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HRW urges investigation into Burundi deadly violence

Sunday, 13 December 2015 6:52 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 13 December 2015 6:53 PM ]

A military vehicle, carrying men tied up, drives through the Musaga neighborhood of the city of Bujumbura on December 11, 2015. (AFP photo)

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for an investigation into the fresh outbreak of violence in Burundi that led to the death of 87 people.

The international rights body’s researcher for Burundi, Carina Tertsakian, said in a statement on Sunday that a “serious, independent investigation is urgently needed to find out the exact circumstances in which these people were killed."

"This is by far the most serious incident, with the highest number of victims, since the start of the crisis in April," Tertsakian added.

She also noted that due to “politicization and corruption in the Burundian justice system, outside experts should be brought in to assist.”

Burundi’s army said 87 people were killed after three military installations in the capital Bujumbura were attacked on Friday. The violence began after unknown gunmen attacked the military sites, drawing a response from the security forces.

Army spokesman Colonel Gaspard Baratuza said 79 of those killed were “enemies” of the state.

Suspected fighters are paraded before the media by Burundian police near a recovered cache of weapons after clashes in the capital Bujumbura, Burundi on December 12, 2015. (Reuters photo)

Local residents said security forces went to opposition areas in the capital and dragged people out and killed them.

HRW said the attack on the military installations was a serious issue and the government was responsible for restoring law and order to the country, but the dead bodies should not have been removed before investigations were carried out.

“Going out and shooting people in residential neighborhoods appears entirely unjustified, and the members of the security forces responsible should be held to account," the rights organization added.

The latest attacks are the first on military targets since unrest broke out in April over President Pierre Nkurunziza’s third-term bid.

Nkurunziza won the controversial election in July. His third term has widely been censured as unconstitutional by the country’s opposition.

The opposition says the move runs counter to the constitution, which only allows two successive terms, as well as the 2,000 Arusha Agreement that paved the way for ending the civil war in the country.

At least 240 people have been killed in Burundi and tens of thousands have fled to neighboring states in the violence.

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