HRW urges the UN to continue watching Burundi

Human Rights Watch has called on the UN Security Council to continue watching the security situation in Burundi.

The call comes just days after the council called for the termination of regular assessment reports on Burundi, citing the “improved security situation” under new President General Evariste Ndayishimiye.

The move follows attempts by “Burundi and its allies on the Council… to quash much-needed scrutiny of the situation in the country”, according to Louis Charbonneau, HRW director at the UN.

“In practice, the Security Council’s limited monitoring of Burundi is likely to continue as before, but for many Burundians, the symbolic message this sends at a critical juncture for the country is worrisome,” he said.

“Reversing Burundi’s descent into lawlessness will require systemic reform and strong political will,” he added.

The UN security briefing resolution on Burundi was adopted in 2016 following the worsening security and human rights situation after the failed coup attempt the year before and a controversial third-term bid by the late President Pierre Nkurunziza, which led to mass protests and violent crackdown by security services.

Since then every three months, the UN secretary general would give an update on Burundi to the Security Council.

In its latest report, HRW says killings, disappearances and arbitrary arrests still happen in Burundi, though there were hopes for change when the new president came to power in June.

The Burundi government is yet to make a public comment on the report, but it has previously said such allegations are baseless and politically motivated.