EU, U.S. urge postponement of Burundi's elections

The European Union (EU), the Unites States (U.S.) and Switzerland Monday urged Burundi to postpone elections, arguing that the climate is not "conducive" to hold elections as the first polls are due in two weeks.

Diplomats from the EU, the U.S. and Switzerland made a joint appeal in a political dialogue they held in the Burundian capital Bujumbura with the Burundian government on the East African country's situation two weeks to the legislative and communal elections.

"The U.S. and Switzerland have joined us (the EU) and we have urged sliding the electoral timetable because the climate to hold elections in Burundi is not conducive," said European Union (EU) Senior Coordinator for the Great Lakes region Koen Vervaeke after meeting the Burundian government in a political dialogue.

"Conditions for an electoral campaign are not met: media are restricted, social media have been blocked, violence is observed during demonstrations. That is why we encourage the Burundian government to take urgent and appropriate measures that can allow a fair electoral campaign for the organization of peaceful, fair, credible and inclusive elections," said Vervaeke.

The EU, the U.S. and Switzerland are "greatly concerned" by the current situation in Burundi and disappointed of repression, increasing violence, refugee flows into Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).

"Figures of Burundian refugees and asylum seekers into Rwanda, Tanzania and the DR Congo have skyrocketed to over 50,000 and another 15,000 to 20,000 are on the border with Tanzania," said U. S. Ambassador to Burundi Dawn Liberi.

According to her, the U.S. condemned all acts of violence, urged the Burundian government to allow peaceful demonstrations and called for an "immediate" end of the use of violence by police to peaceful protests and political intimidation, threats and violence by armed militias (country's ruling party youths' wing Imbonerakure).

"Any closure of local or international media is not acceptable and is contrary to democratic process. The Burundian government is encouraged to reopen independent radio stations, allow access to social media and promote freedom of assembly or association for all Burundians," said Liberi.

EU Senior Coordinator for the Great Lakes region Koen Vervaeke said the EU will release the remaining two million euros (about 2. 2 million U.S. dollars) for the support to Burundi's elections.

The EU had pledged 8 million euros (8.8 million U.S. dollars) to support the country's elections and has already disbursed 6 million euros (6.6 million U.S. dollars).

Protests against the third term of Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza have been rocking, since April 26, some neighborhoods in the capital Bujumbura.

On Saturday, the Burundian National Security Council gave 48 hours to protesters to halt their demonstrations.

However, organizers of protests including some opposition parties and some civil society organizations said demonstrations would continue until Nkurunziza gives up plans for his third term.

Those protests erupted one day after the Burundian ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), nominated Pierre Nkurunziza as its candidate for the presidential election due on June 26.

The opposition and the civil society however argue that Nkurunziza's third term is a violation of the Burundian constitution and the 2000 Arusha Agreement that provide two terms of five years each for a president of Burundi.

Earlier last week, despite protests, the Burundian constitutional court passed the candidacy of Nkurunziza for another term, explaining that the 2005-2010 term should not be counted as a term because he was elected by the parliament and not directly in a universal suffrage.

In a message to the nation last week, President Nkurunziza called on protesters to stop their demonstrations and pledged that if he is elected in the upcoming presidential election, it will be his "last" term. Endi