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  • Burundi's Shingiro's Prepared Remarks To UNSC, March 9, 2017

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    Burundi Tells UNSC No Journalists in Jail, OHCHR Silent on UN Drone Training By Matthew Russell Lee UNITED NATIONS, March 7 -- The UN's dysfunction on Burundi has reached the point where its spokesman can refuses to answer three Press questions in a row about the country, then run off the podium, saying "I'm lazy." Video here. Also lazy - or retaliatory - is the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, whose spokesperson Rupert Colville has for 36 hours neglected to answer, on Burundi, these Press questions: "What is the view of High Commissioner for Human Rights on UN Peacekeeping reportedly providing training in drones to the Burundian contingent in the Central African Republic, given the Burundian security forces' human rights record at home? I have asked the UN Spokesperson about this three tims, without substantive response. More generally, how did the Burundian contingent pass human rights screening and get (re) deployed in CAR?" Now, playing off that laziness, Burundi's Ambassador to the UN Albert Shingiro has filed a six-page response with UN Security Council president Matthew Rycroft, purporting to rebut Antonio Guterres' or his Special Adviser's report. Inner City Press has tweeted photos of each of the pages, here and here. It says, for example, "there is not journalists in jail in Burundi" [sic]. The Security Council is set to meet about Burundi, but only behind closed doors for now, on March 9. Watch this site. On March 3, Inner City Press asked the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you a couple questions about Burundi. One is just there… there was a letter sent in by Ambassador Shingiro dated 21 February, but it's only become public recently, saying that three politician… opposition politicians that had fled the country have returned and this is a good sign and should… should be circulated. People there are saying that these people didn't flee under threat of a… of arrest at all. It's kind of a misleading presentation. Have you seen this? Is…? Spokesman: If it's been circulated, I have no… I have no way of verifying what the ambassador said. Question: Sure. There's also a… because of the UN's historical, I guess, work on the FDLR issue, an FDLR member Habi… [inaudible] has re… has surfaced in Rwanda, and it's said that he was… had been in training the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD. And I wanted to know, which… in… both just in terms of the Sanctions Committee, who tracks this in terms of the FDLR, I guess, is looked at by the [Democratic Republic of the Congo] Sanctions Committee, but if, in fact, this group is in Burundi, does this fall within the mandate of…? Spokesman: That's a question for the Security Council, how they organize and how they follow their own sanctions. Question: And the other question… this is going to be now the third and, I'm hoping, last time that I'm asking you this, because I think it is in your mandate. DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations]. Can you state why DPKO is — and, you know, you… it's been like about 10 days — training the Burundian contingent in CAR [Central African Republic] in the use of drones given what the Human Rights Council and others have said about the Burundian forces, how they operate in Burundi itself? Spokesman: If I can get some confirmation... Question: Have you tried? Have you…? Spokesman: I do actually try. But, If I can get some confirmation, then I will share that with you. Correspondent: They don't confirm that they're training… Spokesman: As I said, if I get some confirmation, I will share it with you. Thank you. New Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a delayed February 23 report says, of Pierre Nkurunziza, "an attempt by the president to seek a fourth term in office under the current circumstances would risk intensifying the crisis and undermining collective efforts to find a sustainable solution." On

