Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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435. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the current situation in Burundi, and the violence used against protesters. [17717/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I am very concerned about the deteriorating situation in Burundi, and condemn the violence of recent days. This has involved a wave of killings, militias acting with impunity, arbitrary arrests, intimidation, closure of media outlets and targeting of human rights defenders.

Burundi has experienced recurring violence over the years since its independence in 1962. The signing of the Arusha Peace Agreement in 2000 was a significant step forward in efforts to build lasting peace and stability in the country. The adoption of a new Constitution in 2005, establishing a power-sharing arrangement between ethnic groups, was another important milestone.

Given slow but steady progress over the past fifteen years, the violence is particularly worrying, and it was avoidable. The street protests arose in response to a decision by Burundi’s ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy, to name the incumbent President, Pierre Nkurunziza, as its candidate for a third presidential term in elections scheduled for June. Whether or not this breaches the term-limits established by the Arusha Agreement, as has been claimed, is now subject to a review by the Burundian Constitutional Court.

It is critically important that Burundi now acts to embrace a process of peaceful democratic transition by ensuring that next month's elections are demonstrably free and credible.

I am following the situation through our Ambassador in Dar-es-Salaam, who is also accredited to Burundi. I share the strong concern that over 20,000 Burundians have fled the country over the past month, mainly to Rwanda. Our Embassy in Dar-es-Salaam is closely monitoring refugee movements and engaging with the UN High Commission for Refugees, which has undertaken local contingency planning in case of a more significant outflow of refugees.

In 2014, Ireland provided approximately €1 million to NGO partners, Concern Worldwide and Civicus, for their work in Burundi.

In consultation with our partners at EU level, we will continue to closely monitor developments in Burundi. Two Irish nominees will participate in an EU Election Observation Mission for the June elections.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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436. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 173 of 21 April 2015, his views on the death of a person (details supplied); his further views on the policing of minority communities in the United States of America, following a number of deaths, with particular reference to the city of Baltimore; if he has made any representations to the authorities in the United States of America on these matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17718/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The concerns over reports of alleged police led human rights abuses against African-Americans in the United States have been acknowledged by the US authorities at the highest levels. In relation to the death of Mr. Freddie Grey in Baltimore, and the reaction to his death, President Obama has highlighted the need to investigate how laws and their policing are implemented, while also condemning the violence that some protestors were involved in.

The US authorities at the Federal, State and municipal level, as well as a range of widely respected US human rights and law reform NGOs, are actively looking at the Baltimore case and others around the US. The recently appointed Attorney-General Loretta Lynch has confirmed that the Department of Justice will continue its investigation into Mr. Gray's death. Investigations at city and state level are also continuing and have resulted in some charges being brought earlier this week.

The US has a robust democracy and a respected legal system and I would expect that they will continue to deal with such cases of public concern in an open and transparent way.

I welcome the continued efforts of President Obama and his administration to address the concerns raised by these recent incidents and to build improved relations and trust between US law enforcement and all communities around the United States.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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437. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the presidential election result in Kazakhstan; his views that there was a fair and democratic election process in the recent Kazakh presidential election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17719/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Presidential elections were held in Kazakhstan on 26 April and the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan announced preliminary results, with 97.7% of votes favouring the incumbent, President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

I would take this opportunity to welcome the fact that the OSCE/ODIHR, at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, deployed an Election Observation Mission to observe the elections. Ireland contributed five Short-Term Observers and one Long-Term Observer to this Mission.

I note the Statement of preliminary findings and conclusions by the Election Observation Mission. While the Statement confirms that, overall, the election was efficiently administered, all electoral deadlines were met and election commissions at all levels were open to observers and the media, it also highlights a series of issues which give grounds for serious concern, including procedural deficiencies and irregularities throughout the voting and the lack of a credible opposition.

I understand that the OSCE/ODIHR will issue a comprehensive final report in the coming weeks and I would urge the authorities in Kazakhstan to respond positively to all recommendations in that report, in addition to previous OSCE/ODIHR recommendations not already addressed in the electoral law.