ORAL STATEMENT
Humanists International
57th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (9 September – 11 October 2024)
Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Burundi
Speaker: Peter Dankwa
Mr President,
We thank the Special Rapporteur for his report on Burundi. The human rights violations outlined therein underscore the importance of this mandate, and we call for a renewed commitment from Member States, as well as cooperation from Burundi, especially as they look to take a seat on this Council.
Burundi’s record on women’s rights, the rights of LGBTI+ individuals, and freedom of expression is particularly worrying.[1] On this, we see the instrumentalization of Christianity in both laws and rhetoric in Burundi.[2]
We condemn the dehumanizing language used by Burundi’s President which called for the stoning of LGBTI+ individuals.[3]
Moreover, the renewed crackdown on cohabitation has seen the authorities complicit in the perpetration of human rights violations.[4] The hunt for so-called concubines has reportedly driven at least 900 women and 3,600 children from their homes in the north of the country.[5]
In service of these laws and others, we have seen that press freedom and civil society space is being increasingly restricted. As Burundi seeks membership of this Council, these human rights concerns cannot be forgotten, and we call on Burundi to respect its obligations under international human rights law.
Finally, we ask Special Rapporteur, in a time of political upheaval and multidimensional humanitarian crisis in Burundi,[6] how do we ensure that religious fundamentalism does not steer law-making?
Thank you
[1] https://reliefweb.int/report/burundi/situation-human-rights-burundi-report-special-rapporteur-situation-human-rights-burundi-fortune-gaetan-zongo-ahrc5758-enarruzh
[2] https://international.la-croix.com/news/world/burundian-president-uses-religion-to-beef-up-his-authority/7293; https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53084769
[3] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/burundis-president-says-gay-people-should-be-stoned-2023-12-30/; https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67840417
[4] A/HRC/57/58, 59-61
[5] https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20240405-burundi-des-centaines-de-concubines-chass%C3%A9es-de-leurs-m%C3%A9nages-par-les-autorit%C3%A9s-au-nom-de-l-ordre-moral; https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20240604-burundi-plus-de-900-concubines-chass%C3%A9es-de-leurs-m%C3%A9nages-dans-le-nord-du-pays
[6] https://www.unocha.org/burundi
'Misuse of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Burundi', Humanists International