In the Declaration by the Presidency, on
behalf of the EU, on Burundi of 25 September 2002 concerning the massacre
in Itaba, the EU called for a neutral and independent enquiry to establish
the facts rapidly and identify the guilty parties, so that they can be
prosecuted and judged in accordance with due judicial process.
The recent trial of two army officers
with respect to the mass killings of civilians by the army in Itaba on
9 September 2002 did not meet minimum judicial standards.
The EU therefore urges the Transitional Government of Burundi to apply those standards to the full to all individuals who are responsible for this massacre of civilians by the army as soon as possible, as was underscored by the UN High Commissioner for human rights during his visit to Bujumbura.
The EU wishes to remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to respect civilians.
The Acceding Countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the Associated Countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey and the EFTA countries, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.