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    Burundi Tells UNSC No Journalists in Jail, OHCHR Silent on UN Drone Training By Matthew Russell Lee UNITED NATIONS, March 7 -- The UN's dysfunction on Burundi has reached the point where its spokesman can refuses to answer three Press questions in a row about the country, then run off the podium, saying "I'm lazy." Video here. Also lazy - or retaliatory - is the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, whose spokesperson Rupert Colville has for 36 hours neglected to answer, on Burundi, these Press questions: "What is the view of High Commissioner for Human Rights on UN Peacekeeping reportedly providing training in drones to the Burundian contingent in the Central African Republic, given the Burundian security forces' human rights record at home? I have asked the UN Spokesperson about this three tims, without substantive response. More generally, how did the Burundian contingent pass human rights screening and get (re) deployed in CAR?" Now, playing off that laziness, Burundi's Ambassador to the UN Albert Shingiro has filed a six-page response with UN Security Council president Matthew Rycroft, purporting to rebut Antonio Guterres' or his Special Adviser's report. Inner City Press has tweeted photos of each of the pages, here and here. It says, for example, "there is not journalists in jail in Burundi" [sic]. The Security Council is set to meet about Burundi, but only behind closed doors for now, on March 9. Watch this site. On March 3, Inner City Press asked the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you a couple questions about Burundi. One is just there… there was a letter sent in by Ambassador Shingiro dated 21 February, but it's only become public recently, saying that three politician… opposition politicians that had fled the country have returned and this is a good sign and should… should be circulated. People there are saying that these people didn't flee under threat of a… of arrest at all. It's kind of a misleading presentation. Have you seen this? Is…? Spokesman: If it's been circulated, I have no… I have no way of verifying what the ambassador said. Question: Sure. There's also a… because of the UN's historical, I guess, work on the FDLR issue, an FDLR member Habi… [inaudible] has re… has surfaced in Rwanda, and it's said that he was… had been in training the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD. And I wanted to know, which… in… both just in terms of the Sanctions Committee, who tracks this in terms of the FDLR, I guess, is looked at by the [Democratic Republic of the Congo] Sanctions Committee, but if, in fact, this group is in Burundi, does this fall within the mandate of…? Spokesman: That's a question for the Security Council, how they organize and how they follow their own sanctions. Question: And the other question… this is going to be now the third and, I'm hoping, last time that I'm asking you this, because I think it is in your mandate. DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations]. Can you state why DPKO is — and, you know, you… it's been like about 10 days — training the Burundian contingent in CAR [Central African Republic] in the use of drones given what the Human Rights Council and others have said about the Burundian forces, how they operate in Burundi itself? Spokesman: If I can get some confirmation... Question: Have you tried? Have you…? Spokesman: I do actually try. But, If I can get some confirmation, then I will share that with you. Correspondent: They don't confirm that they're training… Spokesman: As I said, if I get some confirmation, I will share it with you. Thank you. New Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a delayed February 23 report says, of Pierre Nkurunziza, "an attempt by the president to seek a fourth term in office under the current circumstances would risk intensifying the crisis and undermining collective efforts to find a sustainable solution." On

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    Burundi's Shingiro's Prepared Remarks To UNSC, March 9, 2017

    Uploaded by

    Matthew Russell Lee
    Burundi Tells UNSC No Journalists in Jail, OHCHR Silent on UN Drone Training By Matthew Russell Lee UNITED NATIONS, March 7 -- The UN's dysfunction on Burundi has reached the point where its spokesman can refuses to answer three Press questions in a row about the country, then run off the podium, saying "I'm lazy." Video here. Also lazy - or retaliatory - is the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, whose spokesperson Rupert Colville has for 36 hours neglected to answer, on Burundi, these Press questions: "What is the view of High Commissioner for Human Rights on UN Peacekeeping reportedly providing training in drones to the Burundian contingent in the Central African Republic, given the Burundian security forces' human rights record at home? I have asked the UN Spokesperson about this three tims, without substantive response. More generally, how did the Burundian contingent pass human rights screening and get (re) deployed in CAR?" Now, playing off that laziness, Burundi's Ambassador to the UN Albert Shingiro has filed a six-page response with UN Security Council president Matthew Rycroft, purporting to rebut Antonio Guterres' or his Special Adviser's report. Inner City Press has tweeted photos of each of the pages, here and here. It says, for example, "there is not journalists in jail in Burundi" [sic]. The Security Council is set to meet about Burundi, but only behind closed doors for now, on March 9. Watch this site. On March 3, Inner City Press asked the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you a couple questions about Burundi. One is just there… there was a letter sent in by Ambassador Shingiro dated 21 February, but it's only become public recently, saying that three politician… opposition politicians that had fled the country have returned and this is a good sign and should… should be circulated. People there are saying that these people didn't flee under threat of a… of arrest at all. It's kind of a misleading presentation. Have you seen this? Is…? Spokesman: If it's been circulated, I have no… I have no way of verifying what the ambassador said. Question: Sure. There's also a… because of the UN's historical, I guess, work on the FDLR issue, an FDLR member Habi… [inaudible] has re… has surfaced in Rwanda, and it's said that he was… had been in training the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD. And I wanted to know, which… in… both just in terms of the Sanctions Committee, who tracks this in terms of the FDLR, I guess, is looked at by the [Democratic Republic of the Congo] Sanctions Committee, but if, in fact, this group is in Burundi, does this fall within the mandate of…? Spokesman: That's a question for the Security Council, how they organize and how they follow their own sanctions. Question: And the other question… this is going to be now the third and, I'm hoping, last time that I'm asking you this, because I think it is in your mandate. DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations]. Can you state why DPKO is — and, you know, you… it's been like about 10 days — training the Burundian contingent in CAR [Central African Republic] in the use of drones given what the Human Rights Council and others have said about the Burundian forces, how they operate in Burundi itself? Spokesman: If I can get some confirmation... Question: Have you tried? Have you…? Spokesman: I do actually try. But, If I can get some confirmation, then I will share that with you. Correspondent: They don't confirm that they're training… Spokesman: As I said, if I get some confirmation, I will share it with you. Thank you. New Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a delayed February 23 report says, of Pierre Nkurunziza, "an attempt by the president to seek a fourth term in office under the current circumstances would risk intensifying the crisis and undermining collective efforts to find a sustainable solution." On

