Saturday 23 May 2015

US Suspends Military Training to Burundian Army

By Wesley Spartan

United States has suspended all training support to the government of Burundi due to the inexorable unrest in the country.

The US Department of state announced on Friday that because of the security concerns inside Burundi, they had temporarily halted peacekeeping training activities such as the Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program.

The department’s deputy spokesperson Marie Harf told press that the Obama government was yet to take a decision on discontinuing all support to Burundian troops currently in Mogadishu under AMISOM, as well as development funding to the country.

Mr Harf noted, “Continued instability and violence in Burundi, and in particular the commission of human rights violations and abuses by security forces, could jeopardize Burundi’s ability to continue to contribute to the AMISOM peacekeeping mission.”

Over 100,000 Burundians have left the country in recent weeks, escaping violence sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a third term.

Meanwhile Cholera has infected about 3,000 people in Tanzania, the UN has said, where many of the Burundians have fled seeking refuge from their country’s unrest.

Up to 400 new cases are being seen each day, the UN’s refugee agency says. The epidemic has killed 31 people – two Tanzanians and 29 Burundian refugees, the UN’s statement said.

Many more of the refugees have fled to other neighbouring countries including Uganda.

Police continues to battle with protesters on the Capital Bujumbura streets who are against the President’s third term bid.

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