Burundi: The May 2015 coup attempt, including its instigators, how it unfolded, the violent incidents and the outcome; the treatment of the coup instigators by the government (May 2015-October 2015)

1. May 2015 Coup Attempt

1.1 Wednesday, 13 May 2015

1.1.1 Trigger

According to sources, on the afternoon of 13 May 2015, in a military barrack, General Godefroid Niyombare announced before journalists that he was dismissing the president of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza (The Guardian 13 May 2015; BBC 13 May 2015). The same sources state that General Niyombare later broadcast his announcement on the radio (ibid.; The Guardian 13 May 2015). According to an article from Huffington Post and Agence France-Presse (AFP), General Niyombare stated the following on Isanganiro, the private radio station: [translation] "President Pierre Nkurunziza has been dismissed from his duties; the government is dismissed" (Le Huffington Post with AFP 13 May 2015b). According to Radio France internationale (RFI), General Niyombare stated on that same radio station that he [translation] "watched 'with despair the violence, the cynicism of Pierre Nkurunziza'" and that "the security forces decided to take the future of the country in hand, Nkurunziza is dismissed" (RFI 14 May 2015a).

An article by the Belgian daily Le Soir, co-written with AFP and Reuters states that General Niyombare also announced that he wanted [translation] "a repeat of the electoral process" (Le Soir with AFP and Reuters 13 May 2015). According to AFP, the demonstrations in the country beginning on 25 April 2015 against Pierre Nkurunziza's candidacy for a third term as president were used by General Niyombare as [translation] "one way to justify the coup" (AFP 15 May 2015). According to sources, General Niyombare, who had been appointed head of intelligence services [in November 2014 (Jeune Afrique 13 May 2015)], was dismissed in February 2015, apparently for advising the President not to run for president for a third term (Jeune Afrique 13 May 2015; AFP 13 May 2015b; RFI 14 May 2015a). For further details on the opposition to Pierre Nkurunziza's third term, consult Response to Information Request BDI105276.

1.1.2 Public Reactions

According to the London journal The Guardian, a rumour had circulated before General Niyombare's radio announcement was made, and Burundians huddled around radios (The Guardian 13 May 2015). That same source notes that after the radio broadcast of General Niyombare's statements, "the streets of Bujumbura [the capital] flooded with people jumping and screaming jubilant cries of 'Peace in Burundi!'" (ibid.). Sources state that, in the capital, General Niyombare's announcement was celebrated by [translation] "a number of protesters" (AFP 13 May 2015b) or "thousands of protesters" (BBC 13 May 2015). According to the United Nations Security Council,

[UN English version]

[t]he announcement was welcomed by thousands of people in Bujumbura and by some opposition and civil society leaders. Spontaneous demonstrations in support of the coup were largely limited to Bujumbura. Many other Burundians condemned the coup (UN 7 July 2015, para. 8).

Information on public reactions outside the capital could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. According to RFI, on the evening of 13 May 2015, [translation] "the civil society and the opposition [had not yet] announced their position on the crisis" (RFI 14 May 2015a).

1.1.3 Incidents of Violence

Sources report that the following incidents of violence occurred on 13 May 2015 in the coup attempt in the capital:

According to sources, civilians protested near the offices of Burundi National Radio and Television (Radio-Télévision nationale burundaise, RTNB), and loyalist soldiers shot in the air to disperse them (Jeune Afrique 13 May 2015; Le Soir with AFP and Reuters 13 May 2015). According to an article co-written by Le Soir, AFP and Reuters, the protesters moved back a little and then remained nearby, [translation] "protected by soldiers and police officers" (ibid.).

A BBC journalist saw protesters walk to the downtown, accompanied by soldiers and two tanks (BBC 13 May 2015). AFP states also that protesters [translation] "were fraternizing with the soldiers and climbing on armoured vehicles" (AFP 13 May 2015b). According to BBC, the police shot at the soldiers and the crowd, and "at least two protesters were killed" (BBC 13 May 2015). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Jeune Afrique states, however, that [translation] "the police remained absent on the whole" (Jeune Afrique 13 May 2015).

