At least 22 “wrongdoers” have been killed by the Burundi government during a violent clash between security forces and an armed group on the outskirts of the country’s capital, Bujumbura. The ordeal also resulted in the death of two police officers. These killings and others alleged but not yet confirmed, continue a reign of terror in the country, as residents prepare for the general polls scheduled to take place in May.
Police spokesman, Pierre Nkurikiye, made this known late Tuesday on the state broadcaster, RTNB, where he explained that residents had notified the police of the presence of about a dozen gunmen hiding in coffee plantations in the Nyabiraba district. He accused the culprits of attempting to take advantage of the electoral period on the assumption that people were “distracted.” He also announced that while two police force officers had been gunned down, six attackers had been captured, as he called on the population to “remain calm because security officers are ensuring its security.”
Targeting Burundi Opposition Members
While authorities are yet to establish a direct link between the attack and the upcoming elections, members of the main opposition party, National Council for Liberty (CNL), have stated that the current wave of arrests and violence have been party-centric, with their party facing most of the heat ahead of the May 20th polls. They believe this is because the CNL leader, Agathon Rwasa, is considered the main challenger to the ruling CNDD-FDD’s Evariste Ndayishimiye in the presidential race.
On Saturday, the Party spokesman, Therence Manirambona, accused the ruling party of creating a tense political environment using ‘harassment’ tactics. In his statement, he revealed that the appearance of the armed group had led to the unwarranted arrest of 23 of its local leaders last week.
Several anonymous sources recorded by The Associated Press and cited by Aljazeera, also revealed that at least 12 people were executed on Sunday in Nyabiraba, after being arrested by the police and the ruling party’s youth group, the Imbonerakure.
These allegations are also supported by a report published last month by the Burundi Human Rights Initiative, which said CNL supporters had been beaten to death by members of the ruling party’s youth wing, the Imbonerakure, and buried in secret cemeteries.
“Serious human rights violations continued in 2019, but were often hidden and quickly covered up, making it difficult to establish the circumstances in which they took place,” the report said.
