Burundi opposition to boycott elections, claiming unfair

June 11, 2015

BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) — A group of 17 political parties have agreed to boycott elections in Burundi because they don't believe they will be free and fair, an opposition leader said Thursday.

The opposition groups are also opposed to the current electoral commission because it isn't complete after two of its five members fled, said Frederic Bamvuginyumvira, deputy head of a party known by its initials as FRODEBU.

Burundi has been rocked by unrest since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his plans to run for a third term, which many see as unconstitutional even though the nation's constitutional court has ruled in the president's favor.

Security forces have used a combination of live ammunition, tear gas and water cannon to break up months of protests in the nation's capital, Bujumbura. At least 20 civilians have been killed and hundreds more wounded in the clashes.

Amid the chaos, which has forced about 90,000 people to flee to neighboring countries, the government is pressing ahead with elections, saying any lengthy delay would lead to a dangerous power vacuum and possibly more violence.

Presidential elections are now scheduled for July 15 and parliamentary polls will take place on June 29. United Nations-backed talks between the government and the opposition appear to have stalled after opposition leaders and civic groups rejected U.N. diplomat Said Djinnit of Algeria, who had been facilitating the discussions aimed at creating an environment for credible elections.

In a statement Thursday, Djinnit, who remains the U.N. chief's special envoy for Africa's Great Lakes region, urged the parties to continue their dialogue and to avoid violence. The spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general, Stephane Dujarric, confirmed Thursday that Djinnit has quit his role as mediator but said no one has yet been chosen to succeed him.

Nkurunziza came to power in 2005 and won a second term in 2010. That election was also marred by violence, and he won re-election after running unopposed following an opposition boycott. He maintains he is eligible for a third term because parliament elected him for the first term.

AP reporter Carra Anna contributed to this report from the United Nations.

Burundi groups reject UN facilitator of crisis talks

June 09, 2015

BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) — Civic groups in Burundi on Tuesday rejected a U.N. facilitator of talks between the government and those opposed to a third term for President Pierre Nkurunziza, saying they feel he backs the president.

Several civic groups have written a joint letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressing opposition to the role of Algerian diplomat Said Djinnit, according to Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, a leading rights activist here.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Ban continues "to fully stand behind" Djinnit, who arrived back in Bujumbura on Tuesday and will attend the African Union summit later this week for talks with political leaders.

He said the U.N. has heard the opposition and others, and its message to the Burundian parties is to "rise above" their own interests and think of the national interests and the need to end the crisis.

Willy Nyamitwe, a presidential spokesman, said Tuesday the rejection of Djinnit is evidence of the opposition's "lack of maturity." Burundi has been hit by political unrest since the announcement April 25 that Nkurunziza would seek a third term in office, which many see as unconstitutional. The country's constitutional court has ruled in favor of him, however.

Protesters say Nkurunziza's bid for a third term is illegal because the constitution only allows for two five-year terms after popular elections. Some protesters are vowing to stay on the streets until Nkurunziza says he will not run. At least 20 civilians have been killed in clashes with police who have used a combination of tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition.

A youth militia, the Imbonerakure, affiliated with the ruling party is accused of harassing opponents. Zeid Raad al-Hussein, the U.N. human rights chief, said Tuesday the Imbonerakure's actions "could tip an already extremely tense situation over the edge." He said his office has received "consistent testimonies" indicating that Imbonerakure members operate under instructions from the ruling party and with weapons, vehicles and sometimes uniforms provided by police and intelligence services.

Zeid said Burundian authorities must "show their commitment to peace by clearly disassociating themselves from their violent supporters" and ensure they are accountable for any crimes.

Burundi panel proposes July 15 for presidential vote

June 08, 2015

BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) — Burundi's electoral commission proposed Monday that a presidential election be held July 15 in the Central African nation despite persistent violence over the president's disputed bid for a third term.

Gunfire rang out Monday as heavily armed police in Bujumbura, the capital, surrounded some neighborhoods in a bid to stop protesters from gathering. The city has seen near-daily protests A new electoral schedule has been sent to President Pierre Nkurunziza for his approval, Prosper Ntahorwamiye, a spokesman for Burundi's electoral commission, told The Associated Press. The presidential poll had previously been scheduled for June 26.

The commission also set June 26 as a possible new date for choosing members of the national assembly, he said Monday. The panel is now awaiting a presidential decree either confirming those dates or setting new ones, he said.

Frederic Bamvuginyumvira, a prominent opposition figure, said the electoral commission lacked the legal authority to make any pronouncements because two of its five regular members are believed to have fled the country. More than 90,000 Burundians have fled the country, fearing violence.

