UNITED NATIONS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The UN envoy for Burundi on Thursday called for the resumption of dialogue in the African country following the adoption of a new constitution through a referendum.
"We are waiting for a strong signal from the authorities in favor of the resumption of an inclusive inter-Burundian dialogue under the auspices of the East African Community," Michel Kafando, the special envoy of the UN secretary-general for Burundi, told the Security Council.
Relaunching the dialogue would enable Burundians to discuss together the challenges they face in an atmosphere of mutual trust. Only through an inclusive dialogue can Burundians find durable solutions to the current crisis, he said.
Otherwise, the contesting of the results of the referendum by the opposition would further polarize an already tense political situation characterized by human rights violations and other abuses, as well as the deterioration of the socio-economic and humanitarian situation, he warned.
In a referendum on May 17, Burundians voted in favor of a new constitution with a high voter turnout.
The referendum was generally held in calm, despite numerous irregularities and incidents reported by the opposition and civil society, said Kafando. The electoral authorities also reported some incidents that, in its view, were not likely to affect the final results of the vote, he said.
He called on the authorities to facilitate the return of human rights experts, whose visas were canceled last month, and to resume cooperation with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Even if the security situation is generally calm, Kafando stressed that the recent assassination of 26 people in the Cibitoke province demonstrates that the environment remains volatile.
The humanitarian situation in the country remains a cause of concern, said the envoy. Many Burundians continue to live in refugee camps, particularly in Tanania, Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, he said.
