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Actualité du 13 janvier 12 (SurviT-Banguka)
Burundi-politique
CONCERN OVER ALEXIS SINDUHIJE'S ARREST IN DAR-ES-SALAM
Angleterre le 13 janvier 12 (SurviT-Banguka)
It has been confirmed that Alexis Sinduhije, President of the MSD Party was arrested on Wednesday 11th January 2012 when he had just arrived at the
airport of Dar-es-Salam (Tanzania) by the security services of Tanzania.
Alexis Sinduhije, 45 is a Burundian citizen who made his name first as a journalist in Burundi by creating in 2000 the first free and independent
radio RPA ( African Public Radio) as a means of fostering peace between the Tutsi and the Hutu in his war-ton country. He has braved arrest, beating and even an
attempt on his life to keep the station going. The irony is that whilst he faced deep criticism when he provided a platform to the leaders of the then rebel group
CNDD-FDD movement to express their political motivation, it is the same leaders of the CNDD-FDD party who are hounding him down to arrest him for no other motive
than his political view. His action and record with the RPA radio had a resounding success not just in Burundi but in the Great Lake region to the extent that
Alexis Sinduhije was put on the fifth annual list of the world's most influential people by the TIME magazine in 2008.
Since the CNDD-FDD has won the first democratic elections in 2005 its record on respect of human rights, democracy, accountability, good governance was so appalling
that Alexis Sinduhije decided to put his journalism career on hold to create his own Political Party the MSD and announced his candidacy for Burundi's 2010 Presidential
election.
In fact, the current regime's record in Burundi is extremely concerning to the extent that the British Government has decided to stop its financial
aid and to close down its DFID office in Bujumbura over the increase in embezzlement, bribery, corruption, and squandering of public money across Ministers and the
Presidency office.
We are extremely concerned over Mr. Sinduhije's safety because there has been no official statement made by the police to inform the public the grounds
on which he has been arrested. Whilst the motive behind his arrest has not been disclosed, we are suspicious over the coincidence between the presence in Dar-es-Salam
of the Burundian General Prosecutor Mr. Valentin Bagorikunda and Mr. Sinduhije's arrest. We are therefore expressing the hope that the Tanzanian judicial system will
apply the rule of law and restrain from abusive arrest without any credible and legitimate suspicion of any alleged criminal offence. There is no record of any
extradition agreement existing between Tanzania and Burundi and as such Alexis Sinduhije should not be subjected to any extradition to Burundi.
Furthermore, since Alexis Sinduhije fled his country last year in 2011 over serious concern about his safety, the members of his party have been arrested,
tortured and killed without any judgment in a blatant violation of their basic human rights. In fact, the General Secretary of his Party, Professor Francois Nyamoya who
is currently a Barrister in Burundi is being held in prison without any charge for almost four months.
As a result of this illegal and suspicious arrest, we are demanding the UK Government to express its utmost concern over Alexis Sinduhije's arrest and
safety directly to the Government of Tanzania.
Tanzania has demonstrated for many years its leadership and its respect for human rights and the rights of refugees in the region in agreeing to grant asylum to more
than 300,000 Refugees from Burundi and in hosting the peace negotiation between rebel groups in Arusha from 1996 up to 2002. It is therefore with great surprise and
choc that we have learned about Alexis Sinduhije's arrest in a country which has stand out for the respect of human rights and is hosting the International Tribunal
against genocide in Rwanda, the African Court on human rights and people's rights and the East African Court of Justice.
Pacelli Ndikumana
General Secretary (se)
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ACTUALITE
