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 Reactions of Government Authorities

In response to accounts of illegal detentions and torture, ONUB human rights officers repeatedly requested access to the detainees from the Municipal Police Commissioner and from various other authorities, but have been refused.⁵³ Burundian government magistrates attempted to see those held in the PSI center on October 20. They were allowed to visit some parts of the facility but were denied access to the detainees in question.⁵⁴ Representatives of Human Rights Watch and of Burundian human rights organizations also asked officials for permission to see the detainees, to no avail.⁵⁵

In response to public questions, Army spokesman Major Adolphe Manirakiza denied that FDN soldiers were committing human rights violations and called allegations of the killing of civilians and torture by the military “groundless.”⁵⁶ He stated that “arrested persons who are suspected of collaborating with the FNL are normally sent to police stations for investigations, after which files are sent to judicial institutions.”⁵⁷

The Minister of Defense, General Germain Niyoyankana, was more forthcoming in an interview with Human Rights Watch. Although insisting that those formerly affiliated with the FNL had an obligation to report themselves to the authorities and formally renounce their affiliation, he also stated that torture and summary execution were clearly unacceptable and that those responsible should be punished. He noted details of the cases, and in respect of one case he immediately called a military officer for information. Due to technical difficulties with the telephone network, he was unable to complete the conversation, but he promised to follow up on this case and others.⁵⁸

On October 29, President Nkurunziza commented on the arrests of suspected FNL collaborators at a rally in Mubimbi commune, Bujumbura Rural Province, stating that those who are innocent will be released and that if there has been torture, victims should seek justice.⁵⁹