OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
11 - 17 April 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Highlights

UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF jointly signed action plans of 2005-2007
cooperation programmes with the Government of Burundi (Press release
issued in Bujumbura on 13 April 2005). The current cooperation
programmes were formulated within the framework of the implementation of
the 2005-2007 United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF),
which constitutes the common UN response to the Burundi priorities
throughout the transition as designed in the 2003 UN Common Country
Assessment.

Improvement of access to eastern and southern provinces: the UN World
Food Programme resumed humanitarian flights at Gihofi airstrip located
in Bukemba Commune, Rutana province. The airstrip was rehabilitated by
WFP through its Food for Work programme to facilitate access of the
humanitarian organisations to eastern and southern provinces (Rutana,
Makamba and Bururi). Gihofi airstrip was closed in October 1999
following the murder of two UN staff in Muzye (Rutana) close to the
airstrip.

Activities and Updates

Food aid distribution update: WFP supplied an overall 517 tons of food
assistance last week. The revision of the caseload benefiting from
targeted rations has been the most important activity carried out to
ensure forthcoming distributions reach the neediest in different
provinces. In Gitega, Ruyigi, Makamba and Kayanza provinces, WFP teams
conducted public validation of the lists and included the most
vulnerable persons who were left unregistered for assistance. The WFP
staff continued to meet with partners and local authorities to get them
sensitised on the targeting criteria.

Assistance to IDPs in site/Reintegration efforts in Ruyigi Province:
supported by the German Government, the project for the reinsertion of
war-affected persons (APRS/GTZ) continues its programme aiming to assist
war-affected persons in the communes of Butezi and Butaganzwa in Ruyigi
Province. To this end, through its 1,000 houses programme, 16 families
in the site of Muriza (Butaganzwa Commune) who expressed their
willingness to return to their collines of origin were targeted as
beneficiaries. In collaboration with the local authorities and community
representatives, other families (including displaced persons, returnees
and the Batwa) were also identified to meet the programme. In order to
ensure access to basic services namely health and education for
war-affected persons, the project has started the construction of four
primary schools and three health centres in the same communes.

The Committee on Food Aid (CFA) was held on 15 April. WFP reported an
increase in the assistance through its FFW project in Kirundo, Muyinga
and Ngozi. With regard to the new targeting system, WFP requested
support from NGOs. ACF has reported an increase in admissions in the
therapeutic feeding centre in Kayanza and Ngozi provinces.

Refugee returns: As of 17 April, UNHCR reports 8,914 facilitated and 789
spontaneous returnees. Total: 9,703 returnees.

Movements of population: following Ruyigi Province Governor's request to
stop movements of population from Burundi's northern provinces, around
200 families out of 430 are ready to return to their provinces of
origin. To this end, the Governor has requested logistical support and
assistance from the Ministry of Reinsertion, Reintegration of Displaced
Persons and Repatriates. Meanwhile, collaboration was requested from
northern provincial authorities in order to stop the population movement
towards Ruyigi.

Security and access

Bujumbura Rural: attacks on households continue to be reported in the
communes of the province. During the night of 13 to 14 April, FNL rebels
allegedly attacked households in Carama area, in Mutimbuzi Commune. One
person was reportedly killed and several families were looted.

Coordination

Sexual violence: chaired by UNFPA, lead agency, the sexual violence
thematic group held its monthly coordination meeting on 14 April. A
guest speaker, Advisor in the Ministry of Justice presented "the
criminal legislation and sexual violence in Burundi". On the whole, it
appeared that the Burundi criminal legislation remains poor with regard
to legal assistance in case of sexual violence and that judges need to
be sensitized on the importance of the damage such as in case of
HIV/AIDS contamination. Activities undertaken by the Government through
the Ministry of Justice in order to suppress the crime on sexual
violence include: acceleration of legal proceedings through transport of
witnesses and victims, training/ raising awareness for
judges/magistrates with regard to sexual violence and the preparation of
a law against sexual violence.

Habitat thematic group: the UN-CIR (Inter-agency Cell for the
Reinsertion of War-affected persons) conducted a mission in the
provinces of Ruyigi, Makamba and Karuzi (12-14 April). In a meeting held
in Ruyigi on 12 April, with regard to expected community participation,
some of the recommendations made included: standardization of
intervention approaches taking into account that the vulnerable be fully
supported and appealing to mechanisms such as the WFP Food for Work
(FFW) project in order to encourage community participation in this
programme. The meeting held in Ruyigi will be extended to other
provinces.

The weekly Contact Group meeting was held on 13 April. UNDP senior
Technical Advisor presented the project on 'Microfinance capacity
building in Burundi' focussing on issues to be addressed, components of
the project and expected results.

Focal point: the next provincial coordination meeting in Bujumbura Rural
Province will be held on 22 April.

For Information

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

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