OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
6 - 12 December 2004


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES

1. Local NGO launches a national campaign against landmines

In collaboration with the Fondation Suisse de Deminage (FSD), the Centre
for Research and Intiatives for Dialogue (CIRID), launched a two-week tour
to the Burundian provinces aiming at raising awareness among authorities
and the population against landmines in Burundi. The Minister of Public
Security and the UN Deputy SRSG attended the launching ceremony held in
Bujumbura, on 6 December. Supported by UNICEF and FSD, CIRID organized
information/training workshops in Gitega, Ngozi and Bururi. More than 200
participants including heads of associations/administration authorities
attended these sessions. In Gitega Province, follow up actions are under
discussion among all concerned actors. The awareness campaign will be
closed by a dissemination session of overall conclusions, which will be
held in Kayanza on Friday (17 December).

2. Organizations and civil society together against sexual violence

On 11 December, thousands of people demonstrated against sexual violence
both in the capital Bujumbura and in provinces. UN agencies, international
organizations, ministries of Social Action/Women's Promotion and Health,
and civil society associations participated in the organization. The march
aimed at encouraging behaviour change. "This march has been called to
change mentalities. Up to now victims have always been treated as the
guilty ones, that's what has got to change," Joseph Mujiji of the main
Burundian human rights organization, Ligue Iteka said. Mentalities are
already changing, with more women coming forward to report rape. "Women
are stepping forward more and more to talk about it, the methods of
collecting (statistics) have improved, health care is more accessible," he
added. According to Mujiji, combatants on all sides are responsible for
most of the cases of rape.

Beyond activities completed during the campaign against sexual violence,
further activities will be undertaken in demobilization centres of Randa
(Bubanza), Muramvya and Gitega.

In a press release issued on 9 December at the closure of a
multidisciplinary training for 130 community workers from northern
neighbourhoods of the capital, the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) stressed the outstanding role of the local community in the
prevention, fight against discrimination and assistance to sexual violence
victims. Since 2002, in collaboration with health promotion technicians in
Buterere, Cibitoke, Kamenge and Kinama zones of the Bujumbura Town, ICRC
provides training in assistance to sexual violence victims for 60
traditional birth attendants. In order to improve medical assistance, a
network of referral health centres has been set up. Through these
initiatives, ICRC seeks to encourage local community's commitment in the
fight against sexual violence and discrimination of which victims continue
to suffer unfortunately.

3. UNICEF launches its yearly report on children

UNICEF's 2005 State of the World's Children report, "Childhood under
threat" was launched in London on 9 December. In Burundi, the report was
launched the same day by UNICEF's Representative Catherine Mbengue
together with the Minister of Social Action, the General Inspector of
Education and the General Director of Public Health. The ceremony took
place in the Community Kindergarten in Kanyosha, Bujumbura Town, which is
managed by the scout movement and supported by UNICEF. Ms. Mbengue,
UNICEF's representative to Burundi, said that the report refers to three
of the major and most dangerous threats faced by children today: poverty,
conflicts and HIV/AIDS. "Children in Burundi are victims of all these
dangers ?living in poverty, they are deprived even of the most basic
social services, children are the first victims in conflict and 240,000
children are orphaned due to HIV/AIDS" declared Ms. Mbengue.

4. FAO/Emergency Coordination Unit assists the vulnerable

During the week, the Emergency Coordination Unit of the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) has finalized the distribution of potato
seedlings (3,000,000) to 7,500 vulnerable families in Bujumbura rural,
Gitega, Muramvya and Ruyigi provinces. The distribution was conducted in
partnership with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),
international NGOs, ACF, GVC, Concern, Solidarites, CARE and local
associations including Bureau des Associations des Quartiers Nord (BAQN)
and the organization for the development of Giteaga archdiocese (ODAG).
6,000 vulnerable families throughout 10 provinces have received fruit
plants. Following poor rains and the cassava mosaique that has affected
several provinces, further distribution comprising 226MTs of sorghum was
completed. Kirundo Province, which was the most affected, received 25% of
the total quantity.

5. Refugee returns

As of 12 December, UNHCR reported 82,795 facilitated and 6,286 spontaneous
returnees in 2004. Total: 89,081 Y.T.D.

SECURITY

Bujumbura Rural, Kanyosha Commune: on 7 December, gunfire was heard in
Pera and Coga areas and caused temporary displacement of residents to
Kirombwe and Muyira Zone centre. A woman was wounded and humanitarian
workers could not have access to the area. According to administration
sources, FDD patrols caused this panic. Two persons (a wife and her
husband) were shot dead on Saturday evening (11 December) by FDD ex
combatants in

Ruyaga area. CNDD-FDD military spokesperson recognized the killing but
said it was by mistake.

LATEST EVENTS

After ten years of aborted attempt, a youth council was finally set up in
Burundi. The statutes of the council, which is thought to serve of
interlocutor, advocacy framework and intermediary between the youths and
partners, were signed on 9 December.

COORDINATION

Sectoral coordination: on 2 December the food security coordination
meeting was held in Kirundo Province. Participants (Provincial governor,
head of the provincial agricultural department, OCHA and INGOs CRS,
TearFund and Action Agro Allemande) discussed the rate of sowing, the
expected crop yield for agricultural season 2005A, the needs in seeds for
2005 B and food aid assistance. During the provincial coordination that
held on 9 December, participants noted that the food security situation
was worrisome. This is due to delayed and poor rains, hail storm that hit
almost all communes in November, pests that attack leafy plants like the
cassava mosaique.

Contact Group

During the last weekly information exchange meeting, OCHA presented the
=ABprovincial profiles=BB which is a standard tool for the collection,
verification, analysis, selection and dissemination for humanitarian
actors. On behalf of participants in the meeting on Bujumbura Rural, CRS
and ONUB/CIMIC jointly briefed the audience of the humanitarian and
security situation of the province on basis of information gathered on a
daily basis. Three communes namely Mubimbi, Mugongamanga and Mukike remain
secure; looting of population's property has been reported whilst the
chasing of FNL rebels among the population continues.

For Information

Adelaide Habonimana, Information Assistant
PH: (257) 910 196
E-mail: habonimanaa@un.org

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