OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
11 - 17 Oct 2004


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES

FAO assistance to the vulnerable

Over the reporting week, FAO supplied 125,500 vulnerable families (circa
627,500 persons) with emergency seed assistance comprising beans, maize,
vegetables and hoes in the provinces of Bubanza, Bujumbura Rural, Bururi,
Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Kayanza, Karuzi, Gitega, Muyinga, Rutana and Ruyigi. In
the seeds multiplication program for agricultural season 2005-A,
fertilizers and selected seeds comprising beans, potatoes, soybean,
peanuts and maize were distributed to 31 partners nationwide, including
provincial departments for agriculture and livestock, international and
national NGOs as well as agricultural associations. In order to support
target groups, namely school children and demobilized children, 5 mt of
seeds, 2 mt of fertilizers and other tools were distributed.

"Back-to-School" program officially launched

On 14 October, a "Back-to-School" campaign was officially launched at
Nyabitare primary school in Burundi's eastern province of Ruyigi by the
Government of Burundi (GoB), supported by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
in collaboration with other UN agencies. The objective is to boost primary
school enrolment in Burundi, where the net school enrolment rate is only
56 percent. The campaign is targeting approximately 440,000 children
through the distribution of 350 mt of basic school materials.

"This is an important day for the Government of Burundi, the United
Nations and for our partners as the "Back-to-School" campaign represents
an integrated part of our common efforts aiming at the return to peace and
reconciliation," said the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ibrahima
D. Fall. The distribution of school materials is complemented by other
activities, such as rehabilitation of classrooms and water/sanitation
facilities in schools; the introduction/extension of school canteens;
support to school gardens; and provision of school benches, student
textbooks, teachers' manuals, blackboards, de-worming tablets and
uniforms. These activities are conducted by UNICEF and other UN agencies
such as UNHCR, UNESCO, WHO and WFP. The UN peacekeeping mission in Burundi
(ONUB), and the Tanzanian Government through its embassy in Bujumbura,
contributed to security measures taken during transportation of materials.

Unmet needs at IDP sites in Ruyigi and Cankuzo; aid for 491 food-insecure
IDP families

During the reporting week, OCHA conducted a number of visits to IDP sites
in Ruyigi and Cankuzo provinces to assess the humanitarian situation. The
most striking instance was found in the Musha area of Gisuru Commune,
Ruyigi Province, during a joint mission with ONUB, the National Commission
for the Rehabilitation of vulnerable persons (CNRS) and national NGO
Maison Shalom. Located some 75 km northeast of Ruyigi, the sites are
difficult to access, owing to poor road conditions and dilapidated log
bridges. Residents noted inadequate health care and education facilities
as their main areas of concern, while shelter needs were also obvious:
stick huts covered by wild grass which provide little protection from the
elements - of particular concern given the onset of the rainy season.
Also, the huts are highly vulnerable to fire, which could spread rapidly
due to the close proximity of dwellings. IDPs sleep on exposed dirt
floors.

In neighboring Cankuzo Province, while the overall situation was found to
be less dire, a great deal remains to be done, especially in the domains
of health and education. At Bunyerere site, 38 km east of Cankuzo town,
the nearest health center is at a distance of 15 km, habitations are
substandard, and income-generating activities are sorely needed. At the
nearby Twinkwavu site, which has nearly become a permanent village - a
trend common to IDP sites throughout the region - the local primary school
is overwhelmed by an ever-increasing enrolment of students who have
returned from refugee camps in Tanzania. As a result, the school day has
been divided into two separate half-day sessions, with class sizes nearing
100 students each - merely one example of an all-too-typical situation
nationwide. Meanwhile, at the Cendajuru site, located some 25 km from
Cankuzo town, the population has no access to public health service.

In related news, a joint Catholic Relief Services/World Food
Programme/OCHA assessment mission was conducted in Minago area of Bururi
Province to review the food security of the 491 families that fled
fighting in Bujumbura Rural Province. The mission concluded that the
families were in need of food assistance between November 2004 and
February 2005. A food ration of twenty days will be provided during the
determined period and follow-up of their food security situation will be
ensured, WFP reported.

Refugees update

As of 17 October, 85,212 Burundian refugees (including 79,581 facilitated
and 5,631 spontaneous returnees) had returned to the country, according to
UNHCR.

While most refugees residing in Karurama agreed to be relocated to the
Gihinga camp in Mwaro Province, 61 families who were to be relocated to
the Gasorwe camp in Muyinga Province refused, saying they wanted to go to
Mwaro as agreed with both the GoB and UNHCR. Also during the week,
representatives of protesters opposed to the return of Congolese
Banyamulenge refugees, military and civil authorities in South Kivu
Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reached an
agreement over entry in to Uvira of over 1,000 refugees assembled in
no-man's land between Gatumba (Burundi) and Kavimvira (DRC) border posts.

