Human Rights Council 37: Burundi
This UK statement was delivered at the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council during the Interactive Dialogue on Burundi, held on 13 March 2018.
The Human Rights Council takes place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva
The UK would like to thank the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Commission of Inquiry members for their work and presentations. We would also like to specifically thank Mr. Ouguergouz for his efforts, and welcome Mr. Doudou Diène.
The UK regrets that the Burundian Government has persistently failed to acknowledge or address ongoing human rights violations and abuses, or to take action to prevent further human rights violations and abuses. This is despite the Commission of Inquiry finding reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity had been committed.
We remain extremely concerned that arrests, unlawful detentions, torture, enforced disappearances, and killings, continue to be largely committed by state actors or those supporting the regime.
The UK urges the Burundian Government to cooperate with international human rights mechanisms as a matter of priority to put an end to these and other human rights violations.
We underline the importance of a genuine and inclusive dialogue around changes to the Burundian constitution.
We further stress the importance of maintaining provisions of the Arusha Accords in the constitution as the only means to achieve peace and stability.
We would like to ask how the Commission of Inquiry’s intends to works with national, regional and international human rights organisations.