AFRICA/BURUNDI – Shooting in Bujumbura while protesters make their way to the center of the capital

Monday, 4 May 2015

Bujumbura (Agenzia Fides) - In most of the districts of Bujumbura police is firing into the air to quell the demonstrations which have continued for days against the candidature of outgoing President Pierre Nkurunziza, in the June elections, in violation of the Constitution which provides only two presidential terms (see Fides 27/04/2015). This was reported to Agenzia Fides by local Burundian sources, which for safety reasons cannot be mentioned.
"The situation is plummeting, protesters are converging towards the center of Bujumbura. We saw three cars of the security set on fire", say Fides sources.
"Since May 1 demonstrations have spread within the Country, where in some places the police fired to disperse the crowd" continue our sources. "The situation is getting worse also because the clash between the Presidency and the military seems increasingly obvious, after the Minister of Defence said that the army supports the Arusha Accords and the Constitution. Even the Chief of Staff made a similar statement".
The Arusha Accords, which put an end to more than a decade of civil war, are the foundation of the current Constitution, which the outgoing President wants to change in order to get a third term.
"Tension between the police and army has increased after a policeman opened fire on a military killing him. On the evening of May 1, in a district in the south of Bujumbura, someone, no one knows who, launched grenades against a group of policemen. More than 10 policemen were injured and two died", say our sources.
Meanwhile the presence of militias linked to the ruling party act to dismantle the barricades erected by protesters to protect the different districts of Bujumbura by the police. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 04/05/2015)


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