Mass killings feared as government cracks down

The majority-Catholic country of Burundi in East Africa is heading for civil war, church and political leaders are warning, writes Fredrick Nzwili.

A cycle of violence began in the country in April with protests against the decision of President Pierre Nkurunziza to seek an unconstitutional third term in office. He was elected in July with a reported 70 per cent of the vote. Around 200 people have been killed in clashes since then, and Mr Nkurunziza gave a deadline of midnight on Saturday for Burundians to hand in illegal firearms or face being “dealt with as enemies of the nation”.

This prompted an exodus of residents from opposition areas of the capital Bujumbura. “We are very concerned about the developments in the country. Its waves are being felt in the region as refugees flee to neighbouring countries,” Fr Chrisantus Ndaga, communications coordinator at the Association of Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa, told The Tablet.