September 17, 2016
The U.S. Embassy has received information that a crowd is gathering this morning at Gare du Nord to celebrate the anniversary of the elections. From there the crowd may march to the Place de l’Independance. This is anticipated to be a peaceful event that should be over by mid- to late-afternoon.
Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. The U.S. Embassy is advising citizens to avoid areas where gatherings are taking place and exercise caution when in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations.
Review your personal security plans, remain aware of your surroundings, including local events, and monitor local news stations for updates. Be vigilant and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security.
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for Burundi.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Bujumbura, located at Avenue des Etats-Unis and Avenue du Cinquantenaire in Bujumbura, Burundi, by email at BujumburaC@state.gov, or at +257-22-20-7000 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +257-22-20-7318, or +257-79-938-841.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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