Burundi: Amid Rising Violence, Top UN Officials Call For End to Killings, Start of Inclusive National Dialogue

Alarmed that bodies of dead civilians are turning up on a "regular" basis in the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, and in the wake of the killing of the son of a prominent human rights defender, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein today called for an end to the killings and widespread impunity that has characterized the recent violence.

"The recurring violence and killings in Burundi must stop," declared Mr. Ban in a statement issued by his spokesperson in New York, in which he underlines the responsibility of the Burundian authorities to protect the civilian population, regardless of political affiliation, "and ensure that the widespread impunity for these heinous acts is brought to an immediate end."

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