adminBujumbura — Authorities in protest-hit Burundi yesterday cut mobile access to several social networks and messaging applications, a telecoms official said.Networks including Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp — which have been used to co-ordinate protests — were no longer accessible via mobile telephone in the capital Bujumbura, although an official explanation for the service cut has not been given.
A telecoms source confirmed that operators had been ordered in writing by Burundi’s telecommunications regulator, ARCT, to block mobile access to certain sites.
“The ARCT told us in writing yesterday to suspend several social networks, notably Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook and Tango, but not all Internet access,” the source said.
At least five people have died since unrest broke out at the weekend, when the ruling CNDD-FDD party designated President Pierre Nkurunziza its candidate for the presidential election to be held in the central African nation on June 26. Opposition figures and rights groups say Nkurunziza’s attempt to stand for a third consecutive term goes against the constitution as well as the peace deal that ended a civil war in 2006.
Meanwhile, more than 5,000 Burundians fled to Rwanda over the weekend following mounting tensions in the east African country, bringing the total number of arrivals in April to nearly 21,000, the UN has said. “There has been a sharp increase in the number of Burundian refugees arriving in Rwanda,” Ariane Rummery, spokesperson for the UN refugee agency said.
“Five thousand people entering the country in two days is quite a significant jump… It’s certainly concerning,” she told reporters in Geneva.
The Rwandan government has put the number of Burundians arriving in the country since the beginning of April at 21,000, and expects the number could rise to 50,000. Another 3,800 Burundian nationals have meanwhile fled to the South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo since the beginning of the month, the UNHCR said.
Most of the new arrivals in Rwanda are women and children, Rummery said, adding that the refugees had reported facing intimidation and threats of violence linked to upcoming elections.
The outflow came as the official list of candidates for Burundi’s presidential elections on June 26 was published at the weekend, with President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid to cling to power for a third term sparking massive demonstrations.
At least five people have died since clashes broke out on Sunday after the ruling CNDD-FDD party, which has been accused of intimidating opponents, confirmed Nkurunziza’s candidacy. — AFP
Online Reporter