UN, EU Urge Dialogue In Burundi After Politician's Killing

KILLED IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING: Zedi Feruzi was the head of the opposition party Union for Peace and Development [Citi FM]

The United Nations and the European Union urged Burundi's government and its opponents not to let violence derail U.N.-sponsored dialogue, after an opposition politician was shot dead and opponents said they were walking away from talks.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the killing by unidentified gunmen on Saturday of Zedi Feruzi, the head of the UPD party, who opposed President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term.

Reuters report continues:

The EU, the biggest donor to aid-reliant Burundi, echoed the condemnation and urged "all parties to engage in good faith in political dialogue," spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said.

President Nkurunziza's decision to run for another five years in office has triggered the worst crisis in the small African country since the end of an ethnically charged civil war in 2005.

The U.N. special envoy to the region, Said Djinnit, and other international mediators have been hosting initial dialogue between rival sides to end the crisis.

Opposition parties and civil society activists say Nkurunziza's re-election bid violates a two-term limit in the constitution and a peace deal that ended civil conflict.

Protesters have regularly clashed with police in the past month and unrest provoked a failed military coup on May 13.

The president, who has called protests an "insurrection", points to a constitutional court ruling that said his first term, when he was picked by parliament not a popular vote, did not count. He has shown no signs of backing down from his bid.

The U.N. secretary-general "calls on the parties to the consultative political dialogue not to be deterred by those who, through violence, seek to prevent the creation of an environment conducive to peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in Burundi," his office said in a statement.

He also condemned a grenade attack in Bujumbura that killed two people this week.

In the wake of Feruzi's killing, Anshere Nikoyagize, the head of the civil society group Ligue ITEKA, told Reuters that civil society groups and opposition parties would not attend the dialogue, which began this month. Others echoed the comments.

"We can't negotiate with the president of the republic with regards to the violation of the constitution or the violation of the Arusha accord. It is impossible," said Frederick Bamvuginyumviye, vice president of opposition party Frodebu.

Willy Nyamitwe, presidential media adviser, told Reuters that talks planned for Sunday had gone ahead with some civil society groups and two parties. He did not give more details.

Burundi has dozens of registered parties.

"The main objective is to find ways of coming out of this situation," Nyamitwe said. "This situation is going out of control."

Burundi's crisis has set the region that has a history of ethnic conflict on edge. More than 110,000 Burundians - about 1 percent of the country's population - have already fled across the border for fear violence will spread outside the capital.

Other partners who have been helping broker dialogue include the African Union and regional African representatives.

But here has been little sign of progress in bridging differences. The president has insisted he will follow his party's call to stand again, while opponents say protests will continue until he ends his bid.

The Red Cross has said the death toll based on people its workers have seen killed stands at about 20. Emergency workers say that the total number could be double that.