Brussels – “Influential African mediators must get involved in the Burundi crisis, just as Nelson Mandela did in the past”. Such is the belief of Cecile Kyenge, a Member of the European Parliament (Socialist and Democrats Group), as told in an interview with Infos Grands Lacs (Afronline’s media partner). “These mediators should be able to start completely from scratch, starting with the violence, which must stop immediately, and the issue of the third mandate of Burundian President Nkurunziza”, added the Italian MEP, who was the author of a recently launched appeal to the international community with four former Belgian ministers.

“We cannot accept that Burundian society sinks into a state of violence. The international community must act through all available means to intervene in Burundi”. One such possibility mentioned by Kyenge in this interview involves “the deploying of international police forces to create mixed patrols with the Burundian forces in order to restore security for the people”.

The crisis in Burundi, sparked by the decision of President Pierre Nkurunziza to seek a third-term as President, remains ongoing with the recently foiled coup failing to put an end to the strife rocking the country. The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday that 72,618 people have fled Burundi in recent weeks

by Joshua Massarenti for Infos Grands Lacs, in collaboration with Afronline

Translated by Kevin Hind

Photo Credit: Flickr/Comune Brescia

Click Here to listen to the original interview in French