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By Matthew Russell Lee, Photo, Video, CJR

UNITED NATIONS GATE, March 19 – Burundi's Pierre Nkununziza government wanted all human rights presence out. Typically, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said nothing meaningful. Then it happened, on February 28, and from Guterres, nothing. Typical. On 6 December 2018, the day after Guterres like any dictator moved from his Mercedes with guards to a fancy dinner refusing a Press questions about corruption in his organization, Inner City Press asked Guterres and his spokesmen: "December 6-1: On Burundi, on which you have been refusing to respond to Inner City Press' written questions, please immediately confirm or deny that Burundi has asked the UN system to decrease its human rights presence and state the SG's view and response. Also, what is the UN's comment on the reporting about the Nkurunziza government's “torture house”?" Still, no answer at all, despite USG Alison Smale's promises such questions would be answered. Now on March 19 from Code Blue, this: "Since 2015, President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi has ordered his defense forces to attack anyone deemed to oppose his regime, an onslaught that has generated international condemnation.  During the same period, the United Nations has paid the Nkurunziza regime large sums of money for the services of those same Burundian defense forces, who don blue helmets and patrol crisis zones as UN peacekeepers.  There are currently 767 Burundian peacekeepers serving with the United Nations. A total of 751 of those 767 peacekeepers are in MINUSCA, the UN’s mission in the Central African Republic, which has been rocked by numerous sexual exploitation and abuse scandals.  The UN continues to deploy Nkurunziza’s forces despite an explicit statement from the United Nations Independent Investigation on Burundi (UNIIB) that Burundian soldiers are not fit to be peacekeepers.  "The United Nations and the African Union should phase out the use of Burundian troops in Peacekeeping operations while the crisis continues," the UNIIB said in a report from September 2016.  Burundian peacekeepers serving in UN peacekeeping missions have been accused of committing sexual abuse against those they are pledged to protect: A total of 43 Burundian peacekeepers have been accused since 2015 of committing child rape, sexual activity with a minor, sexual assault of an adult, or rape of an adult, according to the UN's Conduct and Discipline database. None of the 43 has been punished. The alleged victims include 50 children, 25 adults, and five individuals of unknown age.   As of July 2018, the UN pays USD 1,428 per month for each soldier provided by a troop-contributing country to a peacekeeping mission, a rate set by the UN General Assembly. The UN delivers the money not to the soldier but to the troop-contributing country.  The UN, then, pays Burundi $1,095,276 a month for its 767 peacekeepers, which amounts to $13,143,312 a year.  The money is a significant contribution to the coffers of the East African nation. Burundi’s military budget was $56.3 million in 2017.  UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly claimed that the UN is vetting troops to weed out individuals with criminal records of sexual offenses. But what about an entire military with a criminal history of sexual offenses, with a record of rape-as-policy?" As in Cameroon, some say, Big Tony likes to watch. Only through regional media we learned that Guterres' part time Burundi envoy Michel Kafando used public funds to visit Uganda's Museveni on January 31 and, according to the story, praise him for his tireless efforts on Burundi? Really? How? On February 19 at a UNSC press encounter Inner City Press was banned from for the 230th day in a row by Guterres, South Africa's Permanent Representative told those present that the UN and the African Union should "help Burundi to move on," and said the East African Community and the AU are capable of managing the situation. No one there asked him any follow up questions. Then Kafando said "Je me suis ensuite rendu le 31 Janvier 2019 a Kampala pour une visite de travail avec le President Museveni, Mediateur du Dialogue inter-burundais. Cette rencontre m'a permis de reiterer au President Museveni, le soutien du Secrtaire general." This as Museveni's foreign minister Sam Kutesa took $500,000 from UN briber CEFC China Energy, to which Guterres himself is connected, and roughs up and bans the Press which asks. This is thuggery. And UN  Spokesman Stephane Duajrric said on camera he would be answering questions, here. Now this, from Burundi: "President Pierre Nkurunziza says he has given wealth to Burundians since 2002, he wants to be thanked. Thus, offerings in money, livestock or food products are collected throughout the provinces and have been used for some time. A crusade of prayer and collection of offerings was organized from 24 to 27 January 2019 in Gitega province where President Pierre Nkurunziza was in person. On the basis of the verses of the Old Testament, he compared to Moise and asked the Burundians to offer him offerings. "God said to Moses today in Nkurunziza because two lightnings do not share the sky- give him offerings ... ", said Pierre Nkurunziza in front of a parterre composed of all the high personalities of his diet. At least 1.8 billion Burundian francs were collected during this crusade. In Gitega province, the young Imbonerakure have traveled the town of Gitega from 21 January 2019 to raise money and food. From boutiques to boutiques, from shops to stores, from pharmacies in pharmacies, kiosks in kiosks, ... they required between 2000 and 5000 FBU in failing which they closed the doors. The food traders gave the food. On January 22, 2019, it was the turn of households and services. Every household had to give 2000FBU, and to the service, each employee had to give 2000FBU to his department head responsible for collecting this money. The person who paid this contribution was mentioned on a listing. The one who gave nothing received a very severe warning. This was done in all municipalities of Gitega province. In Rumonge province, the provincial secretary of the ruling party, Diomede Niyonsaba sent invitations to all heads of public and private services, organizations 21 non-governmental organizations and association leaders working in the province for their ask to participate in this presidential crusade, and especially to contribute to its success. According to one of the officials who received this invitation, "it's amazing to be invited and forced to contribute in activities of a political party of which one is not a member." Sounds like Guterres and his UN press corpse.  Nor will Spokesman Stephane Dujarric answer on Guterres obvously incomplete Public Financial Disclosure, here.

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