Security Council Press Statement on Burundi

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Ramlan Bin Ibrahim (Malaysia):

The members of the Security Council heard from the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Saïd Djinnit, and the Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, on the situation in Burundi.

The members of the Security Council welcomed Mr. Dieng’s engagement in Burundi and expressed their appreciation for his visit in Burundi on 30 and 31 May 2015.  The members of the Security Council reiterated their concern with the violent acts perpetrated in Burundi and the impact of the crisis on the region.  They called on all Burundian stakeholders to demonstrate their sense of responsibility, to exercise restraint, not to resort to violence or retaliatory attacks, to settle disputes peacefully and to prioritize Burundi’s peace and stability above all else and in the best interests of the nation.

The members of the Security Council took note of the recommendations issued after the Summit in Dar-es-Salaam on 31 May 2015 of the East African Community (EAC), calling for the postponement of the elections for a period not less than one and a half months, and welcomed the commitment of the Government of Burundi to implement it.  The members of the Security Council also welcomed the EAC Summit’s call for urgent disarmament of all armed youth groups allied to political parties and creation of conducive conditions for the return of refugees to Burundi.

The members of the Security Council encouraged EAC and other international partners to continue to engage directly with the Burundian parties to ensure the full and effective implementation of the conditions set out by EAC.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support to the facilitation team, in particular to the East African Community and the African Union, and to the dialogue led by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Said Djinnit.  They expressed their support for the Special Envoy to assist in monitoring the implementation of the conditions set out by EAC for the holding of elections.  They expressed their support for the proposal to deploy African Union human rights observers in Burundi.

The members of the Security Council called for the resumption of the political dialogue between the Burundian parties and called on them to pursue it in order to create, in the spirit of the Arusha Agreements, an environment conducive for peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in Burundi.  They called on the electoral Mission of the United Nations in Burundi (MENUB) to pursue the implementation of its mandate in this regard.

The members of the Security Council called on all Burundian parties to reach agreement on: a new electoral calendar; reinstatement of private media; protection of civil and human rights, including freedom of peaceful assembly, including for members of the political opposition to campaign freely; release of detainees; holding accountable of those who have used violence; respect for the rule of law; and urgent disarmament of all armed youth groups allied to political parties, as reflected in the conditions of the EAC communiqué of 31 May 2015, to be met prior to the holding of elections.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their intent to respond to violent acts which threaten peace and security in Burundi.