Burundi defends security forces, sees no need for peacekeepers

Burundian Government on Wednesday dismissed criticism of its security forces, and said there was no need for foreign peacekeepers in the country.
This was in reaction to UN Human Rights Chief, Zeid Al-Hussein’s report to the UN Security Council that Burundian authorities had responded with house searches, arrests and alleged summary executions.
The report said that 90 people were killed in the clashes.
The government said in a statement in Bujumbura that the security forces intervened with the greatest possible professionalism.
It, therefore, said that it would be irrelevant to talk of bringing foreign forces into Burundi, alleging that those who recommended involvement of foreign forces in the country’s issues had other intentions.
Burundi had accused neighbouring Rwanda and some Western nations of meddling in its affairs, saying they were stoking the crisis in the nation.
Meanwhile, Burundi’s ruling CNDD-FDD party has in a statement, accused former its colonial power, Belgium, of providing “weapons to the terrorists and medically assisting them when injured”.
It said that several officials had fled to Belgium since the crisis erupted.
The party said that those involved said they acted professionally after insurgents attacked military bases in the capital.
The U.N. Security Council had considered actions that included sending a peacekeeping force to deal with Burundi’s crisis, which pitted supporters of President Pierre Nkurunziza against those opposed to his third term in office.