Bujumbura, Burundi---The Burundian government said it was open to a request by East African leaders Sunday to delay upcoming elections in the face of violent protests sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term.
But the regional leaders, after holding emergency talks on the Burundian crisis in Tanzania, stopped short of asking Nkurunziza to abandon his re-election bid, prompting the opposition to urge supporters to return to the streets in even greater numbers.
"We are disappointed because the summit said nothing on the question that we are concerned about. We did not descend on the streets to get the elections delayed by a month and a half," said one of the protest leaders, Pacifique Nininahazwe.
"We are going to stage even bigger demonstrations than we have done so far in order to get Nkurunziza to leave office," he vowed.
Burundi's parliamentary elections are currently scheduled to take place on June 5 while the presidential election is slated for June 26.
East African leaders on Sunday added to international pressure on Burundi to delay the ballot after weeks of civil unrest that has left at least 30 people dead and seen tens of thousands flee the central African nation. The turmoil even led to a failed coup attempt earlier this month.
"The summit, concerned at the impasse in Burundi, strongly calls for a long postponement of the elections not less than a month and a half," the East African Community (EAC) said in a statement read out by its secretary general Richard Sezibera.
The statement also called "on all parties to stop violence" and for "the creation of conditions for the return of refugees" who have fled the turmoil.
In response, government spokesman Philippe Nzobonariba told AFP: "The Burundian government welcomes the proposal of the heads of state" to delay the elections.
He added that the leaders meeting in Dar Es Salaam "did not discuss" the controversy over Nkurunziza's third bid because it was a sovereign issue and the government considered the matter "closed".
The crisis in Burundi erupted in late April after the ruling party designated Nkurunziza, in power for 10 years, as its candidate for upcoming elections.
The opposition and rights groups say this violates the constitution as well as a 2006 peace deal that ended a 13-year civil war.
The war left hundreds of thousands dead and there are fears the current crisis could push the impoverished, landlocked country back into conflict.
AFP
