully. The United States also believes the Arusha Agreement that ended Burundi’s horrific civil war must remain the foundation for the country’s stability and post-war reconciliation. The decision by Burundian President Nkurunziza to disregard the Arusha Agreement to run for a third term also has created instability and violence.

The United States is taking steps to impose visa ineligibilities on those responsible for violence. We call on all other governments to do the same. The United States also stresses that, under U.S. law, we cannot provide military training or assistance to military units that commit gross violations of human rights. We support the recent decision by the African Union to delay the next deployment of Burundian troops to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and note that continued instability and violence in Burundi, and in particular the commission of human rights abuses by security forces, could jeopardize Burundi’s ability to continue to contribute to the AMISOM peacekeeping mission.

The United States fully supports the mediation efforts of UN Special Envoy Said Djinnit and the African Union envoys in Bujumbura, as well as the efforts of the East African Community, the African Union, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, aimed at bringing peace and stability to Burundi. We urge all stakeholders in Burundi to engage immediately and seriously in these mediation efforts.

The United States welcomes decisions by other donor partners to reduce or withdraw budget support and financial assistance to the Government of Burundi in response to the continuing instability and violence. We also appreciate the willingness of Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to welcome the more than 100,000 Burundian refugees who have fled Burundi, and call on the Burundian government to remove roadblocks and other impediments that are preventing civilian populations from crossing into neighboring nations seeking safety.

We stand with the people of Burundi at this critical moment. We urgently call on the Burundian government to demonstrate, by its actions in the coming days, its commitment to a peaceful future for all the people of Burundi.

US Dept of State

Amakuru mashya kw’ihirikwa ry’ubutegetsi rivugwa mu Burundi

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Abaturage mu byishimo i Bujumbura

14.00 GMT Umuvugizi w’ishyaka riri ku butegetsi CNDD FDD, Gelase Ndabirabe, abwiye BBC ari mu bikorwa byo kwiyamamaza mu Kayanza, ko abantu bashatse guhirika ubutegetsi ari abantu bashakaga gutoba, bagashaka kubashotora kugirango barebe ko babasanga mu muhanda ngo bahangane.

10.00 GMT Akanama kiyise Comite de restauration de la concorde nationale, katanze itangazo mu gitondo, kavuga ko kakuyeho umukuru w’u Burundi Pierre Nkurunziza ubu wari wagiye muri Tanzania mu nama yari yateguwe n’umuryango w’ibihugu byo muri Afrika y’uburasirazuba ku kibazo cy’u Burundi.

Mw’ijambo ryavuzwe na General Major Godefroid Niyombare, ako kanama ngo kafashe iyo ngingo kuko Prezida Nkurunziza yanyuranije n’itegeko nshinga agashaka kwiyamamaza ku mwanya w’umukuru w’igihugu inshuro ya gatatu.

Aka kanama kagizwe na General Major Godefroid Niyombare, General Major Cyrille Ndayirukiye, General Sylvere Habarugira, Colonel Leonard Ngendakumana, Commissaire de Police Zenon Ndabaneze na Commissaire de Police Nimenya

Kuva aho ayo makuru amenyekaniye biciye ku maradio yigenga y’i Bujumbura, abanyagihugu bahise bajya mu murwa mukuru kwishimira ibibaye.

Kugeza ubu ariko mu mujyi wa Bujumbura humvikanye amasasu ariko ntawuramenya neza abari kuyarasa n’abo barasana.

Radio y’igihugu iracyavuga ibiganiro nkuko bisanzwe.

Ese General Major Godefroid Niyombare ni muntu ki?

General Godefroid Niyombare w’imyaka 46, avuka muri commune ya Kamenge mu gisagara ca Bujumbura. Yaranguye amabanga yo ku rwego rwo hejuru mu nzego zijejwe umutekano mu Burundi kuva mu 2004, gushika aho akuriwe mu mabanga yo kurongora urwego rw’igihugu rujejwe iperereza mu kwezi kwa kabiri uno mwaka.

