Pretoria - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the killing of a Burundian politician and his bodyguard in a move that threatens to further destabilise the country amid political tensions and a growing humanitarian crisis.
Zedi Feruzi, leader of the opposition Union pour la paix et le développement (UPD) Zigamibanga party in Burundi, and his bodyguard, were reportedly shot dead in the country capital of Bukumbura on Saturday evening. Feruzi was one of the protest organisers.
The killing comes just one day after a fatal grenade attack on Bujumbura's central market that left two dead and many others wounded.
In a statement, Ban Ki-moon urged the Burundian authorities to swiftly bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice as the incidents “threaten to entrench mistrust and trigger further violence.
“These acts of violence constitute a stark reminder of the need for all Burundian political leaders to address the current political crisis with the highest sense of responsibility and to place peace and national reconciliation above partisan interests”.
The Secretary-General reiterated his calls for calm and restraint.
He called on the Burundian authorities to uphold the human rights of all Burundians, including the freedoms of assembly, association and expression, and to take concrete steps to prevent political killings and violence.
Burundi has been in turmoil since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced on April 25 that he will run for a third term, which is in defiance of the country's constitution that limits the president to two terms in office. He also rejected calls to delay the elections set for June.
Against this backdrop, the political tensions in Burundi have also contributed to a mounting humanitarian crisis as thousands of Burundian refugees continue to seek safety in neighbouring countries.
Since early April, nearly 100 000 Burundians have fled across the borders to Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
With the situation in Burundi remaining tense and with continued violence reported, aid agencies fear that the number of refugees may double over the next six months. – SAnews.gov.za
