SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON BURUNDICONDEMNS ATTACK NEAR BUJUMBURA

HR/98/80


The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, learned with deep dismay of the tragic incident which took place on the night of 27 to 28 October 1998 in Nyamaboko, a rural province near Bujumbura, which left 34 unarmed civilians dead and 25 others wounded.

According to the information Mr. Pinheiro received, a group of men armed with guns and white weapons entered houses in a densely populated banana plantation in the province and started attacking the people living there.

The Special Rapporteur firmly condemns such unspeakable acts and solemnly reminds all protagonists in the conflict in Burundi of their obligations, under international humanitarian and human rights instruments which Burudi is party to, to respect the minimal humanitarian norms in force in the country.

Mr. Pinheiro presented his condolences to all the families affected by this tragic incident and demanded that an investigation be carried out as soon as possible in order to establish responsibility for the attack.

The Special Rapporteur welcomed the decision by the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Burundi to send today a team of observers to the province where the attack took place in order to investigate what had happened.

Finally, Mr. Pinheiro hopes that this incident, which comes only days after the end of the work of the third session of peace negotiations in Arusha held from 12 to 22 October 1998, will not endanger the process of dialogue and national reconciliation going on between the various parties to the conflict in Burundi.