The BBC states that protesters entered the national prison and freed the protesters who were detained there, then they set fire to the building (BBC 13 May 2015), while Human Rights Watch notes that [translation] "some people vandalized a police detention centre called the Special Research Office (Bureau spécial de recherche, BSR) and [that they] freed about 50 detainees" (Human Rights Watch 29 May 2015).

Radio Rema FM, a station close to the party in power, was targeted in an attack (ibid.; Radio Bonesha 14 May 2015). According to Radio Bonesha, an independent Burundi station, protesters and soldiers were the perpetrators of that attack (ibid.).

Sources state that Hospital Bumerec was the site of armed confrontation between coup soldiers and police officers, and a police officer was injured (Human Rights Watch 29 May 2015; RFI 17 May 2015).

1.1.4 Reaction of President Nkurunziza

At the time of the coup attempt, President Nkurunziza was in Tanzania to attend an EastAfrican summit on the political situation in Burundi (AFP 13 May 2015a; Jeune Afrique 13 May 2015; UN 7 July 2015, para. 8). According to The Guardian, he stated on the radio, from Tanzania, that the coup had failed-this message was relayed by the President of Burundi's Twitter and Facebook accounts (The Guardian 13 May 2015). According to RFI, the announcement was posted on the President's Twitter account about one hour after General Niyombare made the radio broadcast (RFI 14 May 2015a). Other media state that the President published a news release announcing that the instigators of the coup attempt would be [translation] "taken to court" (Huffington Post with AFP 13 May 2015; Jeune Afrique 13 May 2015).

1.1.5 Conclusion of the First Day of the Coup Attempt

General Niyombare ordered the borders and the airport in the capital closed (RFI 14 May 2015a; AFP 13 May 2015b; Jeune Afrique 13 May 2015). According to Jeune Afrique, the airport was closed at the end of the afternoon (ibid.).

BBC states that "the capital appeared to have calmed in the evening" (BBC 13 May 2015). According to RFI, once night fell, the streets of Bujumbura were empty and the calm had returned (RFI 14 May 2015a).

Sources state that on 13 May 2015, the outcome of the coup attempt was uncertain (AFP 13 May 2015a; The Guardian 13 May 2015; BBC 13 May 2015). Jeune Afrique explains that "[t]he power dynamic in the army between the coup leaders and the loyalists remained unknown at the end of the day" (Jeune Afrique 13 May 2015). According to sources, discussions took place in the evening between the soldiers in the two camps, who stated that they wanted to find a peaceful solution to the crisis (RFI 14 May 2015a; AFP 13 May 2015b).

According to media, that same evening, General Niyombare stated on the radio that he had [translation] "a lot" of support in the army and the police (AFP 13 May 2015a; RFI 14 May 2015a).

According to RFI, the crisis was still at an impasse at the end of the evening (ibid.). An article from Jeune Afrique and AFP cites the Burundian Army Chief, Prime Niyongabo, who stated on the RTNB air: [translation] "in the night of Wednesday [13 May 2015] to Thursday [14 May 2015,] the coup attempt had […] 'been thwarted,'" and he ordered the "mutineers to surrender" (Jeune Afrique with AFP 14 May 2015).

1.2 Thursday, 14 May 2015

An article of Jeune Afrique and the AFP states that, on the morning of 14 May 2015, "there was total confusion" in Burundi (ibid.). The offices of the African Public Radio (Radio publique africaine, RPA), Radio Bonesha, Radio Isanganiro and Renaissance Radio and Television (Radio-Télévision Renaissance) were attacked [on 14 May 2015 (Human Rights Watch 29 May 2015)], according to the sources, by [translation] "suspected supporters of the President" (Human Rights Watch 29 May 2015) or by "Pro-Nkurunziza forces" (AFP 15 May 2015). The AFP states that these radio stations broadcast messages from the coup leaders and that they stopped broadcasting them in the night [of 13 to 14 May 2015] (ibid.). In an article dated 29 May 2015, Human Rights Watch states that those stations were still not broadcasting (Human Rights Watch 29 May 2015).