Bivugwa ko ari umwe basirikare bakuru bo mu mugambwe CNDD FDD, batashaka ko Prezida Pierre Nkurunziza atwara igihugu ikiringo kigira gatatu.

Mu gihe c’ingwano yo mu gihugu hagati mu Burundi, General Niyombare yabaye umukuru w’igisirikare ca CNDD FDD.

Uwo muhari waje kwemezwa nk’umugambwe wa politike mu kwezi kwa mbere 2005, uca itsinda amatora, Nkurunziza agirwa umukuru w’igihugu. General Niyombare yagizwe icegera c’umukuru w’igisirikare mu kwezi kwakurikiye, mu 2009 naho aca aba umuhutu wa mbere abaye umugaba mukuru w’ingabo z’u Burundi kuva ico gihugu cikukira.

Akiri icegera c’umugaba mukuru w’igisirikare, yarongoye umugwi wari userukiye leta mu biganiro n’umugwi FNL, uwanyuma wari usigaye ukirwana. Amaserano y’amahoro na FNL yashizweko umukono mu kwezi kw’icenda 2006.

Igikorwa ca mbere gikomeye yajejwe ari umugaba w’ingabo, kwari ukurungika abasirikare b’u Burundi guhagararira amahoro muri Somalia, mu butumwa bw’ishirahamwe ry’ubumwe bwa Afrika.

Mu kwezi kwa kane 2011, General Niyombare yagiye mu Rwanda mu rwego rwo gukomeza ugukorana mu vya gisirikare hagati y’ibihugu vyombi. Ivyo bihugu mu nyuma vyumvikanye gusangira amakuru ku bijanye n’umugwi w’abarwanyi b’Abanyarwanda, FDLR, ufise icicaro muri Kongo.

Mu kwezi kwa kabiri uno mwaka, yarirukanywe mu mabanga yo kurongora urwego rw’igihugu rujejwe iperereza, yirukanwa kumwe n’abandi babiri bakorana, haciye amezi atatu gusa agenywe muri ayo mabanga.

Ibitangazamakuru vyo mu Burundi vyavuze ko iyirukanwa ryiwe rifitaniye isana n’urwandiko yandikiye umukuru w’igihugu Pierre Nkurunziza, amuhanura kutitoza mu kiringo kigira gatatu. Nta mpamvu itomoye yigeze itwanga n’ibiro vy’umukuru w’igihugu kuri iryo yirukanwa. General Niyombare yaciye asubirizwa na Gen Etienne Ntakarutimana.

Burundi deports Rwandan nationals suspected of spying

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Kigali. One of the Rwandan nationals who was employed as the manager of local telecommunication operator in Burundi, which is known as ‘Econet’, has been deported from Burundi after the East African country’s security Services accused him of spying on behalf of ‘foreign intelligence’ that are accused of being behind the street demonstrations in the capital city Bujumbura, local media reported Monday in Kigali.

One of the popular vernacular newspaper published in Kigali, ‘Igihe.com’ quoted a senior Rwandan diplomat in Bujumbura as saying that the Rwandan national Antoine Masozera had been recruited in 2012 by the Burundi Mobile and Fixed Network Operator and had worked for the company until last weekend when he had been deported from Burundi on the basis of alleged espionage.It is said that the Rwandan national has been given 48 hours to leave the country, though there was no any retaliatory from the Rwandan side. This expulsion comes just two days after the Rwandan President Paul Kagame has also criticized his Burundian counterpart, Peter Nkurunziza’s desire to cling to power.

