Burundi parliament reacts to APF statement on Burundi current situation

Jocky Chantal Nkurunziza, Second Deputy Head of Burundi Parliament has issued a statement this Monday 27 February 2017 to react to the declaration of the’ Francophonie’ Parliament (AFP) made on 4 February 2017 on the current situation in Burundi.

Jocky Chantal Nkurunziza, Second Deputy Head of Burundi Parliament “Peace prevails in Burundi.”

APF said it is worried about figures spread by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in June 2016, reporting 348 cases of extrajudicial killings and 651cases of torture between April 2015 and April 2016 in Burundi.

APF also said it is concerned about arbitrary arrests and detention of people, cases of torture, inhuman treatment or punishment, as well as the disappearances of some people and sexual violence, presented by the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, on human rights situation in Burundi.

It said it is alarmed by the evidences of the independent experts on serious violations of human rights committed by Burundi Government and its accomplices.

It is disappointed about the will of the Burundi authorities to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.

Jocky Chantal Nkurunziza, Second Deputy Head of Burundi parliament said peace prevails in Burundi. “Different delegations that visited Burundi were satisfied with the security situation”, said Jocky Nkurunziza.

Nkurunziza gave the example of the African Union delegation: “At the end of their mission, they declared that political and security situation in Burundi has improved”.

Burundi Parliament reminds that the inter-Burundian dialogue which is based on the respect of the Burundi Constitution and Arusha Agreement, aims to restore peace and reconciliation.

Burundi Parliament invites APF to realize that even some political leaders who were in exile already returned home: “Four politicians are back to the country such as Senator Sylvestre Ntibantunganya, the former second Deputy-President Alice Nzomukunda, former MP Mathias Basabose and the former Chairman of ALIDE party Joseph Ntidendereza”.

Burundi parliament said out of 265,000 Burundians who had fled, 100,000 people were already back up to 31 December 2016.However, UNHCR figures show that 386,000 Burundians fled since April 2015 up to 7 February 2017.