Imbonerakure students accused of conducting night patrols on Mutanga campus

At Mutanga Campus of Burundi University, students say they are seriously beaten by imbonerakure students when they go back to the campus late in the night. The campus security officer denies the students’ claim and appeals to them to conform to the university regulations.

Célestin Nibona-Bonasize “Internal students have to conform to the University’s regulations”

The students accuse some imbonerakure students (students affiliated to the ruling party) of carrying out night patrols. “They are in groups of 15 to 30 students. They walk together during night. When they meet somebody who enters the campus late, they beat them savagely. Last week, they obliged a student to walk on knees after hitting him” said a young student met on the campus.

They deplore the fact that the imbonerakure students play the role of security agents while the university has its own security forces. They demand the security corps to take the issue seriously. “I think the guys have been hired. Nobody can accept to conduct night patrols without being paid. Furthermore, not all imbonerakure students are doing the job. We demand the authority to shed some light on this issue. People are beaten and no reaction from security authorities”, said another student on condition of anonymity.

Célestin Nibona –Bonasize, in charge of security at university campuses, says there are no students who carry out night patrols. “There are no Imbonerakure students who go on night patrols. The University has sufficient watchmen and police agents. Students are here to study not to work”

He appeals to students who live on campus to comply with the regulations that govern the university so that they can avoid any incident. “Students have to respect regulations of the institution according to which they have to be inside the campus before 3pm. They have to pass through the known entrance. There are only two known entrances. They have to collaborate because this is done for their own advantages”.

Students have expressed their worries after an incident that happened on Monday where two students were beaten while entering the campus late in the night.