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Burundi Police Deny Attempt to Arrest Opposition Leader

   Peter Clottey 16 June 2010
   Ban Ki-Moon na Perezida Petero Nkurunziza i Bujumbura

Photo: Leon Masengo

   United   Nations  Secretary  General,  Ban  Ki-Moon  (l)  and  Burundi
   President Pierre Nkurunziza (file)

   An  official  of  Burundiâs  national  police has dismissed as ârumorâ
   reports  that  security agents want to arrest Agathon Rwasa, leader of
   the main opposition National Forces of Liberation (FNL) party.

   Police  spokesman Pierre Chanelle Ntarabaganyi said there is no reason
   to arrest the opposition leader.

   âIt  is  a  rumor.  There  is no warrant to arrest him and there is no
   reason at all to arrest him (Rwasa),â he said.

   But,  Jean Bosco Habyarimana, spokesman of the FNL, said agents of the
   intelligence  police  in  civilian  clothes  went  to  the  opposition
   leaderâs house, sealed it off and then attempted to enter it by force.

   He also said that hundreds of FNL supporters surrounded the opposition
   leaderâs  house  to  prevent his arrest after hearing reports that the
   police were going to arrest him.

   But, police spokesman Ntarabaganyi dismissed the arrest allegation.

   âPeople  started  going  to  his dwelling just staying to protect him.
   And,  the  police  went  on  the spot to see, to analyze the situation
   (but), right from there, they started to conclude that the police were
   trying  to  arrest him. But, it was quite a rumor and a rumor. But, we
   tried  to  negotiate with the people so that everyone can go home, but
   they didnât hear us,â Ntarabaganyi said.

   This  comes  a  day after leaders of a coalition of opposition parties
   called  on  their  supporters  to  boycott the 28^th June presidential
   election.

   The group, known as the Alliance of Democrats for Change, is demanding
   a  re-run  of  the  last  local election after it claimed the vote was
   fraught with irregularities.

   Leonard Nyangoma, a leading member of the group was quoted as saying
   "we  have  told  our  militants  not  to go and cast their ballots for
   presidential  elections  because the communal ones held on May 24 were
   characterized by massive fraud and irregularities.â

   Several  opposition  groups,  including  the  FNL,  pulled  out of the
   upcoming   presidential   election   after  accusing  the  Independent
   Electoral   Commission   (CENI)  of  being  biased  towards  incumbent
   President  Pierre  Nkurunzizaâs  ruling CNDD-FDD party â a charge both
   the ruling party and CENI deny.

   Meanwhile,  police  spokesman Ntarabaganyi said several FNL supporters
   were arrested after âthey broke the law.â

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