Reported rise in rights violations

The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burundi, Marie-Therese Keita-Bocoum, has said that as the conflict intensified, human rights violations were also on the rise by both the army and the rebels. In a briefing to the UN Human Rights Commission, she said she recommended that the Burundi authorities deal with “forced displacement”, as well as increasing resources for social action and the rights of women. She also urged the international community to step up humanitarian assistance to Burundi and to set up programmes to combat impunity and irregularities in the justice system. Countries of the region were encouraged to take measures against arms trafficking.