The principle law enforcement agency inBurundi is theNational Police of Burundi (French:Police nationale du Burundi,PNB). The police falls within the jurisdiction of theMinistry of Public Security.[1] It is separate from theNational Intelligence Service (SNR), the stateintelligence agency.
UnderBelgian colonial rule (1916–62), law enforcement in Burundi was the responsibility of a small unit of theForce Publique which was agendarmerie with a combined military function from theBelgian Congo. Its members were popularly known asBamina in Burundi, after the large military base atKamina in the Congo.[2]
Law enforcement fell under the mandate of the newly created National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie nationale) after Burundian independence in 1962. Although initially civilian-led, this became part of the army under the military dictatorships after 1967. A separate civilian police force was re-established in 1990 as the Public Security Police (Police de sécurité publique) which co-existed with the Gendarmerie.[2]
The PNB was founded in December 2004, following the end of theBurundian Civil War and theArusha Accords. Its stated objectives are the maintenance of public order, the protection of the population, and the fight against organised crime.[3] Its objective was to provide a single, integrated police force under the leadership of a single Directorate-General (Direction générale), replacing the previous system of administrative fragmentation.[2] The PNB is divided into missions, dealing with separate areas as well as five regionalcommissariats. The different services in 2014 were:[3]
Most of Burundi's police force is concentrated inBujumbura, thede facto capital city, and other major urban centres.[1] The PNB members are armed, often with "Kalashnikov-type assault rifles".[1]
Burundi has been a member ofINTERPOL since 1970.[4] Burundian police have been deployed abroad as part ofUnited Nations (UN) operations in Africa.[5]
Corruption is a major problem for the PNB. According to a 2014 survey byAfrobarometer, the PNB is widely considered the most corrupt of Burundi's public services.[1]Transparency International reported that over 80 percent of Burundians believed that there was corruption within the police service in 2014.[3] The Burundian government has tried to resolve the corruption problem with the aid of foreign assistance from countries including theNetherlands.[3] Although little effectivecitizen oversight exists, there is theoretically a policeombudsman andattorney general, both tasked with dealing with complaints against police.[6] According to theUS Department of State, the Burundian National Police "is comprised largely of former rebel fighters, lacks accountability and has minimal capacity to respond to crises and investigate crimes in a just manner in accordance with human rights".[7] However, 2014 polling also indicated that 54–83 percent of Burundians had "confidence" in the PNB and approximately 65 percent of the population claim to respect the PNB and believed it is disciplined.[1]
The PNB was frequently used to suppress anti-government protests during thepopular unrest in Burundi in 2015. Police violence against protesters, both in the form of beatings and shootings, was particularly criticised byHuman Rights Watch.[8] As a response, in 2016, the UN decided to repatriate 280 Burundian police from theMINUSCA mission in theCentral African Republic because of accusations that its personnel had committed atrocities in Burundi before their departure.[5] Burundi also refused an offer by theUN Security Council to deploy 288 UN police officers to Burundi in August 2016.[9] Further abuses continued into 2018.