OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
28 November - 4 December 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES
Health:

A national vaccination campaign against measles was conducted over the
reporting week.

The number of malaria cases increased significantly in Ngozi, Makamba,
Gitega and Muramvya without crossing the threshold of an epidemic.
Health partners and district health offices were intervening jointly.
The situation is under control. Meanwhile, a malaria epidemic has been
declared in Gahombo Commune (Kayanza Province). Patients are receiving
treatment at their homes; mosquito nets impregnated with insecticide are
also being distributed.

Food security: On 28 November a joint press conference was held by the
Ministry of Agriculture, WFP, FAO, UNICEF and OCHA in order to
communicate a coherent statement and evaluation on the prevailing food
security situation. This was done to avoid a repetition of events in
2004 and early 2005 when misleading messages about "famines" sparked
confusion. The current situation was described as food shortage which is
serious and disconcerting. FAO and WFP have increased efforts to respond
to the crisis. FAO will distribute a variety of seeds to an additional
50,000 households and WFP will increase its monthly food distribution to
between 7,500 and 8,500 MT for the period from December 2005 to February
2006. This life saving activity will cover immediate needs but cannot
address structural food security issues. Meanwhile, the situation in
some communes in Eastern Burundi is worsening. Authorities in Ruyigi
Province reported that over 700 persons had crossed the border to
Tanzania in search of food. The movement, however, still has to be read
against the backdrop of seasonal movement of labour to neighbouring
countries.

Diseases such as cassava mosaic, the delayed and erratic rainfalls as
well as a bad harvest during the 2005B period have contributed to the
deterioration of the situation. The most affected communes were being
determined on basis of data collected by local agronomists /
administration authorities, WFP, FAO and partners in supplementary
nutrition centres. In order to address the issue UNICEF, WFP, FAO
(Emergency) and NGOs met on 30 November. Discussions covered an update
on the food security and nutritional situation, implemented activities,
pending responses, and the coordination of anthropometric surveys to be
conducted shortly.

Returnees / Refugees:

As of 5 December 2005, UNHCR had repatriated 66,816 persons including
65,322 facilitated and 1494 spontaneous returnees. During the reporting
week, UNHCR facilitated the return of 425 refugees and registered 45
spontaneous returns. However the number of returnees has dropped
significantly since the month of October 2005.

On 29 November 206 Congolese refugees were transferred from Cibitoke
Province to Gasorwe camp in Muyinga province. They had been arriving
from South Kivu throughout the month of November due to fighting in the
Kamanyola area. Of the 206, 132 were in Rugombo commune and 74 in other
areas of the province. Of the latter 20 were new arrivals whereas 54
belonged to a group of Congolese refugees that had been staying in the
area since closure of the Mugarama transit centre in mid 2004. This was
the last transfer of new arrivals as the influx had stopped.

Food Aid Distribution, Assistance to the vulnerable in Makamba Province:
WFP has delivered assistance to 24,420 vulnerable families in Kayogoro
and Nyanza-Lac communes through its partner CARE International. The
distribution will continue and will cover all the remaining communes.
Food aid distributed includes maize, beans and oil. WFP Country Office
(CO) distributed 1,641 MT of food aid to 214,138 beneficiaries
nationwide.

PROTECTION, SECURITY AND ACCESS

Displacement of population, Bujumbura Rural: According to the local
authorities in Nyabiraba Commune, around 200 families have spent the
night near military positions for over one month now as they distanced
themselves from the FNL movement. The population in Kanyosha Commune
(Bujumbura Rural) was temporarily displaced on 1 December following
military operations against FNL rebels. Arrests of people suspected of
sympathising or supporting FNL continue. On 28 November, the National
Police set up three check points and arrested a total of 91 persons in
Ruziba (80), Muyira (10) and Gihosha Rural (1).

Public Information:

Update on 16 days of activism against sexual violence: The campaign
started on 25 November and is being carried out nationwide. During the
reporting week, awareness activities were conducted for secondary school
students in the provinces of Makamba, Bururi, Rutana and Bujumbura
Mairie. Issues raised by students included availability of Post Exposure
Kits and legal, medical and psychological assistance for the victims.
The sub-offices of OCHA and UNHCR in Makamba were appointed to
coordinate the activities in Rutana Province.

Demobilization: During the reporting week, the Ministry of National
Defence and Ex-Combatants has transmitted a list of 563 to the
ES/DDR/SSR of the ONUB section for demobilization. The Ministry of
National Defense has indicated that they would need to take an
additional 2,592 people off their payroll in order to reach the agreed
target of demobilizing 30,000 by the end of 2005.

Security: On 4 December, FNL rebels reportedly attacked the military
position of Kigina in Nyabiraba Commune (Bujumbura Rural). The attack
claimed the lives of 8 persons including 7 civilians and one soldier; 11
persons were injured.

For Information

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

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International                  web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information             listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                   guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -