Two Nigerian-based pro- Democracy groups-
Association of African Writers on Human and People's Rights (AFRIRIGHTS) and
HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) have asked the African
Union to demand that the President of Burundi respects his Country's
constitution and step down immediatelly his second term expires having served
for two terms provided for under the extant law.
In a statement jointly authorised by Comrade
Emmanuel Onwubiko the National Coordinator of HURIWA and the Country Director
of AFRIRIGHTS and Miss Zainab Yusuf the National Director of Media Affairs of
HURIWA, the Rights organisations tasked African leaders to intervene on the
side of the people of Burundi and stop the President from achieving his
unconstitutional third term plot which could spark off another civil war in
that fragile nation.
The groups recalled that Burundi is facing a
difficult political environment early next year as the country’s parliament
will decide whether President Pierre Nkurunziza is eligible to contest in the
elections or not.
Besides the Rights groups affirmed that from
their findings the five-tier elections are scheduled to begin in May next year,
but the opposition political platforms largely backed by a wide range of people
of Burundi have maintained that attempts to have President Nkurunziza run for a
third term could spark a resumption of civil war.
The two Nigerian-based groups rejected the hasty
and preordained verdict of the handpicked constitutional court which against
the clear provisions of the law has gone ahead to permit the Burundian leader
to run for an unconstitutional third term.
HURIWA and AFRIRIGHTS stated that the illegal
third term plot by the current President of Burundi is a clear violation
of the 2000 Arusha Accord.
The Accord, in the considered opinion of the two
human rights groups registered in Nigeria as civil society groups, was
categorical that apart from power-sharing arrangements, the president cannot go
for more than two terms.
"African Union must act decisively now to
stop the fragile political situation in Burundi from degenerating into another
civil war. One man's unbridled political ambitions for limitless presidential
terms should not be allowed to jeopardise the peace of a whole country and
throw out millions of Africans as refugees should civil crises break out
therein", HURIWA and AFRIRIGHTS averted jointly.
6/5/2015.
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