Sunday, September 27, 2009
Since joining the African Union Mission to Somalia, AMISOM, the country has lost 25 peacekeepers in three separate suicide bomb attacks, including three crash victims aboard the Russian cargo flight that fell in Uganda's Lake Victoria on March 2009.
Against this backdrop, Gabriel Ntisezerana told the Assembly the public in Burundi was calling for the withdrawal of troops. As for the government, its stance was the mission could only be pursued [as it stands] if changes were made to the mandate.
"AMISOM's mandate must be modified to allow contingents to prevent deadly attacks and allow them to take the offensive or to pursue aggressors if necessary in accordance with Chapter 7 of the UN Charter."
The government of Burundi also needed to be better equipped, with troop reinforcement and air strike capacity.
Ntisezerana also reiterated the call for sanctions to be applied against countries, organizations and individuals supporting Islamist groups.
Source: InsideSomalia, Sept 27, 2009