On
Burundi, UNSC
Speaks But Not
On 3d Term,
"Intent to Respond"
- How?
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, June
4 -- Nineteen
days after the
UN Security
Council, the United States
and the UN
Peacebuilding
Configuration
on Burundi on
May 15 issued
statements
urging calm in
the country
given the
return of
Pierre
Nkurunziza to
presumably run
for a third
term, on May
29 Inner City
Press asked UN
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
UN
Peacekeeping
under Herve
Ladsous
accepting an
allegedly
abusive
Burundian
police officer
Godefroid
Bizmama into
his MINUSMA
mission in
Mali. Video
here, and
embedded
below.
On June 4,
with the UN
still
insisting
Bizimana
doesn't work
with them --
yet -- the UN
Security
Council issued
this Press
Statement:
"The
members of the
Security
Council heard
the Special
Envoy of the
Secretary-General
for the Great
Lakes Region,
Mr Saïd
Djinnit, and
the Special
Advisor for
the Prevention
of Genocide on
the situation
in Burundi,
Mr. Adama
Dieng.
The members of
the Security
Council
welcomed Mr.
Dieng’s
engagement in
Burundi and
expressed
their
appreciation
for his visit
in Burundi on
30 and 31 May
2015.
The members of
the Security
Council
reiterated
their concern
with the
violent acts
perpetrated in
Burundi and
the impact of
the crisis on
the region.
They called on
all Burundian
stakeholders
to demonstrate
their sense of
responsibility,
to exercise
restraint, not
to resort to
violence or
retaliatory
attacks, to
settle
disputes
peacefully and
to prioritize
Burundi’s
peace and
stability
above all else
and in the
best interests
of the nation.
The members of
the Security
Council took
note of the
recommendations
issued after
the Summit in
Dar-Es-Salaam
on 31 May 2015
of the East
African
Community
(EAC), calling
for the
postponement
of the
elections for
a period not
less than one
and a half
month and
welcomed the
commitment of
the Government
of Burundi to
implement it.
The members of
the Security
Council also
welcomed the
EAC Summit’s
call for
urgent
disarmament of
all armed
youth groups
allied to
political
parties and
creation of
conducive
conditions for
the return of
refugees to
Burundi.
The members of
the Security
Council
encouraged the
EAC and other
international
partners to
continue to
engage
directly with
the Burundian
parties to
ensure the
full and
effective
implementation
of the
conditions set
out by the
EAC.
The members of
the Security
Council
reiterated
their full
support to the
facilitation
team, in
particular to
the East
African
Community and
the African
Union, and to
the dialogue
led by the
Special Envoy
of the
Secretary-General
for the Great
Lakes Region,
Said Djinnit.
They expressed
their support
for the
Special Envoy
to assist in
monitoring the
implementation
of the
conditions set
out by the EAC
for the
holding of
elections.
They expressed
their support
for the
proposal to
deploy African
Union human
rights
observers in
Burundi.
The members of
the Security
Council called
for the
resumption of
the political
dialogue
between the
Burundian
parties and
call them to
pursue it in
order to
create, in the
spirit of the
Arusha
Agreements, an
environment
conducive for
peaceful,
credible and
inclusive
elections in
Burundi. They
called on the
electoral
Mission of the
United Nations
in Burundi
(MENUB) to
pursue the
implementation
of its mandate
in this
regard.
The members of
the Security
Council called
on all
Burundian
parties to
reach
agreement on a
new electoral
calendar;
reinstatement
of private
media;
protection of
civil and
human rights,
including
freedom of
peaceful
assembly,
including for
members of the
political
opposition to
campaign
freely;
release of
detainees;
holding
accountable of
those who have
used violence;
respect of the
rule of law;
and urgent
disarmament of
all armed
youth groups
allied to
political
parties, as
reflected in
the conditions
of the EAC
communiqué of
31 May 2015,
to be met
prior to the
holding of
elections.
The members of
the Security
Council
reiterated
their intent
to respond to
violent acts
which threaten
peace and
security in
Burundi."
On June 1,
having no
response from
the UN, Inner
City Press
asked
Dujarric's
deputy Farhan
Haq again. He
said that UN
Peacekeeping,
run by Herve
Ladsous, said
there is no
officer
Godefroid
Bizimana with
the UN.
But is he on
his way? Inner
City Press has
seen and
Tweeted the
Burundi
government
letter
referring him
for a D-1 post
in Ladsous'
mission in
Mali, MINUSMA.
Where is the
"due
diligence,"
which is cited
by Ladsous to
NOT fight the
FDLR militia
in Rwanda?
On June 3,
Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric
again. Video
here. This
time, Dujarric
said anyone
can apply
through the
UN's Inspira
system. But
this is a
letter from
the government
of Burundi.
Dujarric
insisted, lets
just see who
gets the job.
So much for
due diligence?
Nor
was an Inner
City Press
question to
the UN about
the impact
of the
situation in
Burundi on its
troops in
Somalia
answered. We
will continue
to ask.
, 
