The Burundi government has strongly condemned the murder of 27 military cadets in a rebel ambush on Sunday, and urged the international community to do the same. In a statement, received by IRIN, the government described the killings as “revolting” and said they were carried out by “terrorists who are turning their back on a peaceful solution”. Other (pro-Tutsi) parties and institutions, such as the National Assembly, also condemned the murders.
The cadets were buried in a moving ceremony on Wednesday in the grounds of Burundi’s Higher Institute for Military Officers (ISCAM) where they had been studying, the private Netpress news agency reported. The military chaplain, Athanase Ndikumana, who conducted the mass asked: “What are we negotiating in Arusha?” The ceremony was attended by President Pierre Buyoya, Defence Minister Cyrille Ndayirukiye and other senior government and army officials.
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
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