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The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) have come together in expressing grave concern for the people of Burundi in a situation of extreme tension and escalating human rights violations.
In a joint statement issued on 18 December, WCC and AACC observe that the political crisis in Burundi “has latterly been marked by brutal violence, targeted attacks, extrajudicial killings, severe oppression and the incitement of communal tensions”.
”We appeal to the government and political leadership of Burundi to step back from the path of violence onto the path of peace”, the statement reads, and then calls for “responsible leadership that does not tolerate complicity in the killings and other serious violations now so obviously prevalent in the country”.
“In this Advent season, in which we await the nativity of the Christ Child, the Prince of Peace, we pray that all those who now espouse violence and division in Burundi will learn and pursue the things that make for peace in this wounded land”, the statement concludes.
Read full statement on the situation in Burundi (18 December 2015)
WCC reaffirms call for universal ratification of international human rights law (WCC press release of 10 December 2015)
