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2nd LD Writethru: UN chief calls for peaceful elections in Burundi

Xinhua, July 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday called upon the Burundian government to strive for a peaceful and secure atmosphere for the upcoming presidential election.

In a statement issued here by his spokesman, Ban urged all parties to "refrain from any acts of violence that could compromise the stability of Burundi and the region."

He said that he has taken note of the indefinite suspension of the inter-Burundian dialogue that started on July 14 under the facilitation of Uganda pursuant to the July 6 recommendations of the Summit of the East African Community (EAC).

"The secretary-general calls on the authorities to do all in their power to ensure security and a peaceful atmosphere during the election," the statement said.

Burundi's presidential camp over the weekend decided to suspend its participation in the political dialogue that began last Wednesday to reach a compromise over points of disagreement on the forthcoming election.

The presidential camp took the decision just three days ahead of the presidential polls set for July 21.

"The secretary-general reiterates his appeal for the resumption of a frank dialogue among all parties and urges them to avoid undermining the progress achieved in building democracy since the signing of the Arusha Agreements," the statement said.

Meanwhile, the secretary-general recalled that the United Nations Electoral Observation Mission, in accordance with its Security Council, has deployed observers countrywide to observe the electoral process before, during and after the election, said the statement.

"He calls on all parties to facilitate their work and calls, in particular, on the government to ensure their security," it said.

Burundi was plunged into a political crisis following the announcement by President Pierre Nkurunziza that he would contest for a third term during the forthcoming presidential election.

The opposition and civil society groups opposed his candidature, arguing that the Arusha Agreement stipulated that presidents serve for only two terms, something Nkurunziza had done since 2005.

Four candidates have expressed interest in contesting in the July 21 election, including incumbent President Nkurunziza, Gerard Nduwayo of the UPRONA party, Jacques Bigirimana of FNL party and Jean de Dieu Mutabazi of COPA coalition.

Former presidents Sylvestre Ntibantunganya, Domitien Ndayizeye and Jean Minani withdrew their candidature, citing the lack of inclusivity and ideal conditions for holding elections. Endi