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| ‘Fear and Uncertainty’ Grip Burundi Before Parliamentary Vote | ‘Fear and Uncertainty’ Grip Burundi Before Parliamentary Vote |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| BUJUMBURA, Burundi — When the order came to leave their protest camp, the students voiced the same refrain. | |
| “It is better to be killed in front of the American Embassy than to return to our campus to die,” they said. | “It is better to be killed in front of the American Embassy than to return to our campus to die,” they said. |
| But after being pursued by the police, escaping to the parking lot of the United States Embassy and then being cast out of the compound, more than 100 university students gathered on Friday at the one place they felt safe: a church where many had prayed as children. | But after being pursued by the police, escaping to the parking lot of the United States Embassy and then being cast out of the compound, more than 100 university students gathered on Friday at the one place they felt safe: a church where many had prayed as children. |
| They had no money, no food and no idea what the future would bring. | They had no money, no food and no idea what the future would bring. |
| “No one knows who is going to attack,” said one student leader, the morning after the police had stormed through their protest camp, sending them scrambling for safety. “We are living in fear and uncertainty. | |
| They are not alone. | They are not alone. |
| Burundi has become a nation gripped by fear and uncertainty, with the independent news media largely forced into silence, so rumor is often taken as fact and political tension can quickly lead to violence in the streets. | Burundi has become a nation gripped by fear and uncertainty, with the independent news media largely forced into silence, so rumor is often taken as fact and political tension can quickly lead to violence in the streets. |
| When President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his intention to run for a third term in April, large protests erupted across the capital, with demonstrators contending that it was an end run around the term limits set out in the nation’s Constitution. | When President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his intention to run for a third term in April, large protests erupted across the capital, with demonstrators contending that it was an end run around the term limits set out in the nation’s Constitution. |
| The government, arguing that another term was legal, moved quickly to stifle dissent. About 70 people have died in the turmoil, many in clashes with the police, according to human right groups. | The government, arguing that another term was legal, moved quickly to stifle dissent. About 70 people have died in the turmoil, many in clashes with the police, according to human right groups. |
| More recently, evenings in the capital have been punctuated by the sound of grenade explosions — there were at least three on Thursday — but it is unclear who is behind the attacks. | More recently, evenings in the capital have been punctuated by the sound of grenade explosions — there were at least three on Thursday — but it is unclear who is behind the attacks. |
| Places associated with the government’s leaders are sometimes targeted. But just as often, grenades are tossed indiscriminately from car windows into crowded areas, seemingly an attempt to sow panic. There were similar attacks in the run-up to the 2010 election, but residents say they are more frequent now. | Places associated with the government’s leaders are sometimes targeted. But just as often, grenades are tossed indiscriminately from car windows into crowded areas, seemingly an attempt to sow panic. There were similar attacks in the run-up to the 2010 election, but residents say they are more frequent now. |
| On Friday, the United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, said he was “deeply concerned over the prevailing political and security environment in Burundi,” and he called on the country’s leaders to “seriously consider” postponing the elections. | On Friday, the United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, said he was “deeply concerned over the prevailing political and security environment in Burundi,” and he called on the country’s leaders to “seriously consider” postponing the elections. |
| Nearly all of the nation’s opposition parties on Friday announced a boycott of both Monday’s parliamentary elections and the presidential vote scheduled for July 15. | Nearly all of the nation’s opposition parties on Friday announced a boycott of both Monday’s parliamentary elections and the presidential vote scheduled for July 15. |
| At the same time, some of those opposed to the president have also grown more militant, threatening people who go to work at government institutions and seeking to disrupt all normal life, according to residents. | At the same time, some of those opposed to the president have also grown more militant, threatening people who go to work at government institutions and seeking to disrupt all normal life, according to residents. |
| With little to suggest a political resolution, the students are now wondering where to turn. | With little to suggest a political resolution, the students are now wondering where to turn. |
| When Mr. Nkurunziza announced his campaign to run for another term, the students said, they had one simple message: Upholding the Constitution is vital to this country’s ability to move beyond a bloody past of civil war. A third term would send Burundi on a dangerous path. | When Mr. Nkurunziza announced his campaign to run for another term, the students said, they had one simple message: Upholding the Constitution is vital to this country’s ability to move beyond a bloody past of civil war. A third term would send Burundi on a dangerous path. |