Speaking during an interview with the media while on trip in Switzerland, the Rwandan leader observed that when “your own citizens tell you ‘we do not want you to do that or to lead us’, maybe they are saying you haven’t done enough for them” Burundi’s Constitutional Court has dismissed objections over Nkurunziza’s re-election bid, saying his first presidential term did not count as he was elected by parliament, not directly by the people.Speaking during an interview with the state-run Radio Rwanda on Sunday, the Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo has also expressed serious concern’ over the deteriorating political situation in Burundi. “Despite assurances given by Burundi, we can not provide any help but there are still fears about the possibility that the Rwandan rebels based in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DC) can enjoy the violence in Burundi and destabilize Rwanda ,” the Rwandan official said.

Burundi goes to the polls on 28 May for parliamentary elections, and then on 28 June for presidential election. But tension is already high ahead of the polls.Local observers say the tension has been exacerbated by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a third term, in violation of the Arusha peace and reconciliation deal that brought the country’s civil war to an end. According to the Rwandan government, around 25,000 asylum seekers from Burundi arrived in the country over the last two months.Burundians have been demonstrating against his name appearing on the ballot for a third time.(NMG)

The citizen

BURUNDI: Perezida Nkurunziza yakorewe Coup d’etat

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: Gen Godefroid Niyombare

Amakuru atugeraho muri aka kanya aremeza ko Perezida Nkurunziza w’u Burundi yaba yakorewe kudeta ( coup d’etat).

Biravugwa ko iyi coup d’etat yaba iyobowe n’umusirikare General Godefroy Niyombare.

Source:http://www.francetvinfo.fr

Turacyabibakurikiranira.

Burundi: plusieurs morts dans de nouvelles violences à Bujumbura

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Au Burundi, la foule chasse les militaires accusés de pas avoir protégé les manifestants contre les imbonerakure et les policiers, le 7 mai 2015.

Dans la capitale burundaise, de nouveaux affrontements se sont produits ce jeudi matin. Selon un bilan de la Croix-Rouge, il y aurait au moins trois morts. Par ailleurs, une explosion a été signalée dans un quartier, foyer de la protestation. Elle a fait un mort et sept blessés, et a été suivie de heurts entre opposants et partisans du président sortant Pierre Nkurunziza.

La situation reste tendue dans plusieurs zones de la capitale notamment en raison du changement d’attitude des militaires.L’armée, jusqu’ici acclamée pour sa neutralité, a pris ce matin des engins de chantier pour dégager les barricades dans le quartier de Musaga. « Ils prennent le parti de Nkurunziza », disent désormais les manifestants en colère.

Colère également à Cibitoke, dans le nord de la capitale. Deux attaques à la grenade dans un quartier pro-manifestants ont fait au moins un mort et sept blessés. Ce sont les imbonerakure, la jeunesse du parti au pouvoir, qui ont tout de suite été accusés par les riverains. S’en est suivi des affrontements entre jeunes pro et anti-troisième mandat. La police est intervenue et un jeune manifestant a été grièvement blessé d’une balle dans la tête.

Pour le porte-parole du ministère de la Sécurité publique, toutes ces attaques sont du fait des manifestants et auraient visé des policiers. Ce n’était pas l’avis de ces manifestants qui s’en sont alors pris aux militaires : « La police protège les imbonerakure et vous, vous ne faites rien », ont-ils lancé.

Ivres de rage, les manifestants ont commencé à tourner dans le quartier à la recherche de responsables, de jeunes du parti au pouvoir. Et une foule s’est lancée à l’assaut d’une maison où se cachait, disaient-ils, l’un de ces imbonerakure. Un jeune qui a tenté par tous les moyens d’échapper aux pierres et aux coups de bâton en se réfugiant dans les caniveaux. Les militaires sont intervenus en tirant en l’air. Un autre jeune qualifié d’imbonerakure a été battu et laissé pour mort dans un caniveau.

Les soldats semblaient dépasser ce matin alors que les manifestants s’attaquaient à la maison de ceux qu’ils accusaient d’être des imbonerakure. A l’intérieur, ils ont trouvé des drapeaux du parti au pouvoir et une tenue militaire et des bottines. Preuve, selon eux, que les jeunes du parti au pouvoir se cachent aujourd’hui parmi les forces de sécurité.

