African Union says ready to send 5,000 peacekeepers to Burundi crisis | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Saturday 19 December 2015

African Union says ready to send 5,000 peacekeepers to Burundi crisis

The African Union said on Friday it was preparing to send 5,000 peacekeepers to Burundi to protect civilians caught up in a growing crisis, for the first time using powers to deploy troops to a member country against its will.
Burundi dismissed the announcement, saying no foreign force would get in without permission. But its neighbours have grown increasingly alarmed about the violence in the central African state which the United Nations says is on the brink of civil war.

Tensions have been running particularly high since gunmen attacked military sites in the capital Bujumbura last week, unnerving a region where memories of the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda are still raw.

The African Union's Peace and Security Council said in a statement it had drawn up plans for the force - to be called MAPROBU - and had asked the U.N. Security Council to give it the final clearance it needed to get boots on the ground.

The U.N. Security Council has already been looking at ways to tackle the crisis, including sending in peacekeepers.
"(The AU body) decides that MAPROBU shall have an initial strength of up to 5,000 military personnel and police," as well as human rights observers and military experts, it added.
A diplomat told Reuters late on Thursday the resolution marked the first time the AU had decided to invoke its charter's Article 4, that gives the bloc the right to intervene in a member state "in respect of grave circumstances, namely: war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity".

Burundi's government spokesman, Philippe Nzobonariba, said the force would not be allowed in without permission. "They can't invade a country if the latter is not informed and allow it," he said on state radio.
"It would be better if they go to those camps in Rwanda where troublemakers train," Nzobonariba added. The government has accused Rwanda of supporting rebels who are recruiting Burundian refugees - a charge Rwanda denies.
The United Nations says at least 400 people have been killed since April when President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to seek a third term in office triggered protests and a failed coup.
Rights groups have reported violent clashes between protesters and authorities, gun attacks and detentions of government critics. The government denies responsibility for any rights abuses.
Hundreds of thousands have fled the worst violence to hit the country since it emerged from an ethnically charged civil war in 2005.

Demonstrators said the president's decision to stand in an election he eventually won broke constitutional term limits, while his supporters pointed to a court ruling allowing his bid.
Much of the latest violence appears to be along political divides. But diplomats fear a prolonged conflict could reopen old ethnic rifts.

The civil war pitted the army, which was at the time led by minority Tutsis, against rebel groups of the Hutu majority, including one led by Nkurunziza - an ethnic split mirrored in Rwanda.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights accused Burundi's authorities on Thursday of dragging the country towards full-blown civil war and called for travel bans and asset freezes targeting key officials to try to halt the bloodshed.



Source: Reuters

42 comments:

Davido's driver said...

WE WANT PEACE AND UNITY DURING THIS END TIME

AbokiDaWarriBoy said...

Good ideal,let peace reign.

Unknown said...

Very good news...��

Northern Princess 7 said...

Its a welcome development, what they should have thought of since

Unknown said...

That's a good one

Unknown said...

Daz very thoughtful of dem
Nice moves
Cool




# oneandonlynwa@gmail.com#
# oneandonlynwa@gmail.com#

NaijaDeltaBabe said...

Okay o. Dem do well

Unknown said...

Very thoughtful of dem
Dis is a welcome development
Nice moves



# oneandonlynwa@gmail.com#
# oneandonlynwa@gmail.com#

Unknown said...

It is well with them. Linda take note!

Unknown said...

I no fit read abeg but hope say 9ja no dey there because we never keep the peace finish for our own place , no be to go ans good name out side.

Unknown said...

That's good














#iT wiLL oNLy gEt beTTer
#It mUsT eNd iN praise

Unknown said...

Ok seen.

Bonita Bislam said...

Nigerian leaders are so pathetic.What's happening in Burundi negates everything democracy stands for.I'm so ashamed for our continent.Their penchant to cling unto power is appalling. Mtcheew

Unknown said...

Why ddn't they come during the shiites vs army saga?
~D great anonymous!

TOMJERRYSWIT said...

CRISIS DES dAYS NAWAH。GOD HLP US。。TOMJERRYSWIT

Unknown said...

That would be good..

Unknown said...

Pls let it yield peace oh.....jstMe

Unknown said...

That would be good ..

Ruthluv said...

God save us your children, please let there be peace.

Unknown said...

God grant us peace in Africa....




LINDA AWUGHI M ROBOT

Unknown said...

That would be good of them ..

Anonymous said...

That would be good ..

Darrel tom said...

This country sha. Heard state like oyo(ibadan) is richer than this country sef, y do they always cause unrest. OK na, hope Nigerian soldiers won't be touch cus oooo, cus they ve lots of work to do before 31 of December.




Linda's last son

Darrel tom said...

This country sha. Heard state like oyo(ibadan) is richer than this country sef, y do they always cause unrest. OK na, hope Nigerian soldiers won't be touch cus oooo, cus they ve lots of work to do before 31 of December.




Linda's last son

Unknown said...

Imagine the stupid goverment, your people are dying everyday because of someone's greediness and you don't want external help, until they start killing the families of these government officials maybe that's when they will accept help.

Davido's driver said...

Welcome development

Unknown said...

God bless our military

Unknown said...

oya new no time next!

CHERYL (aka FROM GLORY to GLORY) said...

We r still trying to defeat Boko Haram, they are sending out troops. Hope the decision is a wise one

Unknown said...

Why can't Africans be rational like other countries.. odikwaegu.. y can't u vacate the seat that is not ur personal seat..so much greed.. anya ukwu

Unknown said...

hope nigeria is not among d country sending soldiers cos we need our soldiers here to fight dis boko boys ooooo. u never comot watin dey ur eye u dey tell anoda person say dirty dey ur eye

I B M bolubantin said...

GOD bless the AU for this intervention

Unknown said...

Pray for Africa

Unknown said...

Pray for Africa

aproko manager said...

Hmmmmm make dem go,end time peacemakers

waffymercyjohnson said...

Linda good morning
I know u didn't sleep much
May God bless ur hustle

Unknown said...

They are not interested in getting any help from the A.U haba is it by force, they should let them sought themselves out!!!

Unknown said...

Remove Nkurunziza NOW.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm













!brightosman aka fake phyno .#gerarahere

Unknown said...

God will help them..

Unknown said...

It should be done immediately before another civil war that would ne difficult to control erupts

Unknown said...

THAT'S VERY GOOD TO HEAR








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