Rights Groups Urge Un To Place Sanctions On Burundi Officials

International and Burundian rights groups yesterday called on the United Nations (UN) Security Council to impose "targeted sanctions" on Burundian officials responsible for what it said were "ongoing serious human rights violations".

The call was made in a letter signed by 19 different organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders.

They suggested that such measures should include travel bans and asset freezes and would send a clear message to "Burundian leaders who have faced little consequence for continuing to perpetrate gross abuses against their own people".

In the letter, it was said that while some prisoners had been released by the authorities, a policy of repression against suspected political opponents, independent civil society, and media was continuing. It also noted that the UN was being prevented from properly documenting rights violations.

The organisations said that police and members of the ruling party's youth wing were committing offences without repercussion. Murder, torture and rape were among the human rights abuses they said were being committed by the youth wing, especially upon Burundians fleeing the country to Tanzanian refugee camps.

Attention was also drawn to a new law enacted on January 23 that restricts freedom of expression, association, and assembly and allows for stricter government control over international non-governmental organizations. It also noted the way in which UN staff had had difficulty obtaining visas and operating in the country. - Town