The United States on Friday threatened to impose targeted
sanctions on figures in Burundi’s government and opposition unless they re-open
talks on the country’s worsening political crisis.
US ambassador to the United
Nations Samantha Power warned that Burundi risks falling into an uncontrollable
“cycle of violence” after the killing of a top general and the attempted murder
of a leading human rights activist.
The two attacks over the course
of the past week are seen as a sharp escalation of the violence that has
engulfed Burundi in the months since President Pierre Nkurunziza launched a bid
to win a third term in office.
Nkurunziza was declared the
outright winner of a controversial poll two weeks ago, despite opposition
protests and international condemnation.
“It is extremely important that
the government and the opposition show up at internationally-mediated talks,”
Power told the press.
“These attacks must stop,” she added.
“The US and other member states
are looking at measures that we can take, such as travel bans, visa bans and so
forth against those responsible for gross violations of human rights or
murderous attacks.”
Both sides, she said, must
“forge political arrangements that allow civil society and media to operate
freely.”
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