Burundi MPs debate proposed AU peacekeeping force
What you need to know:
Lawmakers complained of Western “interference” and biased media coverage of Burundi’s crisis, and rejected talk of a looming genocide as “rumours” with “no basis”.
The 54-member African Union said Friday it would send a 5,000-strong force to halt violence that has sparked fears Burundi is sliding back towards civil war.
The new AU force, dubbed MAPROBU — the French acronym for the African Prevention and Protection Mission in Burundi — will have an initial renewable mandate of six months.
Burundi’s parliament criticised on Monday a proposed African Union peacekeeping mission already dismissed by the government as an “invasion force”.
Lawmakers rejected the planned force, which was proposed by the African Union last week amid growing international alarm over spiralling violence in the tiny central African nation.
“Burundi is at peace,” said Pascal Nyabenda, chairman of the National Assembly and the ruling CNDD-FDD party whose supporters dominate parliament.
“There are troubles in just a few areas of Bujumbura,” the capital, Nyabenda said, adding that AU troops were not needed.
LOOMING GENOCIDE
Other lawmakers complained of Western “interference” and biased media coverage of Burundi’s crisis, and rejected talk of a looming genocide as “rumours” with “no basis”.
The new AU force, dubbed MAPROBU — the French acronym for the African Prevention and Protection Mission in Burundi — will have an initial renewable mandate of six months.
The 54-member African Union said Friday it would send a 5,000-strong force to halt violence that has sparked fears Burundi is sliding back towards civil war.
It gave the government a four-day deadline to agree to the offer, but warned it would send troops anyway.
“Burundi is clear on the matter: it is not ready to accept an AU force on its territory,” Burundi’s deputy presidential spokesman Jean-Claude Karerwa said Sunday. “If AU troops came without the government’s approval, it would be an invasion and occupation force, and the Burundi government would reserve the right to act accordingly.”
“On ‘MAPROBU’, the people of Burundi shall have a final say,” Foreign Minister Alain-Aime Nyamitwe said before Monday’s parliamentary session, adding that the government had “full confidence” in the security forces to do their job. Burundi descended into bloodshed in April when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his intention to run for a controversial third term, which he went on to win in July.
Months of street protests in Burundi have devolved into regular armed attacks with gunfire disrupting the nights and dead bodies appearing on city streets almost every day.
On May 13-14, soldiers staged a failed coup bid. Bujumbura accuses neighbouring Rwanda of training and backing rebels, claims denied by Kigali.
