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Professor Abdoulaye Bathily
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The United Nations on Sunday appointed a Senegalese diplomat
to facilitate talks between rival factions in Burundi's political crisis after
the opposition accused the previous mediator of bias.
Reuters reports the tiny
east African country was plunged into turmoil in late April after President
Pierre Nkurunziza said he would seek a third term. Opposition protesters took
to the streets for weeks, saying the move violates the constitution and a peace
deal that ended an ethnically charged civil war in 2005.
The U.N. said in a
statement that Abdoulaye Bathily, who is already the U.N.'s Special
Representative for Central Africa, would arrive in Bujumbura on Sunday to help
mediate talks.
"The
Secretary-General has requested ...Abdoulaye Bathily, to offer good offices in
Burundi in support of regional efforts to reduce tensions and help Burundians
peacefully settle their differences," the U.N said in a statement,
referring to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The previous U.N.
mediator, Said Djinnit, left the role after only a few weeks having faced
criticism from the opposition that he was he was biased towards the government,
a charge he dismissed. Djinnit remains U.N. special envoy to the Great Lakes
region.
A series of elections
have been delayed by weeks of unrest and violent clashes between police and
protesters, alarming a region which has a history of ethnic killing.
Government spokesman
Philippe Nzobonariba welcomed Bathily's appointment but warned Bujumbura would
not budge on the timings of forthcoming parliamentary and presidential
elections, due to take place on June 29 and July 15.
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