According to the Jeune Afrique and AFP article, as well as an AFP dispatch, heavy weapons fire occurred on 14 May 2015 between the loyalist and military coup forces, as they unsuccessfully tried to take control of the RTNB (Jeune Afrique with AFP 14 May 2015; AFP 15 May 2015). An AFP journalist stated that he had seen [translation] "three military cadavers about one kilometre from the RTNB site," the first deaths noted since the beginning of the coup attempt, according to AFP (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

According to the report of a radio interview broadcast on RFI-an interview that is available on that station's website-General Niyombare stated [translation] "that his objective was not to launch a coup, but to express his refusal to accept President Nkurunziza's violation of the Constitution. […] The General is not opposed to a transition and he wants to return the power to civilians" (RFI 14 May 2015b). RFI points out that this interview took place before President Nkurunziza [translation] "announced on Twitter his 'return to Burundi'" (ibid.). The spokesperson for the presidency, Willy Nyamitwe, interviewed by RFI that same day, stated that he was of the opinion that the coup attempt had failed" (ibid.).

The AFP stated that, according to someone close to him, President Nkurunziza returned to Burundi on 14 May 2015 and went to Ngozi, [translation] "in his native province" (AFP 15 May 2015). Other sources note that, on 15 May 2015, the President had returned to Burundi (UN 7 July 2015, para. 9; Le Monde et al. 15 May 2015), more specifically to Bujumbura (ibid.).

AFP states that [translation] "the movement's second-in-command" to General Niyombare, Cyrille Ndayirukiye, announced the failed coup on 14 May 2015 to the news agency, when President Nkurunziza's return was announced (AFP 15 May 2015). According to AFP, Cyrille Ndayirukiye stated the following: [translation] "We were faced with an overpowering military determination to support the system in power" (ibid.).

1.3 Friday, 15 May 2015: Outcome of the Coup Attempt

According to an AFP dispatch, on Friday, 15 May 2015, in the morning, General Niyombare announced by telephone to the news agency [translation] "that members of his movement had surrendered […]. The coup spokesperson, police commissioner Vénon Ndabaneze, confirmed the surrender" to AFP by telephone, [translation] "just before getting arrested" (ibid.). According to AFP, the spokesperson stated the following: [translation] "We have decided to surrender.W e have laid down our weapons. We have called the Minister of Public Security and the Minister of Defence to tell them that we no longer have any weapons" (ibid.). According to that same source, Cyrille Ndayirukiye was with the spokesperson of the coup leaders (ibid.). The AFP states that his journalist [translation] "stayed online [telephone] during the arrest of the three men" (ibid.). Le Monde et al. also states that three of the coup leaders, including Cyrille Ndayirukiye and General Niyombare, were arrested (Le Monde et al. 15 May 2015). Further information on the arrest of the senior leaders of the coup attempt of May 2015 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Scarce information on what became of General Niyombare could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

An article by Human Rights Watch dated 29 May 2015 states that they [translation] "do not know where Godefroid Niyombare [...] is" (Human Rights Watch 29 May 2015). In August 2015, IHS Global Insight, a global insight organization that provides [translation] "economic, financial and political data" on countries and industries (IHS Global Insight n.d), noted that General Niyombare was at the head of a [translation] "rebellion" (IHS Global Insight 10 Aug. 2015). In an article dated 7 October 2015, BBC states that relations between Burundi and Rwanda "deteriorated further" after Burundi accused Rwanda of hosting General Niyombare (BBC 7 Oct. 2015).

2. Government Treatment of the Instigators of the Coup Attempt

The United Nations Security Council states that,

[UN English version]

[a]ccording to Burundian authorities, 12 coup leaders were killed, 35 were injured, while 40 surrendered and 9 were arrested, including a general and two police commissioners. On May 16, 17 suspected leaders of the coup appeared before the Bujumbura Mairie High Court and were subsequently remanded to prison (UN 7 July 2015, para. 9).

Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

An Agence de presse africaine (APA) dispatch dated 29 September 2015 states the following:

[translation]

Their lawyers stated on Tuesday that twenty-eight (28) soldiers and officers suspected of being coup leaders have been incarcerated since last Friday in the Gitega prison (centre of Burundi) after detainees from the Rumonge prison were regrouped with those imprisoned at Gitega, where cells for their individual isolation were built.