Meanwhile, on 10 October, Dr Jean Minani, Chairman of the National
Transitional Assembly, travelled to Tanzania to discuss the issue of
Burundian refugees who are detained in that country, accused of belonging
to armed groups that attack Burundi, Radio Publique Africaine (RPA)
reported.

SECURITY INCIDENTS

Cankuzo Province: on 10 October, RPA reported the murder of former Bweru
Commune administrator Leopold Rugoke.

Bujumbura Rural Province: around 300 families from the collines of
Nyambuye, Gishingano and Nyakibande were looted. The incident was blamed
on the allied forces of the Burundian Army (FAB) and Pierre Nkurunziza's
FDD (Forces pour la Defense de la Democratie), who were accused of
stealing kitchen utensils, money, food and mobile phones.

On the night of 12-13 October, the head of Remba Colline, Nyambuye Zone,
was reported killed by yet unidentified persons.

LATEST EVENTS AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS

The head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) travelled
to Uganda to meet with representatives of regional Heads of State to
discuss the electoral schedule and necessary funds to hold elections. This
was followed by the regional Heads of State meeting on Burundi, held in
Nairobi on 15 October, during which the CENI presented a proposed revised
electoral calendar, which was endorsed by leaders. The timetable is as
follows: constitutional referendum on 26 November; local elections on 9
February 2005; communal elections on 23 February; legislative elections on
9 March; senatorial elections on 23 March; and presidential elections on
22 April. CENI Chairman Paul Ngarambe noted, however, that these dates
were subject to change, depending on factors such as the availability of
funds and security conditions.

In a letter to the Minister of Justice, the Baganwa group (Burundi "noble
class") protested against failure to recognize their unique identity in
the draft post-transition constitution, RPA reported. For its part, Radio
Bonesha reported that the Baganwa claim that they are not Bahutu, Batutsi
or Batwa, and are calling for recognition as the 4th ethnic group in
Burundi.

Following the flight of some Kirundo Province residents to neighboring
Rwanda, Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye travelled to Bugabira
Commune on 11 October in an effort to calm the population, who were in a
state of panic due to volatile political discourse on the eve of
elections, which have since been postponed. On the same day, UPRONA party
chairman Jean Baptiste Manwangari was interrogated by the General
Prosecutor for two hours, after being accused of insulting the Head of
State, leading a subversive campaign in Kirundo Province and disseminating
threats. Manwangari denied the charges, saying they were ill-founded,
national radio RTNB reported.

The 27th political party, "Party for the Promotion of the Toiling Masses"
(PML) - and the first party to be headed by women - was registered on 11
October.

Burundians commemorated the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of
Prince Louis Rwagasore, a hero of national independence.

On 13 October, Vice President Alphonse-Marie Kadege met with Akich Okola,
a UN representative on human rights in Burundi, who urged respect of human
rights in the country, RTNB reported.

National human rights NGO Ligue Iteka criticized the CENI, saying it was
not acceptable that sub-regional leaders be the first informed about the
new electoral schedule instead of the Burundian people. Ligue Iteka also
questioned the true independence of the CENI.

The Governor of Kirundo Province called for food assistance, noting that
current shortages in certain areas were the cause of the departure of some
residents to neighboring Rwanda, in addition to panic resulting from
discordant political discourse, Bonesha Radio reported.

The PA-Amasekanya legal representative appeared before a judge on 14
October, accused of insulting the Head of State and undermining security,
Isanganiro Radio reported.

COORDINATION

A strategy-setting meeting of key donors involved in piloting the Good
Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) initiative was held in Burundi during the
reporting week. It was attended by representatives from the UK's
Department for International Development (DFID); the European Commission's
Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO); the Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency (SIDA); the US Agency for International
Development/Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA); the
Belgian, French and Swiss cooperation offices; the Dutch government; the
Canadian government; and the World Bank. In their meeting with the
Humanitarian Coordinator and OCHA following the meeting, donors noted that
substantive improvements had been made in the Common Humanitarian Strategy
(CHAP) and Consolidated Annual Appeals (CAP) process and preparation
compared to 2003-2004, especially in needs assessment and priority
identification, with increased NGO and ICRC participation. Donors
requested the HC to use the CHAP as the primary reference for CAP
projects. Donors also requested OCHA to continue to take the lead as the
main body for humanitarian information compilation and analysis. They
requested the HC to ensure that agencies contribute to information
coordination efforts without introducing parallel systems.

For further information and contributions to future updates:

Matthew Conway and Adelaide Habonimana
OCHA Information Unit
E-mail: conwaym@un.org and habonimanaa@un.org

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