Dans un autre quartier à Nyakabiga, un corps gît au milieu d’une avenue, le corps d’un jeune roué de coups qu’on a visiblement tenté de brûler par la suite. Dans ce quartier, les riverains refusent de parler.

■ L’UA demande le report de l’élection présidentielle

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma s’est clairement prononcée en faveur d’un report des élections au Burundi lors d’une interview accordée à la chaîne câblée chinoise CCTV. Selon Dlamini-Zuma, « le climat n’est pas propice à la tenue d’un scrutin. On ne peut pas aller dans un pays, poursuit la présidente de la commission, rencontrer des réfugiés qui fuient, et dire que nous allons observer les élections ». La chef de l’exécutif de l’UA s’est aussi prononcée contre un troisième mandat pour Pierre Nkurunziza. « Il y a différentes interprétations de la Constitution, mais parfois, il ne faut pas se limiter à une approche légaliste, ce qui est important ce ne sont pas les légalités c’est la paix au Burundi ».

Des propos, tenus sur la chaîne CCTV, qui sont un véritable désaveu pour le président sortant du Burundi, dont l’initiative est déjà dénoncée ailleurs et notamment à Washington. Sans aller aussi loin, un diplomate de l’Union africaine joint par RFI a condamné fermement le recours aux tirs à balles réelles par la police sur les manifestants à Bujumbura, qualifiant aussi « d’inacceptable l’interdiction de manifestations dès lors qu’elles sont pacifiques ». Selon cette même source, la situation actuelle, qui a déjà poussé 40 000 personnes à se réfugier à l’étranger, est tout aussi inacceptable et pose de lourds défis pour les pays voisins qui les accueillent.

L’Union africaine devrait dépêcher dans les quarante-huit heures des membres de son panel des sages à Bujumbura. L’UA sera également représentée au sommet qu’organise la Communauté de l’Afrique de l’Est sur le Burundi qui se tiendra à Dar es Salam, le 13 mai.

Source: RFI-Afrique

Bazumva ryari? Ngo kutemera ko Kagame afata manda ya gatatu ni ugusebya u Rwanda!?

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Ngiryo iterambere Kagame yazaniye rubanda. Arasaba indi manda kugira ngo rikomeze! Ngiyi BILAN ya Kagame.

Ubwo itangazamakuru rikorera agatsiko ryikomye Kaminuza ya Gisenyi na INES Ruhengeri, ubwo ishyari rya FPR ryatangiye kubira nk’ikirunga cyenda kuruka ! Mu kanya gato ayo mashuri makuru yigenga araba afunzwe, abana bayigagamo bajye mu gihirahiro, bahindurwe Mayibobo. Ariko hagati aho ntihabura ba Nyirurutwerunini bafatwa bagasiribangwa nk’uko uyu mu DASSO uri ku ifoto ariho agaraguza agati abaturage b’inzirakarengane. Iryo niryo terambere Paul Kagame yatugejejeho muri iyi myaka isaga 20 amaze ku butegetsi, none akaba asaba indi manda ngo akomeze acure rubanda bufuni na buhoro. Ubu koko igihe ntikigeze ngo ibintu bihinduke ? Abanyarwanda twese dukwiye guhaguruka tukamagana twivuye inyuma ingoma y’igitugu y’Agatsiko-Sajya kibwira ko u Rwanda ari akarima kako bwite. Rubyiruko mukwiye gufata iyambere mugashaka inzira zose zishoboka zo gutera hejuru muti “ U Rwanda si umunani Paul Kagame yasigiwe na se “!

