{{United Nations (United States) (AFP) }} – {The UN Security Council on Monday demanded that Burundi’s government immediately reopen talks with the opposition to put a halt to a spiral of violence that is pushing the country to the brink.}<\/p>\n
The 15-member council backed plans by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to send a high-level UN official on an urgent mission to ease the Burundi crisis.<\/p>\n
The council issued an appeal for dialogue after senior UN officials warned during a closed-door emergency meeting called by France that the violence was worsening in the central African country.<\/p>\n
“Council members expressed deep concern on the political and security situation in Burundi and called for the immediate resumption of inclusive dialogue in order to achieve a lasting peace,” Nigerian Ambassador Joy Ogwu told reporters following the meeting.<\/p>\n
The ambassador, whose country holds the council presidency, said Ban would be sending an envoy soon.<\/p>\n
The recent killing of a top general and the attempted murder of a leading human rights activist are seen as a dangerous escalation in the conflict sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid to win a third term in office.<\/p>\n
Nkurunziza, in power since 2005, was declared the outright winner of elections last month that were boycotted by the opposition and condemned internationally as deeply flawed.<\/p>\n
UN rights official Ivan Simonovic told the council that at least 94 people have been killed since the crisis began in April with Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term, according to diplomats at the meeting.<\/p>\n
About 600 people have been arrested or detained and some 40 cases of torture during police custody have been reported, he said.<\/p>\n
Simonovic said there was a “new worrying trend of killing of ruling party members” targeted for reprisals and score-settling following the election, a diplomat said.<\/p>\n
The United States last week threatened to impose sanctions such as travel bans on those deemed responsible for the violence in Burundi.<\/p>\n
Talks between the government and the opposition broke down on July 19.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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