OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
27 February - 5 March 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS

Emergency Programme: On 28 February the Burundian Government presented
an Emergency Programme to the diplomatic community in Burundi. It serves
as a bridge programme to support the transition from humanitarian
programmes towards development under the Poverty Reduction Strategy. The
one-year Emergency Programme covers 5 main areas (food aid, access to
basic services, reintegration, good governance and budget support) and
amounts to 168,215,650 US$.

Joint Visit by UN Agency Heads: As part of their joint visit to the
Great Lakes Region, the High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr Antonio
Guterres and the Directors of UNICEF and WFP, Ms Ann Veneman and Mr
James Morris, came to Burundi on 1 and 2 March. Their main focus was on
reintegration and recovery as well as emergency food aid efforts. They
held consultation with the Government, the United Nations Country Team
and went on a field visit to Gatumba zone (Bujumbura Rural).

Food insecurity: Despite food aid distributed by WFP and partners, the
food security situation remains disconcerting mainly in Northern and
Eastern provinces. Continuous internal and cross-border displacement of
the population continues to be part of the coping strategies. Around
7,900 Burundian asylum seekers were reported in Tanzania. Meanwhile, 131
internally displaced persons were registered in Cankuzo coming from
Kirundo. However, many more internal movements remain unrecorded.

In Ruyigi, a caterpillar pest ravaged crop largely in Gisuru, Kinyinya
and Nyabitsinda communes, which aggravated the situation further. FAO
was able to send 500 litres worth of insecticides as a first response
for 10 affected provinces.

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Rwandan Asylum Seekers: An estimated 20,000 Rwandan asylum seekers are
reported in sites in Northern provinces but only 8,262 Rwandan asylum
seekers have been registered.

Health, Cholera update: the cholera situation has been brought under
control in the affected provinces: Cibitoke, Bujumbura Rural, Bururi,
Bujumbura Mairie and Makamba.

Food security, agricultural season 2006B: Seeds and seed protection
rations continued to be delivered nationwide by FAO and its partners. In
Bubanza, vulnerable families including returnees and IDPs received seeds
assistance.

Returnees: During the reporting week, UNHCR has repatriated 251
returnees including 243 facilitated and 8 spontaneous. As of 5 March,
UNHCR had registered 1,948 Burundians returning form exile, i.e. 1,820
facilitated and 128 spontaneous returns.

Assistance to the displaced: Further to torrential rains which destroyed
150 houses and 2 schools in Kabezi and Kanyosha communes, CRS and UNICEF
conducted evaluation and response missions on 1 and 2 March to the
affected areas. In Nyarusange (Gitega) IDP site, the rainstorm damaged
houses leaving 10 families without shelter. While waiting for a more
sustainable solution, UNICEF provided plastic sheeting through OCHA at
the end of the reporting week.

Food aid distribution: WFP distributed 668 MT of food aid to 142,773
beneficiaries

PROTECTION, ACCESS AND SECURITY

Bujumbura Rural: FNL combatants allegedly perpetrated widespread looting
of household and crops as well as summary execution of persons suspected
of collaboration with the National Defence Forces (FDN). Meanwhile, FDN
soldiers were blamed for the destruction of houses, arbitrary arrests,
and illegal detention of persons suspected of collaboration with the
FNL.

On 5 March, 3 persons from the same family in Nyambuye Zone (Isale
commune) were killed in separate incidents by armed persons supposedly
FNL rebels. On the same day, another person from Muyira zone was killed
by unknown assailants. Four other persons were allegedly killed by FNL
rebels in Mutambu on 26 February and Kanyosha on the night of 3 to 4
March. In Bubanza, looting of household property and crops was reported
in the communes of Gihanga, Mpanda and Musigati. Officials attributed
the crimes to FNL rebels and armed bandits.

Over the reporting week, ongoing improvement of humanitarian access was
noted on the level of all communes. However, due to the presumed
presence of FNL rebels in Martyazo (Mubimbi) authorities advised against
missions into the area.

COORDINATION

Cibitoke: The provincial coordination meeting was held on 2 March.

For more information:

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

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