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    , }, / Permanent Mission of Burundi to the United Nations

    336 East 45th Street, !2th Floor, New York N.Y 10017
    -:, . Tet: +I (2t2) 499-0001 t] +!(212) 499 -0002 i Fax +t (2!2) 499-0006
    E-mail: arnbabunewyork@yahoo.fr
    ,:, ..., Website: http:!/wzw.burundimission.org

    Discours de J'Ambassadeur Nbert SHINGIRO, Reprsentant Permanent du Burundi aupres des


    Nations Unies tots du briefing du conseiJ de Securk sur Ja situation au Burundi, 9 mars 2017 (5
    minutes)

    1) Monsieur e President, comme c'est la premiere fois que je prends ta parole sous votre
    presidence tournante du mois, je souhaite vous exprimer au nom de ma del6gation mes sinceres
    felicitations pour votre accession a la presidence de ce Conseit,

    2) Permettez-moi aussi de remercier le Secretaire gen6ral pour son premier rapport sur la situation
    au Burundi S/2017/165 mme si ma del6gation n'est pas d'accord avec certains faits et omissions
    dudit rapport.

    3) Le rapport evoque entre autre ce qu'il a appele i'intention de I'actuel pr6sident de briguer un soi-
    disant 4e mandat, oubliant par-la que les affaires constitutionnelles relevent exclusivement de la
    souverainete des Etats membres et de leurs peuples eux aussi souverains. Ma d61egation voudrait
    rappeter que I'actuel president exerce son 2me mandat conform6ment a I'arr6t de la Cour
    Constitutionnelle de la Republique du Burundi rendu le 04 mai 2015 et le jugement rendu par la
    Cour de la Communaut6 Est Africaine en date du 19 juillet 2015 confirmant tous ta 16galit6 de la
    candidature du Pr6sident Pierre NKURUNZlZA. Par ailleurs, ma d616gation estime que I'evocation
    du 4eme mandat non annonce du president est un traitement de deux poids deux mesures dont le
    Burundi est victime depuis 2015 car une telle preoccupation n'a jamais ete voque par une autre
    autorite de I'ONU pour des cas 4me, 5rne, 6me voir meme 7me mandat ailleurs dans le monde.

    4) Le rapport fait aussi usage imprudent du mot << milice >> au para.20 pour qualifier la ligue des
    jeunes du parti au pouvoir. Le choix de ce mot est inapproprie car il sort du cadre du langage deja
    agree au Conseil de Securit& De la rsolution 2248 a la resolution 2303 en passant par la
    rsolution 2279, ce prestigieux conseil n'a jamais utilise ce mot Iourd de sens, prefrant chaque
    lois d'utiliser un langage prudent et equilibre << des jeunes affilies aux partis politiques >> sans
    toutefois singulariser une jeunesse choisie sur mesure.

