Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bujumbura (Agenzia Fides) - "We await the arrival of the African Union delegation (AU) which should meet President Pierre Nkurunziza to try to convince him to accept the peacekeeping mission that the AU intends to send to Burundi", say local sources in Bujumbura, capital of Burundi to Agenzia Fides. "Unfortunately we do not nourish many hopes on the success of the AU" adds our source.
The delegation is composed of the Heads of State and Government of 5 African States. Presidents Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, Ali Bongo of Gabon, Macky Sall of Senegal, Jacob Zuma of South Africa, and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn. According to our sources, the African delegation could arrive in Burundi in the next two days.
In the meantime, the violence linked to the political crisis caused by the third presidential mandate of Nkurunziza continues. "Every night shooting can be heard and the next morning there are bodies of people killed during the night", report Fides sources. In addition to violence and disappearances, by the security forces and militias linked to power, there are also attacks by armed opposition groups, who have claimed some of these actions against the military and police, but not against civilians. Government and armed opposition accuse each other for the death of innocent civilians. Since April 2015 (when Nkurunziza announced to run for a third term) to date, more than 400 Burundians have been killed and at least 230,000 have sought refuge in neighboring Countries. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 09/02/2016)
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