OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
28 April - 4 May 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Population displacement in the Commune of Isale/Bujumbura Rural

Following clashes between national military forces (FDN) and the FNL that
led to the displacement of populations, a joint humanitarian mission
visited the zone of Rushubi/Commune of Isale/Bujumbura Rural Province to
evaluate the humanitarian situation of IDPs. The mission which consisted
of UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, Human Rights Section/BINUB, UNDSS, Protection
Civile and OCHA; met with the Governor of the Province, the Communal
Administrator, Head of the FDN unit in Rushubi and humanitarian partners
on the ground.

Main Findings:

- Local authorities distributed rice (40 MT) to 4,800 households.

- Populations claim to have left their collines in a hurry without taking
any NFIs such as cooking utensils or blankets.

- Over 80% of the IDPs are women and children while men were either
working in Bujumbura or hiding away to avoid being mistaken for FNL
combatants or other.

- According to local authorities, there might be 4,000 other displaced
households in the Communes of Nyabiraba and Kanyosha.

- The mission noticed the availability of fresh food stuff at reasonable
prices although they might still be expensive for displaced populations
with limited money.

- Hygiene (including toilets) does not seem to be problematic for now.

Humanitarian needs:

- Populations demanded non-food items; jerrycans, blankets, assistance in
the construction of their homes upon return and free medical care.

Attempts towards return:

- The administrator confirmed to have tried to persuade populations to
return but the latter declined because gun shots are still being heard
from the collines where military presences remains high.

- They refuse to return while the FDN is still present in their collines.
This obviously raises protection questions.

- They will consider returning upon request of their Head of colline and
also if the latter escorts them.

- Some IDPs who returned to their collines realised that their houses had
been occupied by the FDN.

Conclusion:

- Contrary to initial figures, the number of displaced persons in Rushubi
is lower than 25,000 persons and would be an estimated 5,000 IDPs.

- IDPs would like to return to their collines but await the leadership of
their Head of collline.

- Populations are not anxious and the majority seems to have settled in
host families.

- The distribution of food items is not a priority for now but might
become one if they are obliged to stay for a longer period.

- If necessary, the parish which presently inhabits about a hundred people
can still accommodate about 2,000 more.

- All assistance should be geared towards enabling the return of IDPs to
their respective collines.

- There is no humanitarian emergency for now.

Assistance to displaced persons in the Commune of Isale

In collaboration with the Burundi Red Cross, ICRC distributed the
following items to displaced populations in the Commune of Isale.

- 2000 blankets
- 750 jerrycans (5 and 10 l.)
- 1000 bars of soap (800 gr.)

These non-food items were distributed to the most vulnerable persons
particularly; families with young children, older persons and
unaccompanied children. The ICRC also rehabilitated 10 water points and
registered children who arrived in Isale without their parents; in view of
a family reunification in due course. ICRC teams continue to monitor the
situation very closely and to evaluate complimentary needs in the Commune
of Isale as well as in other Communes of the Province.

SAP/SSA alerts a precarious agricultural situation

Information received from SAP/SSA (Food Security Early Warning and
Surveillance System in Burundi) alerts a precarious agricultural situation
in the country. Several factors directly hinder good harvests for
agricultural season 2008B and seeds harvested in April/May. These factors
include: insufficient rainfall, climatic changes and security issues. The
sudden stop in rainfall happened at a very crucial time during the late
planting stage of beans which is the main food crop during the cycle B
season (grown in 35 to 75%) which began in late February. These plants
still required more rain until at least May ending. They are now in dire
need of water (see picture 2-Imbo) meanwhile, the plants were growing
normally a month earlier (see picture 1-Gitega). In other regions such as
the Commune of Mugina/Cibitoke Province, the drought is aggravating the
agricultural situation which had already been affected by other climatic
conditions such as hailstones. Excessive rainfall in some areas over the
month of March affected seeds very early on. Apart from beans, maize
planted in the Imbo plain and sorghum in the Bugesera/Kirundo Province,
Buyenzi/NgozI Province, Bweru/Muyinga and Karuzi Provinces and
Moso/Eastern regions are also affected by early drought. Sweet potato and
potato plants also face the adverse condition of insufficient rainfall.
Considering this situation, a severe food shortage is in view particularly
in zones where rain shortage is coupled with other factors. This is
particularly the case in Bujumbura Rural and some zones in the Provinces
of Kayanza, Bubanza and Cibitoke which are equally faced with clashes
between FDN and FNL forces. Zones with high Burundian refugee return rates
should be closely monitored. A joint mission (national authorities and UN)
is scheduled from 12 to 17 May to evaluate the situation of crops and
identify the most affected zones.

Food aid

WFP supplied 177 MT of food aid to 18,151 beneficiaries in the country.
WFP equally carried out an evaluation on the impact of the increase in
food prices on beneficiaries in Burundi. Findings will initially be
discussed during the (GSAN) Food Security and Nutrition thematic group
meeting in view of setting up an effective plan to mitigate the effects of
the increase in prices on populations.

Repatriation of Burundian refugees

During the reporting week, UNHCR facilitated the return of 1,251 Burundian
refugees from Tanzania with convoys arriving through: Mabanda/Makamba
Province from old settlement villages (214 persons); (280 persons)
arriving through Kobero/Muyinga Province and (757 persons) through
Gisuru/Ruyigi Province.

Assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania The Government project for
the reintegration of war-affected persons (PARESI) registered 220
Burundians expelled from Tanzania who arrived through the entry points of:
Kobero/Muyinga Province 80 persons (30 families), Mishiha/Cankuzo Province
24 persons (12 families) and Gisuru/Ruyigi Province 116 persons (49
families).

Disputes mediation

The Legal Aid Clinic Project of the African Centre for the Constructive
Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) successfully mediated four 4 disputes in
the Communes of Mabanda, Gisuru, Butaganzwa, and Bukemba. Out of 4 cases,
3 were related to land and 1 related to civil law (contract). In addition,
2 people received legal advice from ACCORD where after they were referred
to either Avocats sans Frontieres (ASF)(a partner organization), or to
relevant judiciary institutions. These initiatives assist towards the
reintegration of returnees into communities, the promotion of
reconciliation and the protection of returnees.

Upcoming activity

Assistance to demobilized child soldiers Over the week end, UNICEF will
send relief materials to the Gitega Demobilization Centre for the two
hundred and four child soldiers, recently released by so-called
'dissidents' from Burundi's last rebel group, the Palipehutu-FNL. Each
child will receive two sets of shirts and trousers, sportswear and a pair
of slippers. The World Food Programme will provide additional food
supplies to the stock already delivered by UNICEF. The children requested
these items during the visit of UNICEF Acting Representative, Fran=E7oise
Gruloos. During the visit, UNICEF explained the process of family
reunification and reinsertion into their communities. Most of them know
their communities of origin. The only girl among them has been separated
from the boys. The children were released to a team of government, UNICEF,
BINUB and African Union officials from the dissidents' camps in Randa and
Buramata, north of Bujumbura on 25 April; following eight months of
negotiations. Between 2004 and 2006, UNICEF supported the government to
demobilize and reintegrate 3,013 child soldiers from government and other
armed groups.

For more information:
E-mail: fultangl@un.org
Tel: +257 22 20 5000 Ext. 5003

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