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Burundi's Ombudsman urges respect of laws amid protests against president's third term

Xinhua, May 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Burundian Ombudsman Mohamed Rukara Monday urged political actors to respect the National Constitution and the 2000 Arusha Agreement amid protests against Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza's third term, the Ombudsman told a press conference.

"I call on sociopolitical actors to respect the National Constitution and the 2000 Arusha Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Burundi. I also urge the people of Burundi to respect the Unity Charter and live in harmony despite their political and ethnic differences," said Burundian Ombudsman Mohamed Rukara.

He also urged security and defense to be always "neutral" and protect people in accordance with the National Constitution.

According to him, it is "their right" to hold protests, but he urged them to abide by the law on public meetings and demonstrations and to avoid violence during the protests.

Rukara's statement happened while protests on Monday entered their second week in various neighborhoods in the Burundian capital Bujumbura.

Earlier, Burundian Defense Minister Major General Pontien Gaciyubwenge also urged Burundian political actors to "respect" the National Constitution and the 2000 Arusha Agreement.

Convened by the opposition and some civil society organizations, the protests are aimed to force Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza to avoid running for third term in the upcoming presidential election.

On Monday alone, three protesters were killed during the clashes that opposed them to police agents that used tear gas and live ammunition.

Since April 26 when the protests broke out, the official death toll has risen to nine.

Pierre Nkurunziza was, on April 25, elected by his party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), in an extraordinary congress, to represent the party in the upcoming presidential election.

Earlier, the opposition and the civil society had called for mass protests if the country's ruling party nominates Nkurunziza to run a third term which, they say, would be a violation of the country's constitution and the Arusha Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Burundi.

The constitution and the Arusha Agreement stipulate that a president of Burundi cannot serve the country for more than two terms.

Nkurunziza was elected by parliament in 2005 and directly re- elected by citizens in 2010.

Burundi is this year to hold general elections between May 26 and August 24, with the presidential election to be held on June 26. Endi