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Burundian demonstrators
protest against President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in Musaga, a
district of Bujumbura, on May 11, 2015 ©Landry Nshimiye (AFP)
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A protester died in new clashes with police on the streets of
Burundi's capital Tuesday, a day after President Pierre Nkurunziza rejected
international calls to delay elections for a controversial third term bid.
The body of the victim,
covered in the country's flag, was carried by about 100 other demonstrators to
the home of the district's mayor, demanding he organize the funeral.
The death takes the toll
from weeks of anti-government demonstrations to 20.
Police apparently opened
fire on protesters to scatter crowds who wanted to attack the house of a police
officer.
Witnesses told AFP the
man was hit in the head. An AFP journalist at the scene also saw two other
people with gunshot wounds, one of them a boy of around 10, hit in the arm.
In another area of the
capital Bujumbura, officers fired tear gas to break up a crowd of some 200
youths.
While the police have
ripped down barricades on main roads set up during more than two weeks of
protests, side streets in key opposition areas remain blocked, guarded by angry
demonstrators.
Nkurunziza, a former
rebel leader from the Hutu majority who has been in power since 2005, has come
under intense international pressure to withdraw from next month's election and
stand down.
East African leaders are
to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis on Wednesday in Tanzania.
Over 50,000 Burundians have fled into neighbouring nations since the unrest
began.
"The presidents
should be clear with Nkurunziza... they must tell him to leave for the good of
everybody," said Aremus, a 24-year old protester.
"The summit tomorrow
is a test... the heads of state must show their maturity in crisis management
by telling Nkurunziza to leave," said Donatien, a man on one of the street
barricades.
- 'Many violence, many
problems' -
The clashes between
security forces and demonstrators have raised fears of a return to violence in
the central African state, which is still recovering from a brutal 13-year
civil war that ended in 2006.
The European Union and
United States called Monday for the elections set for late June to be delayed.
African Union Commission
chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma last week warned the time was not right for
elections, and that it was "clear that there shouldn't be a third
term."
But Nkurunziza said in a
BBC interview that postponing the vote would worsen the situation.
"I can tell you that
for enduring stability in Burundi you can't say that you can't organise
elections," Nkurunziza said. "There would be many violence and many
problems."
In Bujumbura's Musaga
district, some 300 women marched singing and chanting slogans against a third
term.
"No to the third
term for Nkurunziza," one group shouted.
Opposition groups insist
that it is unconstitutional for Nkurunziza to run for more than two terms.
But he argues that his
first presidential term did not count as he was elected by parliament, not
directly by the people.
Asked to rule on the
issue, the constitutional court found in his favour but not before one of the
judges fled the country claiming its members were subject to death threats.
"Today we are
optimistic that the elections will be very peaceful, transparent and also
fair," Nkurunziza said. "We can assure (you) that we will accept the
outcome of the ballot box."
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