Bujumbura, Burundi--Burundi's ambassador to the United Nations said Friday that elections will go ahead as planned next week, despite the opposition vowing to boycott the polls and the US withdrawing its assistance.
Parliamentary elections are set to be held on Monday and a presidential vote on July 15, despite months of turmoil sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in office.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called for them to be delayed after the opposition said they would not take part in the polls, which come as Burundi faces its worst crisis since its civil war ended nine years ago.
Hours later Washington said it was suspending assistance for the elections, which it said would not be credible, blaming Nkurunziza for trying to stay in office and violating the terms of a 2006 peace treaty.
But Burundi's UN Ambassador Albert Shingiro told the 15-member Security Council the polls would go ahead as planned, adding: "The government simply cannot accept to tumble head-first into an institutional vacuum, into a chasm."
"Ninety-five percent of the population wants to move forward to the election and not remain hostage to this radical minority," he said, accusing the opposition of acting "like spoiled brats" who are never satisfied.
The central African country was plunged into turmoil in late April when Nkurunziza launched his drive for a third consecutive five-year term, triggering widespread protests and a failed coup.
Opponents say his bid for another term is unconstitutional and violates a peace accord that ended 13 years of civil war in 2006.
"All the opposition have unanimously decided to boycott the elections," said Charles Nditije, a key opposition leader, after a letter signed by all the country's opposition groups was handed to the election commission.
Civil society groups backed the move in a joint statement calling on voters to skip the "sham elections" and urging the international community "not to recognise the validity" of the polls.
"Thousands of Burundians have fled the country, a thousand peaceful demonstrators were arrested, tortured, and are currently languishing in jail," the statement said.
AFP
