BURUNDI – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has launched a hard-hitting campaign to alert the public of the violence, intimidation and human rights abuses being perpetrated in Burundi by the country’s authorities, ahead of referendum on the presidential term, which takes place on 17th May.
The campaign is formed of two key parts, which were created by We Are Social France, and is designed to raise awareness about the repression that has resulted in over 1,700 deaths and 400,000 refugees forced into exile.
1. I LOVE BURUNDI
The first stage centres on an online film called #ILoveBurundi presenting Burundi as a paradise destination. The idea is to communicate exactly what the Burundi Government would want to hear by presenting the country as a beautiful destination so as to generate conversation and debate. The #ILoveBurundi film promotes the beauty of the country and was posted online and on Twitter – a popular social media platform for the Burundian Government but also for Burundian refugees around the world.
Immediately after posting the #ILoveBurundi film, as expected, Government officials and pro-Government individuals liked and shared the tweets, whilst refugees and human rights defenders rebelled on Twitter with comments like “a fascinating nature, dream landscapes. But furious leaders who play football, pray and dance in the bloodshed of thousands of innocent people”.
2. I LEAVE BURUNDI
The current cycle of violence in Burundi began in April 2015 when the first popular demonstration against President Nkurunziza’s announcement to run for a third term was repressed. This was followed by a campaign by the authorities to systematically eliminate all opposition, with the result that over 1,700 people may have been killed. Along with the over 400,000 refugees that have fled to neighbouring countries, there have been up to 486 victims of enforced disappearance, hundreds of people tortured and over 8,000 people arbitrarily detained.
#ILeaveBurundi film:
Twitter Account > https://twitter.com/DestinationBur1
CREATIVE CREDITS
Agency: We Are Social France
Founder & CEO: Sandrine Plasseraud
Executive Creative Director: Thomas Guilhot
Group Account Director: Vincent Reynaud-Lacroze
Account Manager: Pierre Chaudoy
Strategic Planner: Fabien Gaetan
Art Director: Paul Grange
Copywriters: Alexandre Foucray, Philippe Lesesvre
TV Producer: Cécile Ousset
Production: We Are Social Sutdios
Post-production: FIRM STUDIO
Director: Kentin Denoyelle
Sound production: THE
Client: FIDH
Digital Communication Officer: Anne Vesque
PR & Communication Assistant: Yvon Chagué
Press Manager: Samuel Hanryon