Muri kaminuza za ULK Gisenyi na INES Ruhengeri hatoraguwe inyandiko zamagana manda ya 3 ya Kagame

Mu mugoroba wo kuri uyu wa Gatatu tariki ya 06 Gicurasi 2015, mu ishuri rikuru ry’Ubumenyingiro, INES-Ruhengeri (Institute of Applied Sciences) no muri kaminuza yigenga ya Kigali ULK, hatoraguwe inyandiko zamagana manda ya gatatu ya Perezida Paul Kagame.

Ubuyobozi bwa INES-Ruhengeri bumaze kwemeza amakuru y’inyandiko idasinyeho (Tract) ko yatoraguwe n’abanyeshuri ikaza gufatwa na Bienvenu umunyeshuri uhagarariye abandi, na we akayishyikiriza ubuyobozi bw’ishuri.

Prosper Ziganibuga, umuyobozi wungirije ushinzwe ubutegetsi n’imari muri INES-Ruhengeri yagize ati “Mu kanya saa moya na 45 abanyeshuri batoraguye inyandiko izwi nka tract, ihita ifatwa n’uhagarariye abanyeshuri itaragera mu kigo hose.”

Twamubajije amagambo yari yanditse muri iyo tract atubwira ko atabashije kuyamenya kuko inzego zishinzwe umutekano zahise ziyijyana ariko zikavuga ko iyo nyandiko ngo yanditswe n’abasanzwe basebya u Rwanda.

Si aha gusa hatoraguwe tract, kuko no muri kaminuza yigenga ya Kigali ULK ishami rya Gisenyi hatoraguwe tract mu gihe cya saa kumi z’umugoroba.

Umuyobozi wa ULK ishami rya Gisenyi Dr Cyeye, yahamije ko inyandiko itariho umukono yatoraguwe n’abanyeshuri ariko ngo nta mwanya wo gutanga amakuru afite kuko twamuvugishije arimo kwigisha. Nyuma twagerageje kumuvugisha telefoni ye ntiyacamo.

Umwe mu banyeshuri twaganiriye yavuze ko iyo tract yatoraguwe muri ULK, yarimo ubutumwa bugenewe urubyiruko n’abanyeshuri.

Yagize ati “Iyo nyandiko yatangiraga yerekana ko perezida Kagame yayoboye imyaka 5 RPF-Inkotanyi igifata ubutegetsi, akaza kuyobora imyaka 4 nyuma ya Bizimungu, mu myaka 23 amaze ku butegetsi akaba ntacyo yagejeje ku rubyiruko.”

Undi munyeshuri wavuze ko yisomeye iyo nyandiko yavuze ko ngo abanyamuryango ba RFP-Inkotanyi ko nta mwisanzure bahabwa, ikindi kandi gahunda z’ubudehe n’ingando bikorwa ngo nta mumaro bifitiye abanyarwanda.

Iyo nyandiko kandi ngo yagaragazaga ko ishyaka riri ku butegetsi mu Rwanda ntaho ritandukaniye n’ayandi nka MRND na CDR yayoboraga mbere ya jenoside yakorewe abatutsi nk’uko iyi nkuru dukesha mugenzi wacu ukorera ikinyamakuru Rushyashya ikomeza ivuga.

Umwe mu bayobozi ba kaminuza yigenga ya Kigali ULK, batubwiye ko ngo iyo nyandiko yasabaga amadini n’amashyaka guhagurukira hamwe bakamagana manda ya 3 kuko ngo nta cyiza RPF yakoze kuva yagera ku butegetsi.

Izi nyandiko zishishikariza urubyiruko, abanyeshuri, amadini n’amatorero kwamagana manda ya gatatu ya perezida Kagame, zigaragaye nyuma yaho kuri uyu wa Gatatu tariki ya 6 Gicurasi 2015, perezida w’ Inteko Ishinga Amategeko, Umutwe w’Abadepite, Donatila Mukabalisa yakiriye amabaruwa y’abasaba ivugurwa ry’Itegeko Nshinga mu ngingo yaryo y’101, barenga miliyoni ebyiri.

