Thousands of
Burundians are on the move, trying to escape deadly civil unrest in their
country.
The United
Nations High Commission for Refugees says approximately 25,000 people have
sought refuge in Rwanda, DR Congo and Tanzania.
Rwanda has
seen the largest influx of refugees by far.
If the
crisis continues, the United Nations says 350,000 people could be in need of
humanitarian assistance within six months.
Burundi’s
capital city Bujumbura has been the scene of violent protests since Sunday
after the ruling party nominated President Pierre Nkurunziza for another term,
which many say is unconstitutional.
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| Soldiers have clashed with protesters in Bujumbura for several days |
At least six
people have been killed in street clashes between the police and civilians, as
hundreds continue to amass despite a heavy military presence.
Presidential
elections are scheduled for June 26 and political tensions have been rising
since the beginning of the year.
Burundi's
constitution says the president "is elected by universal direct suffrage
for a mandate of five years renewable one time".
However
Nkurunziza's supporters claim he is eligible to serve a third term because he
was first installed as president in 2005 by parliament to lead a transitional
government and not by a popular vote.
He won the
2010 election as the sole candidate but opposition members boycotted, saying
they feared it would be rigged.