“Political power” the cause of conflict

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Burundi, Cheikh Tidiane Sy, has said the major cause of conflict in Burundi is political power. Addressing a press briefing in New York on Tuesday, he said ethnicity was used by the various parties as an “excuse”. He stressed the need for the Arusha negotiations to stay on track and to this end, consultations had been held with special envoys from the EU, Canada and the US, among others. Discussions were underway to find a new mediator, but it would be “improper” to talk about a replacement for the deceased facilitator, Julius Nyerere, until he had been buried. Noting the deteriorating situation in Burundi, he said UN activities in the country had been “drastically reduced” and investigations were currently underway into the killings of seven Burundians and two UN expatriates in Rutana province last week.