Emmanuel Nsabimana – imirasire.com

Church Rejects King of Bafumbira

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Rt. Reverend Cranmer Mugisha, the Bishop of Muhabura diocese has strongly condemned those that installed tycoon Caesar Augustus Mulenga as the king of the Bafumbira in South West Uganda, saying that this would create divisions among the Bafumbira Community.

“This cannot be tolerated and the matter has been discussed in the Diocesan synod, which took a clear stand of rejecting the kingship” Said bishop Mugisha.

Bishop Mugisha says that the Bafumbira had never had kings before, apart from paying tributes to former Kings of Rwanda.

Pulkeria Muhindo the Kisoro RDC says that the issues of having a king in Kisoro should be handled with extra care before Caesar Augustus Mulenga is accepted a King for Bafumbira.

“The coronation of King Caesar was done secretly by a small group of people without consulting all the People,” Said Muhindo.

However this has been downplayed by Fidelis Kanyamunyu the so called Kingdom’s Spokesperson saying that those opposed to the Kingship are not aware of its agenda.

He says the Mulenga’s kingship will be focused on development and supporting locals to get out of poverty and that their king has been supporting all the people of Kisoro irrespective of differences.

He says the King is currently giving out low interest loans as well as over 200 heifers to locals in a bid to help them out of poverty.

“The issue of the Kingdom is being misinterpreted; Mulenga Development Kingdom is entirely for development and not cultural. Those willing to subscribe to the Mulenga Development Kingdom have the right to do so or stay away from development which is the agenda,” Said Kanyamunyu.

Mulenga is a Businessman who has ventured into tourism, Education, Media and Microfinance.

Late last year, a group of Kisoro residents crowned him King and started referring to him as the King of the Bafumbira.

The office of the Kingdom located near Kisoro Tourist Hotel also owned by the King. Hundreds of people flock the area to meet the him daily.

When Chimpreports tried to meet Mulenga, yesterday, we were told he was held up in meetings with his subjects and visitors from outside Kisoro.

Mulenga is a wealthy man who owns a string of businesses including St. Augustine International University, St. Augustine international school, Yampe Newspaper , Southern Eye Newspaper, ABC Africa Newspaper , i-tel Ltd, King Ceaser Game Reserve, development groups like YES Ducuruze, Girinka Mulenga , Female Global Millionaires, and Profit Kisoro among others.

Source: Chimpreports

Kikwete now moves to defuse Burundi crisis

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H.E Jakaya Kikwete

President Jakaya Kikwete has sent a fact-finding mission to Burundi, which is caught up in a crisis over President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term in office.

The team is expected to prepare a report that will direct the East African Community Summit of Heads of State on how to address the insecurity in that country.

Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister Bernard Membe will lead a team of foreign affairs officials from other EAC member states in the fact-finding mission. The mission is heading to Burundi amid protests that have rocked the country, with the death toll rising to 12 by Monday. Mr Membe leaves today, according to the head of the government’s communication unit in the Foreign Affairs and International Affairs ministry, Ms Mindi Kasiga. The mission should be done with by the end of this week.

Speaking in New York on Monday, President Kikwete, who is also the EAC Summit chairman, told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that decisive action would depend on the findings of the mission, which starts its work today. “But whatever the case, the basic solution to the problems which Burundi is going through now lies with Burundians,” he said. “They have a constitution and law which should be followed in order to end this problem. Using force will not help them much.”

The UN secretary general had asked President Kikwete to shed light on what is being done to help Burundi deal with the crisis. This is the first tangible action the EAC has taken since chaos broke out in Burundi. Several people have died, hundred others are injured and property has been destroyed in clashes between police and demonstrators opposed to a decision to give President Pierre Nkurunziza an opportunity to run for the presidency for the third time.

