News

Burundi student protesters seek refuge in US embassy

At least 200 students protesting against president forcibly enter complex after police threaten to break-up their camp.

Burundi US embassy students unrest
Students scaled the outer wall of the US embassy in Bujumbura as police arrived to forcibly remove them [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]
Published On 25 Jun 2015

Around 200 students protesting against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s attempts to run for a third term in office managed to break into the US embassy in Burundi after police threatened to break-up their camp outside the compound.

Armed US marines watched from the embassy roof as students, seeking refuge in the embassy, climbed under the gate and over the wall on Thursday before sitting inside the compound with their hands raised after abandoning their camp, established outside the complex in late April.

The US embassy staff urged the government to find a “peaceful resolution”, but US Ambassador Dawn Liberi later managed to convince the students to leave peacefully, with some returning to again camp outside the mission.

“The US ambassador came to see us and told us she had done everything to help us, but that we couldn’t spend the night in the embassy,” said one of the students, who gave his name as Fabrice.

Bujumbura has been in turmoil since late April, when Nkurunziza launched a controversial bid for a third consecutive term, triggering widespread protests and a failed coup attempt.

Two grenade blasts in Bujumbura on Thursday wounded at least eight people, the latest in a string of such attacks since the unrest began.

Parliamentary elections are due to be held on Monday, ahead of the presidential vote on July 15.

The previous day, the government had given students 24 hours to leave the site  [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]
The previous day, the government had given students 24 hours to leave the site  [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]


A student carries his bedding from a tent where he has taken refuge with hundreds of other students [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]
A student carries his bedding from a tent where he has taken refuge with hundreds of other students [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]


Armed police drive past a group of students taking refuge next to the US embassy as a deadline for them to leave approaches. The previous day, the government had given students 24 hours to leave the site, and they had heard that police were coming to forcibly remove them [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]
Armed police drive past a group of students taking refuge next to the US embassy as a deadline for them to leave approaches. The previous day, the government had given students 24 hours to leave the site, and they had heard that police were coming to forcibly remove them [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]


 Students had been camping outside the compound since April in protest against the president's bid for a third term [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]
 Students had been camping outside the compound since April in protest against the president’s bid for a third term [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]

 


Students rush under the gate to the US embassy as police arrive to forcibly remove them [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera] 
Students rush under the gate to the US embassy as police arrive to forcibly remove them [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera] 


Later in the evening, students who had taken refuge at embassy and have since been forced to leave, stand on the roadside outside the embassy [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]
Later in the evening, students who had taken refuge at embassy and have since been forced to leave, stand on the roadside outside the embassy [Phil Moore/Al Jazeera]
Source: AFP, Al Jazeera