Burundi has been hit by political unrest since the announcement April 25 that Nkurunziza would seek a third term in office, which many see as unconstitutional. The country's constitutional court has ruled in favor of him, however.

Amid the chaos, the regional bloc known as the East African Community had asked the Burundian government to postpone the elections for at least 45 days to calm the situation. Burundi has had a long history of political upheaval, including political assassinations and coups.

Protesters say Nkurunziza's bid for a third term is illegal because the constitution only allows for two five-year terms. Some protesters are vowing to stay on the streets until Nkurunziza says he will not run.

Nkurunziza came to power in 2005 and won a second term in 2010. He maintains he is eligible for a third term because parliament elected him for the first term.

IOC approves new events for 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang

June 08, 2015

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The IOC approved new events Monday in snowboarding, Alpine skiing, speedskating and curling for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Big Air in snowboarding, mass start in speedskating, mixed doubles in curling, and a team skiing event were the additions ratified Monday by the International Olympic Committee executive board. The snowboard parallel slalom event, meanwhile, was dropped from the Olympic program to make room for Big Air.

Under IOC rules, events and disciplines can be added or removed up until three years before the games. The new events are for men and women. The IOC has been determined to attract younger audiences, as evidenced by the addition of halfpipe and slopestyle events at recent Winter Olympics.

"The changes reflect the continued evolution of the Winter Olympic program and build on the success of recent editions of the games," the IOC said in a statement. "They also build on the reforms outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020 which aim to create more flexibility into the Olympic program of the Olympic Games."

The IOC recommends the participation of about 2,900 athletes competing in 100 events for the Winter Games. The Pyeongchang organizing committee said it "respects" the IOC decision, which will add four more gold medal events to the games for a total of 102. The South Korean organizers said it will be the first Winter Games in history with more than 100 medal events.

The IOC said decisions on which new events to accept for 2018 were based on a number of factors, including youth appeal, TV and media interest, gender equality and "infrastructure and operational cost and complexity."

The IOC said the new program will ensure a record number of female events, mixed events and female athletes. It looks like snowboard's Big Air will be the latest step in the goal to appeal to youth. In Big Air events, boarders fly off a highly pitched ramp similar to those on the slopestyle course, and perform jumps with multiple flips and spins. They do as many jumps as possible in an allotted amount of time.

Big Air events in freestyle skiing had also been proposed for Olympic inclusion but did not win IOC approval. The International Skating Union has also been looking to make Olympic speedskating more exciting for fans.

Mass start races would add intrigue, team tactics and a direct confrontation of skating styles in a long-distance event. It could also bring some of the push and shove elements of short track to the Olympic big oval — something likely to displease purists.

Curling has had two events, separate men's and women's competitions, since returning to the Olympics in 1998. While traditional curling involves teams of four players, mixed doubles would include teams of two players — one male and one female. Teams would have six stones each, instead of eight.

The new Alpine skiing event involves teams of two men and two women competing in parallel slalom races. The team event has been part of the world championships and the World Cup finals. "We believe that adding new events will make the 2018 Winter Games more innovative," Pyeongchang organizing committee leader Cho Yang-ho said.

The committee added that the new events "will have very limited impact on the overall games operations." The IOC is also still working on the program for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Under a new procedure, Japanese organizers can propose the addition of one or more sports for their games.

Baseball and softball — both out of the Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games — are considered the favorites to be included in Tokyo because of their popularity in Japan. A final decision will be made in August 2016 on the eve of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Russia steps up military modernization _ but at what cost?

June 12, 2015

NIZHNY TAGIL, Russia (AP) — It has a remote-controlled turret, it bristles with state-of-the-art defense systems and its computerized controls make driving it "feel like a video game." Russia's Armata tank, which its creator says can be turned into a fully robotic combat vehicle, is the crowning glory of a sweeping military modernization drive that is rumbling forward amid a perilous confrontation with the West over Ukraine.

But President Vladimir Putin's expensive arms build-up faces major hurdles as Russia's economy sinks under the weight of Western sanctions and falling oil prices. The 22-trillion ruble (about $400-billion) program, which envisages the acquisition of 2,300 new tanks, hundreds of aircraft and missiles and dozens of navy ships, was conceived back at the time when Russia's coffers were brimming with petrodollars.

Putin vowed that the military upgrade would go ahead as planned, and this year's military budget rose by 33 percent to about 3.3 trillion rubles (nearly $60 billion). Some observers predict that the Kremlin will inevitably have to scale down the plans amid a grinding recession.

