I have tried to restrain myself to make any comment about the incarceration of Pierre Claver Mbonimpa the most respected human rights activist in Burundi, but this picture strikes me. The 60 years old man has been in jail for a week but so far has attracted ordinary citizens as well as government officials from all over the world. Mbonimpa was arrested just when I landed at the airport of Bujumbura. Since then, nothing else is being discussed in most of conversations and medias programs. This last Friday, the most influential civil society activist Pacifique Nininahazwe launched a campaign called Vendredi vert which is literally translated as “Green Friday” to support the victim and call for his liberation. One reason is that claver was arrested on Friday and Burundian prisoners have green uniforms. Moreover, the green color is generally known as a color of hope in Burundi. Yesterday as I spent most of the day in town, I was impressed by the mobilization results for Green Friday. Consequently, Pacificique was refused by the police to go and assist Claver while he was being interrogated yesterday Friday. Today, on the Twitter of Samatha Power,the ambassador of the US to the UN, it seems that Claver has been released. However, the true information is that at the time I am posting this, Claver is still in jail. But there are some signs of hope. Comment to follow after he is released or not.
Posted on: Sat, 24 May 2014 07:31:12 +0000
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