One of them, Me Lambert Nsabimana, stated that members of their families could no longer see them and some highly armed soldiers and police officers came to intimidate them regularly.

[…]

Since their imprisonment the day after the failed coup attempt last 13 May, those detainees have not appeared before the public ministry. Me Lambert hopes, however, that imprisoning them in the same prison will facilitate their appearance in court, which is scheduled soon.

[…]

Among those coup leaders is the coup second-in-command, General Major Cyrille Ndayirukiye, former Minister of Defense, the spokesperson of the coup leaders, police commissioner Zénon Ndabaneze (APA 29 Sept. 2015).

Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Further information on the treatment of the instigators of the May 2015 coup attempt could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence de presse africaine (APA). 29 September 2015. "Burundi : les 28 putschistes présumés regroupés dans une même prison." (Factiva)

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 15 May 2015. "Au Burundi, les putschistes annoncent leur reddition." [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

_____. 13 May 2015a. "Tentative de coup d'État au Burundi." [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

_____. 13 May 2015b. Esdras NDikumana and Ephrem Rugiririza. "Tentative de coup d'État au Burundi." [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 7 October 2015. "Burundi Expels Rwandan Diplomat for 'Creating Insecurity'." [Accessed 29 Oct. 2015]

_____. 13 May 2015. "Burundi President Nkurunziza Faces Attempted Coup." [Accessed 15 Oct. 2015]

The Guardian. 13 May 2015. Abigail Higgins and Sam Jones. "Burundi Protesters Celebrate as General Launches Coup Attempt." [Accessed 10 Oct. 2015]

Le Huffington Post with Agence France-Presse (AFP). 13 May 2015. Maxime Bourdier. "Burundi : ce qu'il faut savoir pour comprendre la tentative de coup D'État." [Accessed 15 Oct. 2015]

Human Rights Watch. 29 May 2015. "Burundi : riposte meurtrière par la police aux manifestations." [Accessed 28 Oct. 2015]

IHS Global Insight. 10 August 2015. Jordan Anderson. "Assassination of Burundi's Army Chief Highlights Growing Prospects of Violence over Contested Election Escalating to Civil War." (Factiva)

_____. N.d. "About." [Accessed 30 Oct. 2015]

Jeune Afrique. 13 May 2015. Mathieu Olivier. "Burundi : ce qu'il faut savoir de la situation au soir de la tentative de coup d'État." [Accessed 29 Oct. 2015]

Jeune Afrique with Agence France-Presse (AFP). 14 May 2015. "Coup d'État au Burundi : combats entre loyalistes et putschistes à Bujumbura." [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

Le Monde with Agence France-Presse (AFP), Associated Press (AP) and Reuters. 15 May 2015. "Au Burundi, après le coup d'État raté, le président Nkurunziza reprend la main." [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

Radio Bonesha. 14 May 2015. "Residents of Burundian Capital City Attack Pro-ruling Party Radio Station." (Factiva)

Radio France internationale (RFI). 17 May 2015. "Burundi : un hôpital attaqué lors de la traque des putschistes." [Accessed 29 Oct. 2015]

_____. 14 May 2015a. "Burundi : Revivez la tentative de coup d'État du 13 May." [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

_____. 14 May 2015b. "Le général Godefroid Niyombaré et Willy Nyamitwe s'expriment sur RFI." [Accessed 29 Oct. 2015]

Le Soir with Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Reuters. 13 May 2015. "Tentative de coup d'État au Burundi (les photos et vidéos)." [Accessed15 Oct. 2015]

United Nations. 7 July 2015. Security Council. Rapport du Secrétaire général sur la Mission électorale des Nations Unies au Burundi. (S/2015/510) [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Internet sites, including: AllAfrica; Amnesty International; Association de réflexion et d'information sur le Burundi; Burundi - Embassy of Burundi in Canada; Burundi Information; Le Figaro; Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme; Freedom House; International Crisis Group; IRIN; Ligue burundaise des droits de l'homme; Ligue des droits de la personne dans la région des Grands Lacs; Organisation des médias d'Afrique Centrale; Pan African News Agency; Réseau documentaire international sur la région des Grands Lacs africains; United Nations - Human Rights Council, United Nations Development Program, Refworld.