The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the cases of the above-mentioned Burundian parliamentarians, as outlined in the relevant reports of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/188/13(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 187th session (October 2010),

Recalling that the cases in question concern the murders of six members of the National Assembly between 1994 and 1999 which have so far remained unpunished, attempts on the lives of eight members of the previous legislature which have likewise gone unpunished, and criminal proceedings brought against four members of the previous legislature,

Noting that the Committee held a hearing with the leader and another member of the Burundian delegation to the 124th Assembly,

Recalling that, in its resolution of October 2010, it expressed the view that an on‑site mission would be helpful in making progress towards a settlement of these cases and asked the Secretary General to take the necessary steps to that end,

Considering that, according to the Burundian delegation, efforts are under way to solve the cases: the National Assembly has set up a working group on the human rights of parliamentarians and mandated it to examine cases relating to members of the previous legislature, including those concerned; the parliamentary authorities have questioned the Minister of Justice about these cases and impressed on him the need to speed up the criminal cases pending against the three former members of parliament concerned; considering that the delegation confirmed an earlier statement by the President of the National Assembly that a mission organized in close cooperation with the National Assembly was welcome, but that more time would be needed to settle these cases,

1. Thanks the delegation of Burundi for its cooperation and for the information it provided;

2. Is gratified by the efforts the National Assembly has undertaken with a view to a settlement of the cases in question; is convinced that a mission would do much to assist the National Assembly in these efforts and contribute significantly to the long-desired satisfactory settlement;

3. Requests the Secretary General therefore to organize this mission in close cooperation with the National Assembly as early as possible;

4. Requests the Committee to continue examining this case and report to it at its next session, to be held on the occasion of the 125th IPU Assembly (October 2011), in the light of such results as the mission may have achieved.

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