    5) Le rapport parle en outre des cas des disparitions forcees au Burundi. II convient de rappeler ici
    que ce phenomene est une menace globale et aucune nation n'est malheureusement epargnee.
    Le chiffre de plus 200 cas a te sans preuves et enqutes serieuses sur cette allegation en faisant
    fi des cas de jeunes qui ont fui le pays pour subir des entrainement para mititaires darts un pays
    voisin et qui sont intentionnellement dclares port, s disparus. Parmi les quelques 150 jeunes
    remis recemment par la RDC au Gouvernement du Burundi, certains d'entre eux etaient sur ta tiste
    des disparus. Ceci pour dire que la prudence est de mise avant de confirmer une telle allegation.
    6) Je ne souhaite pas entrer dans les details du rapport car te temps qui m'est imparti est trop court.
    Vous avez regu tous une note exhaustive de nos commentaires et observations sur ce rapport. Je
    saute a present sur la situation politique, securitaire et des droits de I'homme au Burundi.

    7) Sur le plan politique, le dialogue inter burundais se poursuit normalement aussi bien a I'interieur
    qu'a I'exterieur. Au niveau exteme, nous saluons te travail remarquabte du Facilitateur du dialogue
    inter burundais de S.E Benjamin William Mkapa qui vient d'organiser du 16 au 19 fvrier ta 4eme
    session de dialogue Arusha, en Republique Unie de Tanzanie. Nous lui renouvelons notre
    confiance et notre soutien. Le Gouvernement du Burundi reste engag6 de bonne foi darts ce
    processus de fa(on inclusive a I'exception des putschistes du t3 mai 2015 aujourd'hui en cavale et
    sous la protection de certains Etats membres de I'ONU.

    8) Sur le plan scudtaire : Tout en reconnaissant quelques defis qui restent a retever, le constat sur
    le terrain est I& et personne ne peut I'occulter. La situation securitaire est globalement bonne sur
    tout le territoire national.

    9) Droits de 'homme : s'agissant de la situation carcerale, plusieurs centaines de prisonniers ont


    et6 lib6r6s depuis 20!5. En 2017, 2500 ont b6n6fici6 de {a gr&ce presidentielle a la fin de I'annee
    2016. Parmi eux 2246 ont d6ja regagn6 leurs families.

    !0) S'agissant de la Iiberte d'expression, 20 radios locales publiques et priv6es, 4 radios


    communautaires, 7 Radio-tel6visions 6mettent sur le territoire du Burundi, 2 agences de presse
    locales, 24 journaux p6riodiques publics et prives, 17 sites intemet, 12 associations et organes
    professionnels de la presse sont operationnels. A ces radios privees s'ajoutent les radios
    internationales autorisees a 6mettre librement au Burundi a savoir ta RFt, la VOA, Deutsche welle,
    etc...

    !1) S'agissant des Iibertes de runion, d'opinion, d'association et de religion, le Gouvernement


    a deja agr66 plus de 6500 associations sans but lucratifs dont plus de 100 associations ont et6
    agr66s depuis le mois de janvier 2016. 15 Associations Sans But Lucratif qui etaient sous
    investigations depuis le coup d'Etat manque du 13 mai 2015 ont 6t6 autoris6es de rouvrir.

    12) En ce concerne la cooperation des Nations Unies, le grand souci du Burundi est de renforcer et
    p6renniser nos relations avec I'ONU. Afin d'assurer la presence de I'ONU en matiere des droits de
    I'homme, le projet d'accord de coop6ration avec le Bureau du Haut-commissariat aux droits de
    I'homme est en discussions entre les deux parties. Le Bureau du Conseiller special du SG est
    aussi fonctionnel, nous attendons la designation d'un autre fonctionnaire de I'ONU qui sera charge
    du Burundi pour accel6rer la signature du cadre de cooperation avec le Bureau.

    Je vous remercie de votre aimable attention !

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