Brussels, 11/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on Wednesday 10 June, MEPs did not have words strong enough for lambasting the massive violations of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democratic principles that have created chaos in Burundi since the country's President Pierre Nkurunziza has started running for a third term in office - in disregard for the constitution.
During the European Parliament debate, real concerns were expressed in the face of the risk of civil war in Burundi and destabilisation of the whole Great Lakes region. MEPs hailed the EU's mobilisation of €1.5 million in humanitarian aid for the nearly 100,000 refugees. They called on the EU to support the people of Burundi more in its legitimate democratic aspirations, and to redeploy its election observation mission - which has currently been suspended - if the conditions are met. MEPs also called on the EU to be extremely firm with regard to Nkurunziza's autocratic tendencies (who is aided by his militia), and to brandish the threat of sanctions.
This is, moreover, what European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Tibor Navracsics wanted - who was speaking on behalf of High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. “We reiterate that the Cotonou agreement [linking the EU to the 79 ACP states] makes the respect of human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law essential. We will work with the partners of the region to settle this crisis. The EU must plan for other measures, including those concerning cooperation with Burundi”, Navracsics said.
He reiterated the call made by Mogherini - after the emergency summit of the East African Community (21 May) - for cooperation with Saïd Djinnit, the UN special envoy, in order to facilitate the political dialogue (see EUROPE 11330). The Burundian government itself must take concrete measures to re-establish trust and build consensus for credible elections - an essential condition for the EU to redeploy its election observation mission. This was the request of David Martin (S&D, UK), who led this mission for five days.
“The summit of East African states did indeed recommend the postponement of the elections, but it did not say anything about the candidature of President Pierre Nkurunziza for a third term”, said Joachim Zeller (EPP, Germany), who fears danger for the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2016 and in Rwanda in 2017.
Louis Michel (ALDE, Belgium) was outraged that “we are re-awakening the ethnic fibre” (Tutsis/Hutus) 21 years after the Rwandan genocide. “In my opinion, Pierre Nkurunziza is disqualified. The EU must state that the government will not be recognised. We should threaten to close the foreign bank accounts of those people responsible for the crackdown against protesters, and we should make explicit threats of judicial proceedings”, he said. (Aminata Niang)