Search
  1. Home
  2. East Africa
  3. Burundi
  • News

Mandela should talk to the people, rights group says

    NAIROBI

    The Burundi human rights organisation, Ligue ITEKA, expressed regret over the short duration of Mandela's visit and warned that "several hours of meetings with officials alone" was no guarantee of success. In a letter to the mediator, received by IRIN on Friday, ITEKA hailed the fact that he was coming to Burundi, noting that his predecessor, former Tanzanian
    president Julius Nyerere, was never able to do so. But, the letter said, "in our eyes it is especially important that you take this opportunity to meet the people...that you never had chance to meet in Arusha or in South Africa." "In this way you may ascertain - and no longer presume - Burundians' needs, fears, hopes and wishes to live together in peace."

    ITEKA stressed that the people themselves were best placed to convey their opinions. "In coming to Burundi...you now have the opportunity to witness firsthand and to demonstrate to the people the objective compassion you have vowed to employ," the letter stated.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join