Said Ms Kasiga: “The fact finding mission will do its job for a day in Burundi. While in Bujumbura, it will meet various stakeholders and compile a report from facts gathered in Bujumbura which will guide the EAC leaders in an extraordinary summit President Kikwete will host.”

Some 1,852 Burundians seeking refuge arrived in Kigoma last week following political instability in their country due to President Nkurunziza’s move to seek a third term.

According to a statement by Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson Isaac Nantanga, the Burundian refugees entered Tanzania through Kigaye, Sekeoya, Kakonko, Kosovo, Kagunga and Kibuye villages.

After verification with immigration officers in the region, 1,252 among them have been moved to Nyarugusu Camp in Kasulu District as the rest of the refugees are interrogated before they are sent on to refugee camps.

Meanwhile, the Burundi Constitutional Court on Monday approved the nomination of Mr Nkurunziza as the ruling CNDD-FDD party’s candidate in next month’s presidential election. The court made the decision Monday, a day after four of its members fled to neighbouring Rwanda fearing for their safety. “We are worried about our security,” said one of the Constitutional Court judges. “That is why I decided to leave the country.”

The court ruled that President Nkurunziza was eligible for a third term since he has been elected only once through universal suffrage.

Mr Nkurunziza rose to power in 2005 after being elected by parliament and went on to win a second term five years later by popular vote.

President Nkurunziza’s tenure has been dogged by controversy over the interpretation of the constitution. While some parties say the President has had his maximum two terms, his supporters insist the first five years did not count under the law.

The 2000 Arusha Accord, which ended the protracted Burundi civil war and culminated in Mr Nkurunziza’s rise to power, is categorical that no one person should be president for more than 10 years.

Source: The Citizen

“Censorship gives power to dictators and tyrants” US Official

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Press Statement

John Kerry
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

May 5, 2015

On May 3^rd, we honored journalists who defend democratic ideals through their commitment to discovering and telling the truth. In doing so, we also paid tribute journalism itself, a profession to that is essential to good governance and the functioning of democracy. This is a critically important time to acknowledge the contributions of journalists. As the Committee to Protect Journalists recently reported, this is the “most deadly and dangerous period for journalists in recent history.” From violent extremists and criminal gangs who abduct and kill reporters to authoritarian governments that persecute them, press freedom is under attack.

The most common reason journalists are targeted, of course, is to limit and control the free flow of information and ideas. Censorship gives power to dictators and tyrants; it allows them to mask the truth, to propagate false narratives that play to their self-serving interests. That’s what’s happening in places like Syria, where those in power, and the extremists present there, want nothing to stand in the way of their ability to distort the truth.

But journalists aren’t just under attack in war zones. In Paris, journalists and cartoonists were murdered for exercising their right to free expression. In China, journalists continue to suffer surveillance, censorship, and detainment. In Russia, the government has expanded its control over the media and prosecuted bloggers for failing to conform to its increasingly strict definition of “legitimate views.”

At the State Department, we’ve launched the Free the Press campaign, highlighting individual journalists who remain wrongly imprisoned. The list includes Gao Yu, a 71-year-old Chinese journalist, who was sentenced to seven years for allegedly leaking state secrets to foreign media; Mazen Darwish, who remains imprisoned by the Asad regime for trying to expose the regime’s brutal atrocities; Ta Phong Tan, who is serving a 10-year sentence in Vietnam for unmasking government corruption; and Reeyot Alemu, who was imprisoned in Ethiopia for writing an article critical of her government.

The United States calls for the immediate release of these individuals and all journalists imprisoned for doing their jobs. We will continue to speak out when journalists are unfairly arrested and detained; we will continue to raise these issues with foreign officials at every level; and we will continue to promote journalists’ physical and digital safety. Freedom of expression is one of our country’s core values and one which we will continue to defend both at home and overseas.

US Dept of State

Rwanda: Abaturage bakomeje gutera utwatsi igitekerezo cyo guhindura itegekonshinga hagamijwe ko Kagame yongera kuba perezida.

