Two former Burundi presidents pleaded for the United Nations Security Council on Thursday to back the deployment of international troops to the African state gripped by political violence because it "runs the risk of becoming another Rwanda," according to Reuters. Diplomats of the 15-member council on Thursday evening arrived in Burundi's capital Bujumbura where fears of an ethnic war have also led to an economic crisis. The Security Council is due to meet President Pierre Nkurunziza on Friday. Violence broke out after Nkurunziza's decision in April to seek a third term. His opponents said the move was unconstitutional but he went on to win a disputed election in July. Hundreds of pro-government protesters lined the road from the airport to the U.N. envoys' hotel, welcoming them with drumming and dancing and signs with messages such as: "Burundi is sovereign, stop interfering in Burundi home affairs." There were several grenade explosions on Thursday in Bujumbura, but no further details were known, diplomats and police said. Since April, at least 439 people have been killed and the number might be "considerably higher," the United Nations said. Some 232,000 people have fled the country. The envoys, led by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power and senior Angolan and French diplomats, met Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, Burundi's president from 1976-87 and Domitien Ndayizeye, president from 2003-05. Bagaza said armed outside support was necessary to reassure Burundians. Both former presidents called on the Security Council to back such a move.