In one of the first harbingers of the possible curtailment of new arms procurement, a deputy defense minister said earlier this year that the air force will likely reduce its order for the T-50, a costly state-of-the art fighter jet developed for two decades to counter the U.S. Raptor.

Another problem is also hampering the modernization drive: The sanctions include a ban on the sale of military technology to Russia. Nick de Larrinaga, Europe Editor for IHS Jane's Defence Weekly, predicted that Russia would find it hard to replace Western military know-how.

"They have been relying on Western sub-systems, electro-optical systems is a good example, but also computer chips and things like that, which Russia doesn't make," he said. "How Russia goes about trying to replace these systems is going to be a really big challenge."

The rupture of military ties with Ukraine dealt another heavy blow to Putin's re-armament effort. Ukrainian factories had exported a wide array of weapons and sub-systems to Russia, and officials acknowledged that it would take years and massive resources to launch production of their equivalent at home. Since Soviet times, Ukraine specialized in building helicopter engines, and Putin said that Russia was setting up a capacity to produce them at home.

It could be even more challenging to substitute another Ukrainian product, ship turbines. Its refusal to deliver them has derailed the commissioning of new Russian navy ships. Last month, the Armata starred in the Victory Day parade on Red Square, becoming an emblem of the country's resurgent military power. Dmitry Rogozin, a deputy prime minister in charge of weapons modernization, likened Russia to a "big Armata" and claimed that the new tank is 15-20 years ahead of the current Western designs.

Speaking in a recent live TV talk show, Rogozin also used armor as a symbol to issue a bold threat to the West — showing how military hardware can also be a powerful weapon in the Kremlin's propaganda war.

"Tanks don't need visas!" Rogozin declared, in a reference to Western travel bans and economic sanctions against Russia. Amid the tensions with the West, Putin emphasized the need for the nation's defense industries to quickly shed their dependence on imported components.

The Armata's price hasn't been announced, but some observers speculated that the new tank could be as expensive as a fighter jet, too heavy a burden for the struggling economy. There are no reliable cost estimates of the tank.

The tank's chief designer, Andrei Terlikov, 52, shrugged off such claims, saying that the Armata's price will drop significantly once it enters full-scale production. "In the end, the price of those machines will be affordable," Terlikov told The Associated Press in his first interview with foreign media.

Speaking at his office at the mammoth UralVagonZavod factory in the Ural Mountains, one of the biggest industrial plants in the world, Terlikov described the Armata as a "decisive step toward more advanced unmanned machines, including those which could operate autonomously in combat."

He emphasized that the Armata uses only domestically produced parts. "From the very start, we have set the task to rely on our own resources," he said. Viktor Murakhovsky, a retired Russian army colonel who is now the editor of the Arsenal Otechestva military magazine, said the Armata's advantages come at a price — but that eventually it may pay for itself.

"The Armata is significantly more expensive than the current models," he said. "But it far excels all Russian and foreign tanks on the cost-efficiency basis." The Armata marks a radical departure from the traditional Soviet and Russian tank design philosophy. Unlike its predecessors, which had a compact build and low silhouette for nimble maneuvering, the Armata was designed to make crew protection the main focus.

"There is nothing more important today than crewmembers' lives," Terlikov said. Terlikov's deputy, 35-year old Ilya Demchenko, said that the onboard computer system performs most of the technical functions, allowing the crew to focus on key tasks. "For the crew, it's like playing a video game, taking some final moves and making decisions," he said.

De Larrinaga agreed that the Armata represented a technological advance for Russia. "The crew has a much better chance of surviving if the tank is destroyed," de Larrinaga said. "If you look at old Russian tank designs, they had a habit of blowing up quite spectacularly with pretty poor chances for crew survivability."

1,500 rally in Moscow to back pressured science foundation

June 06, 2015

MOSCOW (AP) — About 1,500 people have taken part in a Moscow rally to protest what they say is insufficient funding for science and against pressure on a foundation that gives grants to science projects.

The peaceful rally Saturday came two weeks after Russian authorities placed the Dynasty Foundation on its list of foreign agents. Under a widely criticized law, a non-governmental organization that receives funding and is deemed to be involved in political activity must register as a foreign agent.

The law doesn't prevent such organizations from working, but many see the requirement as oppressive because the term "foreign agent" is often seen as pejorative. Dynasty head Dmitry Zimin, whose fortune funds the foundation, has been quoted as saying he will close the foundation because it was placed on the list.