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Batewe umujinya n’ubutegetsi bubahimbira ngo barashaka Kagame.

Kuva aho bimwe mu bihugu by’ibihangange bigaragarije ko bidashyigikiye aba perezida bashaka guhindura itegekonshinga bagamije kwizirika ku butegetsi, abenshi mu ba perezida barebwa n’ibi baratitiye karahava. Muri bo hari Bwana Pahulo Kagame uyobora u Rwanda kuva mu mwaka wa 2000. Ukurikije itegekonshinga u Rwanda rugenderaho uyu munsi, Pahulo nta bundi bushobozi afite bwo kwiyamamaza kuko manda ebyiri ateganyirizwa zizarangira mu minsi 852 uhereye uyu munsi.

Abandi nka perezida Kabila wa Congo bagerageje guhindura itegekonshinga abaturage babamerera nabi. I Burundi naho uko byifashe si shyashya nyuma y’aho Nkurunziza ageragereje gushaka kwiyamamaza igihugu cyacuze imiborogo. Hasihaye Pahulo urmo kubikurikiranira hafi ubutaruhuka ari nako afata ingamba kuko azi neza ko inkoni ikubise mukeba bayirenza urugo.

Binyujijwe mu itekinika risanzwe riranga FPR, abaturage bo hirya no hino barasabwa gusinya impapuro zemeza ko basanga itegekonshinga rikwiye guhindurwa Kagame akongera kuba umukandida. Amakuru atugeraho aturutse mu mirenge yemeza ko abaturage benshi bamaganye iki gitekerezo hanyuma abakada ba FPR bahitamo kubinyuza mu dukipe tw’abantu bakeya bafite icyo bahuriyeho. Ng’ayo amashyirahamwe y’ubuhinzi bw’icyayi, abacukuzi ba gasegereti, abiyita aba pasiteri b’amadini y’inzaduka n’abandi.

Kugira ngo itekinika ryihute, inkuru z’urudaca ziracicikana ku mbuga zisanzwe zinyuzwamo ibitekerezo bya FPR. Muri iz nkuru haba havugwamo ko Kagame ariwe muntu wenyine ukwiye kuyobora, ngo ibi bikaba byemezwa n’amabaruwa yasinywe n’abaturage bose. Nyamara birazwi neza ko ari abantu bakeya basinya mu mazina ya rubanda barangiza bagashyiraho nimero y’amarangamuntu ngo kugira ngo ikinyoma gifate.

Abaturage bakomeje guhangayikishwa n’ibyo babona byitirirwa mu izina ryabo, umujinya urushaho kubasya iyo bumvise ko Kagame ashaka kongera gutegeka, kandi ni mu gihe bafite impamvu ifatika yo kurakara:

babonye Kagame n’ingabo ze bamara abantu,
bagendana amasasu mu mubiri n’ibikomere by’ingoyi ku maboko,
babonye amasambu yabo afatirwa atezwa cyamunara kandi nta cyaha bakoze,
babonye bahatirwa kwishyura imitungo itarigeze ibaho cyangwa bakoherezwa mu mirimo y’uburetwa,
babonye ababyeyi babo bafungirwa ubusa bahinduka inzererezi bava mu ishuri
babonye imirambo y’abana n’ababyeyi babo itabururwa ijya kwanikwa ku gasozi kandi nyama umubyeyi wa Kagame we yarashinguwe mu butaka,
bambuwe uburenganzira ku mfashanyo za bourse,
n’ibindi byinshi cyane.

Gusa rero iyo Kagame abonye bicecekeye agira ngo ni ibicucu! Niyo mpamvu bakomeje kwitegura kuko uwo ari we wese uzibeshya agakora ku itegekonshinga azaba yisinyiye. Azaba avugije ifirimbi ya revolisiyo izamuhitana, kandi ntakagire ngo ntiyabibwiwe.