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From MISNAJune 21, 2010
"As if we were in war, in full election period, rival political
forces are clashing through every means: through targeted attacks at the expense
of buildings, houses and people, they try to make the country sink in total
chaos, even if the population is rather indifferent": thus spoke to MISNA one
Father Claudio Marano, a Xaverian missionary who manages the Kamenge center in
Bujumbura.
Just days before the June 28 presidential elections, during the weekend, a child
was wounded in the village of Mpanda (centre); whereas on one side 21 people
close to the opposition were hit by grenades in the northern town of Kayanza, on
the other in the area of Kanyosha, a young militant from the power party 'Cndd-Fdd'
was murdered. The attacks began on June 11, on the eve of the start of the
electoral campaign for the presidential elections by the sole candidate in the
running, outgoing president Pierre Nkurunziza, after six other opposition
members boycotted the vote; since that time, two people have been murdered and
37 wounded says police.
In a climate of string tensions after the municipal elections of May 24th won by
Cndd-Fdd, but challenged by the opposition, the army spokesman, col. Gaspard
Baratuza, has denounced "acts of sabotage such that the presidential elections
do not proceed as well as the municipal".
So far, the international authorities backing the entire electoral process has
made some vague attempts to bring together around the same table representatives
of the parties in power, of the opposition and the electoral Commission while
authorities do not appear to be intentioned to postpone the vote, even as some
have mentioned this possibility.
"The population remains indifferent: just as it does not have any enthusiasm
towards the entire electoral process, it does not appear to have been
destabilized and fearful of a the grenade rain – said father Claudio – and 5,000
people attended a concert at the Kamenge Center fin honor of the Music
Festival". Having recently emerged from a 13 year long civil war (1993-2006)
which left 300,000 dead, while devastating the national economy, the marathon
launched on May 24 in Burundi and which should end next September is considered
crucial by observers and the international community for the consolidation of
democracy in the country.
