communiqué  Posté le 10-06-2020 10:08, modifié le 01-08-2020 10:03 par Tournons la page

Burundi has just held a triple ballot (presidential, legislative and communal) on 20 May 2020 and the proclamation of provisional results by the INEC took place on 25 May 2020. It must be noted that these elections were held in a context of unprecedented violence aggravated by the lack of independence of the INEC, the total absence of neutrality of the Administration and a barely veiled desire of the CNDD-FDD to impose its leadership on a people who are so thirsty for democratic pluralism and real change. To this end, the international movement Tournons La Page (TLP) declares the following:

Congratulates the Burundian people who remain mobilised and committed to the ideals of democracy and the rule of law despite the context of repression and denial of human rights that has characterised Pierre NKURUNZIZA's regime, particularly since 2015 and during the electoral process of 2020.
Welcomes these elections which have just been held without the candidacy of outgoing President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, whose illegal third term in office had been a source of discord and unprecedented democratic backsliding. His successor will rightly know that respect for the constitution and the number of presidential mandates is not optional but an obligation to be respected without fail.
Regrets that the election was held behind closed doors and condemns the government's cutting off of social networks. An appeal is also made to the political leaders and the population to continue to show civic-mindedness and responsibility and to the international community and Burundi's partners to stand by the Burundian people at this crucial period in Burundi's democratic and political life.

Condemns unreservedly all acts of violence including arbitrary imprisonment which have mainly targeted members of the CNL party in general and candidates and proxies of this party in particular and which give rise to justifiable fears that massive frauds were planned before being carried out by the CNDD-FDD regime.
Finally condemns the government of Burundi for its culpable lightness in preventing and combating the coronavirus pandemic (covid-19). Thus, many Burundians continue to perish without any help and the lack of transparency in the management of this health crisis is a source of concern for the survival of the Burundian population, which currently finds itself abandoned to its own fate.
Condemns the lack of independence of the INEC and the multiple irregularities that marred the elections, including in the provisional results made public on 25 May 2020.
Calls on the Constitutional Court to overcome the militancy of some of its members as well as the foreseeable pressures of the regime in place to deal with the various appeals submitted to it with rigour, objectivity and impartiality and not to fall into the trap of manipulation as was the case in 2015.
Calls on the Burundian government to release the hundreds of CNL party members arrested and arbitrarily detained. Calls on the Burundian authorities to put an end to the acts of intimidation against opponents and human rights defenders since 2015.