UN Deploys Investigators in Burundi in Response to Human Rights Abuses

The United Nations (UN) has completed its deployment of monitors sent to investigate human rights abuses in Burundi, according to Africa News. Over 450 people have been killed since last year, when President Pierre Nkurunziza won a third term beyond his official mandate. Three people were murdered in the latest string of killings, including a former army colonel.

The United Nations (UN) has completed its deployment of monitors sent to investigate human rights abuses in Burundi, according to Africa News. Over 450 people have been killed since last year, when President Pierre Nkurunziza won a third term beyond his official mandate. Three people were murdered in the latest string of killings, including a former army colonel.

The findings gathered from the investigation team will be used to recommend human rights improvements, but neither side appears willing to tone down the violence. Although former Burundian officials and world leaders have expressed concerns about ethnic warfare, Burundi’s recent violent streak is currently relegated to the realm of politics.

The world community brought all parties to the table for peace talks, but numerous negotiations fell through, and the ensuing struggle has continued for a year with no end in sight. Furthermore, the president has surrounded himself with yes-men and hardline officials responsible for much of the violence against protesters, rendering open dialogue harder to achieve.

Each side blames the other for human rights transgressions, but the government has met the opposition with brutality. To make matters worse, Amnesty International found alleged mass graves via satellite, with rape becoming commonplace in the East African country and 130 political assassinations having taken place since January.

Burundi is an agricultural-centered economy, but political violence prevents economic advancement, and the current government is solely focused on retaining its power instead of boosting living standards. Moreover, many people no longer feel safe in their villages, with hundreds of thousands seeking refuge in neighboring countries, such as Tanzania and Rwanda. The UN is also set to deploy to other nations in the region for further investigation.

Burundi’s conflicts are largely internal, but the president has accused Rwandan President Paul Kagame of funding rebels, a charge that was later verified by the UN Security Council, notes TRT World. Though Rwanda has denied the allegations, reports surfaced claiming that Rwandan leadership aims to depose Nkurunziza’s regime, and experts note that Rwandan soldiers in the Congo are crossing over into Burundi, stroking further unrest.

Rwanda, Congo, and Burundi hold Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups and have suffered through horrific atrocities. Lingering ethnic tension could rear its ugly head amid the political chaos, which is why experts fear that a much greater conflict could turn into a wide-scale war and possibly genocide.

The region is currently plagued with power-grabs, geopolitics, and age-old rivalries, all of which could not only destabilize Burundi, but the region as a whole. Regardless of outside influence, Nkurunziza is using Rwanda as a scapegoat and will continue to justify violence and suppression in the name of security.