UN urges reopening of radio stations to curb rumors in Burundi

The Office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Burundi Wednesday urged the reopening of radio stations to curb rumors, the OHCHR representative to Burundi said after meeting the Burundian Ombudsman.

"We discussed the impunity issue and the propagation of rumors whose origin is the lack of radio stations," the head of the Office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Burundi, Patrice Vahard, told reporters after a courtesy visit he had with Burundian Ombudsman Mohamed Rukara.

Vahard also indicated that they discussed the press freedom in general and the current situation of human rights in Burundi.

He indicated that he told Rukara to discuss with the government so that radio stations can be reopened.

Since the destruction of at least five main private radio stations in the aftermath of the failed coup plot staged by Major General Godefroid Niyombare on May 13, rumors that threaten citizens' security have been mounting, causing the exile of thousands of Burundian citizens into neighboring countries namely Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).