The top United States (US) diplomat to the United Nations (UN) Samantha Power says her government and others are considering sanctioning those who commit violations of human rights in Burundi.

The United States is calling for peace in Burundi.

Ambassador Samantha Power also suggested that there would need to be a political place for the sides opposing each other in the country, days after the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva warned that as violence and murderous attacks continued, the country could descend into civil war.

The assassination of a top government aligned General and an attempt on an independent human rights activist’s life has seen increased calls from the international community for a return to political dialogue.

“The US and I know other member states are looking at measures that we can take whether in the way of visa bans or travel bans
and so forth against those who are responsible for carrying out gross violations of human rights or again murderous attacks but fundamentally there needs to be a political place for those on both sides upset about the violence or upset about the political conditions to channel their energies. So it is extremely important that the government and the opposition show up at international mediated talks,” says Power.

She called for credible mediation that would attract both sides rather than the vigilante violence that risks spiralling in a very dangerous way.

“What really matters is that the parties come together and look at what kind of political arrangement can be forged that will calm
tempers, allow civil society and independent media to be reconstituted and to operate freely in the country because right now it is not only the third term issue but also the crackdown on human rights in Burundi that have fuelled a very significant counter-reaction.”

She also warned the country’s economy was in tatters compounding the urgent need for a return to stability.

“What we are focused on now of course is political dialogue, there have been horrible attacks on both sides and nobody, whether
they are in the government or one of the governments youth militia or any member of the opposition with arms, nobody should be carrying out the kind of violent attacks that have occurred, not only are they inherently deadly and devastating for the lives and the families of those affected but they are risking now creating a cycle of violence and a spiral of violence and so those attacks must stop, restraint must be shown.”

UN Chief Ban Ki Moon this week spoke telephonically with President Pierre Nkurunziza condemning the violence and urging
parties to return to the stalled political negotiations. He is due to name a new Burundi envoy in the coming days.