OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
19 - 25 September 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS

Education: further to the Burundi presidential decision to free
education in primary schools, the number of enrolment has critically
increased in most areas. This has resulted in an increase in needs
related to classrooms, equipment, teaching staff and material. The
Government has issued a request to meet these needs. UN agencies and
donors met to discuss joint actions to be undertaken immediately to
address the needs. During a meeting with the Government on the issue,
agencies and donors agreed to support the Government's policy, to
prepare a UN-wide response and advised the GoB to explore supporting
funding mechanisms within the framework of the budget support agreements
already signed with some donors. In the meantime, a number of
interventions in the education sector are currently under preparation to
meet additional needs for school classrooms, text books and other school
materials. These interventions will be included in the 2006 CAP, which
is currently being finalized. In some places, figures have doubled. In
some areas like Kayongoro and Nyanza-Lac (Makamba Province), the problem
is acute due to the fact that both places record high number of refugee
returns.

Demobilization: as of 22 September, the Security Sector
Reform/Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (SS/DDR) of the
United Nations Operation in Burundi (UNOB) reports that a total of
16,552 ex-combatants have been demobilized. The disarming and disbanding
of gardiens de la paix and militants combattants resumed on 12 September
and the process has been completed both in Muramvya and Gitega
provinces. A total of 2,529 militia members (including 1,326 gardiens de
la paix and 1,203 militants combatants) have been disbanded and have
received the one-off service allowance of 100,000 Burundi Francs. In the
process, 120 weapons and 34 grenades were handed over to the FDN
(National Defence Force).

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Food security: the distribution of seeds, tools and seeds protection
rations are under way. UN agencies FAO and WFP and their partners have
already covered the three fourths of the 150,000 targeted beneficiaries.
In order to increase access to seeds for the vulnerable, the
FAO/Emergency Coordination Unit (ECU) and CRS have organized a seeds
fair in Bujumbura, Cankuzo, Ruyigi, Gitega, and Makamba.

Protection/Human Rights:

- Ligue Iteka, a national human rights association, has registered a
rape case on a woman that was attributed to two policemen in Makamba.
Investigations are under way. In addition, several domestic cases are
reported in Nyanza-Lac.

- The issue over land conflict between displaced and repatriated
families in Muyange area (Nyanza-Lac) may be solved shortly. A meeting
gathering parties to the conflict (displaced and repatriated families),
the provincial governor and representative of the National Commission
for war-affected persons (CNRS) recommended identification of the
displaced families and assistance with iron sheets to cover their houses
to support their reinstallation in their zones of origin. The relocation
should be completed by end December 2005.

Non food items: following household lootings that were perpetrated in
Bukeye Commune (Muramvya Province), CRS conducted a mission to validate
the list of beneficiaries. A total of 372 families have been identified
for the coming distribution.

Food aid update: over the last two weeks, WFP has assisted 321,664
beneficiaries with 2,569 MT of food.

Refugee returns: as of 25 September, UNHCR reports 46,094 facilitated
and 1,245 spontaneous returnees since January 2005. Total: 47,339.
During the reporting week, 2,352 Burundian refugees returned to their
home country.

|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Province| CUM 05 | CUM 04 | CUM 03 | CUM 02 | CUM 02-05|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Bubanza |     169|     282|     356|     211|     1.018|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Buja    |   1.015|   1.413|   2.058|   1.192|     5.678|
|Mairie  |        |        |        |        |          |
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Buja    |     257|     419|   1.707|     971|     3.354|
|Rural   |        |        |        |        |          |
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Bururi  |     872|   1.648|   5.268|   3.649|    11.437|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Cankuzo |     962|   2.879|   8.361|   1.453|    13.655|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Cibitoke|     463|     348|     937|     601|     2.349|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Gitega  |   1.230|   2.730|   2.952|   1.257|     8.169|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Karuzi  |   2.487|   5.925|   3.910|   1.882|    14.204|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Kayanza |     408|   1.004|     736|     356|     2.504|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Kirundo |   5.653|   6.194|   4.147|   6.633|    22.627|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Makamba |  12.780|  11.975|  19.611|   4.418|    48.784|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Muramvya|     406|     820|     949|     130|     2.305|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Muyinga |   9.292|  12.676|  11.988|  20.152|    54.108|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Mwaro   |      21|      54|      57|      11|       143|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Ngozi   |   1.548|   2.737|   1.758|   1.838|     7.881|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Rutana  |   3.193|   7.850|   4.312|   2.065|    17.420|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Ruyigi  |   6.583|  31.370|  13.247|   6.438|    57.638|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|
|Total   |  47.339|  90.327|  82.366|  53.283|   273.315|
|--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+----------|


Security and Access

Cibitoke: an armed attack aiming at theft was perpetrated against a
household in Rugombo on 19 September overnight.

Bubanza: increase in attacks on demobilized persons has been reported
during the reporting period. In Bubanza Commune, a demobilized
ex-combatant, his wife and their child were killed on 19 September.
Meanwhile, Musigati Commune remains inaccessible to humanitarian actors
due to insecurity generated by the presence of FNL elements.

Bujumbura Rural: fighting took place between FNL rebels and FDN forces
in Muyira Zone (Kanyosha Commune) on 20 September overnight. Three
civilians were reportedly shot dead and households looted. Due to the
presence of FNL rebels, temporary displacement of the population fearing
rebel attacks was noted in Muhuta and Nyabiraba communes. In Muhuta
Commune, families from Buringa area fearing rebel attacks spent the
night (20 September) in the premises of Rutongo Zone office. In
Mbare-Gasarara in Nyabiraba Commune, around 100 families who hid in the
bush returned to their homes the same day. Meanwhile, access to the
communes of Muhuta, Kanyosha and Bugarama was hampered by poor road
conditions.

Bujumbura Town: gunfire was heard in the neighbourhoods of Kinama and
Kanyosha. Household looting blamed on FNL rebels was reported.

For Information

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

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