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Burundi denounces broadcasting of false video on France 3 TV

Xinhua, January 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Burundian government Monday denounced a video broadcast last week by France 3 television channel showing atrocities on mutilating people's organs allegedly in Karusi province by security forces and Imbonerakure youths.

In a statement, the Burundian government accused Belgian lawyer Bernard Maingain of giving the video to the France-based television channel.

"The false video was given to France 3 television channel by Belgian lawyer Bernard Maingain who has been defending the Burundian radical opposition and culprits attempted to overthrow the country's institutions on May 13, 2015," said Burundian Government Spokesman Philippe Nzobonariba in the statement.

"We inform the national and the international community that the images broadcast by France 3 television channel were not taken on the Burundian territory. The language used by the people involved in the video is spoken nowhere in this region (central or east Africa)," said Nzobonariba.

He indicated that the Burundian government condemns with its "last energy" the dissemination of that video intended to "tarnish" the country's image and its institutions and to "sabotage" the inter-Burundian dialogue.

Last week, on Jan. 13, France 3 broadcast a video that it said was taken in the Burundian central province of Karusi where security forces and Imbonerakure (ruling party youths' wing) were killing opposition supporters by mutilating their organs.

After realizing that the images were not taken in Burundi, France 3 television channel apologized.

Meanwhile, French Ambassador to Burundi Gerrit van Rossum was last weekend summoned at the Burundian External Relations and International Cooperation Ministry over the broadcasting of a false video by France 3 television channel. Endit