| “We have to stand up and say what we believe in,” said the student leader, who asked that only the Western version of his first name, Pete, be used because he feared reprisals for speaking to the news media. “If we do not, who will help save our country?” | “We have to stand up and say what we believe in,” said the student leader, who asked that only the Western version of his first name, Pete, be used because he feared reprisals for speaking to the news media. “If we do not, who will help save our country?” |
| The government responded to their concerns by ordering Burundi University closed in late April and forcing the students to flee. | The government responded to their concerns by ordering Burundi University closed in late April and forcing the students to flee. |
| More than 500 students ended up creating an encampment at a construction site next to the United States Embassy, where they stayed for weeks. | More than 500 students ended up creating an encampment at a construction site next to the United States Embassy, where they stayed for weeks. |
| America, they said, represents democracy and freedom, and that is what they want for their own country. The proximity to the embassy, they hoped, would also offer protection from the authorities. | America, they said, represents democracy and freedom, and that is what they want for their own country. The proximity to the embassy, they hoped, would also offer protection from the authorities. |
| But on Wednesday, the students were told that they had 24 hours to disband or be forced to move. | But on Wednesday, the students were told that they had 24 hours to disband or be forced to move. |
| Then, early Thursday morning, the police moved in and chaos ensued, with several hundred students crawling under the gate in front of the embassy compound and hurtling themselves over its walls. | Then, early Thursday morning, the police moved in and chaos ensued, with several hundred students crawling under the gate in front of the embassy compound and hurtling themselves over its walls. |
| They sat peacefully in the embassy’s parking lot for hours and were provided water, according to a statement from the embassy. | They sat peacefully in the embassy’s parking lot for hours and were provided water, according to a statement from the embassy. |
| As night fell, the ambassador, Dawn Liberi, arrived and told them they would not be able to stay. | As night fell, the ambassador, Dawn Liberi, arrived and told them they would not be able to stay. |
| “We begged,” said a 30-year-old student who asked that only his nickname, Okapi, be used. “We told them the police were still waiting for us. We said we would be killed.” | “We begged,” said a 30-year-old student who asked that only his nickname, Okapi, be used. “We told them the police were still waiting for us. We said we would be killed.” |
| “The Americans waited for the police to leave and then told us we had to go,” he said. “We were really sad they made us leave, but we understood the situation.” | “The Americans waited for the police to leave and then told us we had to go,” he said. “We were really sad they made us leave, but we understood the situation.” |
| About an hour after they left the grounds, the police returned. | About an hour after they left the grounds, the police returned. |
| “They attacked us,” Pete said. At least two students were arrested, but he believed that most made it away unharmed. | “They attacked us,” Pete said. At least two students were arrested, but he believed that most made it away unharmed. |
| After wandering the streets and hiding through the night, they converged on a church near the abandoned university campus. | After wandering the streets and hiding through the night, they converged on a church near the abandoned university campus. |
| “We know we cannot stay here,” Pete said. “Sometimes we would come here for prayers. So we have now come for advice on what to do.” | “We know we cannot stay here,” Pete said. “Sometimes we would come here for prayers. So we have now come for advice on what to do.” |
| The university said Friday that the students could return to campus if they registered their names, but the students worried that it was a trick and that they would be arrested or worse. | The university said Friday that the students could return to campus if they registered their names, but the students worried that it was a trick and that they would be arrested or worse. |
| Many said they could not go home, their own parents warning them to stay away, saying the situation is too dangerous. | Many said they could not go home, their own parents warning them to stay away, saying the situation is too dangerous. |
| They said they had friends who went home only to be arrested. Pete said three students had been killed. | They said they had friends who went home only to be arrested. Pete said three students had been killed. |
| Others said they had no home to go to because their families had fled the country. | Others said they had no home to go to because their families had fled the country. |
| Later, on Friday evening, as word of the students’ situation spread, the police returned some of their belongings that were confiscated from the encampment. | Later, on Friday evening, as word of the students’ situation spread, the police returned some of their belongings that were confiscated from the encampment. |
| “We still don’t know where we will lay our heads,” Pete said in a text message. | “We still don’t know where we will lay our heads,” Pete said in a text message. |
| Asked earlier if the students would vote in Monday’s election, Pete said they would not. The decision, he said, was not a protest but a matter of survival. | Asked earlier if the students would vote in Monday’s election, Pete said they would not. The decision, he said, was not a protest but a matter of survival. |
| “We fear we will be blown up,” he said. | “We fear we will be blown up,” he said. |