OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
10 - 16 April 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS

Burundian asylum seekers return: In early April Burundian asylum seekers
who had fled to Tanzania due to food insecurity returned to Burundi. The
overwhelming majority originated from Gisuru commune in Ruyigi province.
To monitor their return a joint mission was fielded by UNHCR, WFP,
UNICEF, UNDP, ACF, AHA, GTZ and OCHA from 10 to 13 April.  According to
local authorities who oversee returns on the ground reported that some
11,000 Burundian asylum seekers had come back to Gisuru commune alone.
WFP's implementing partner GTZ distributed a one month food ration to
the returnees upon presentation of the ID card they were issued in
Tanzania. WFP will make available rations for 3 months to the returning
asylum seekers but instead of handing it out immediately, it is given
out on a monthly basis as a disincentive against renewed population
movements. The Government will assist those who cannot present a card
and those who stayed in Burundi but were equally affected by the food
shortage. WFP also started a vulnerability survey of the communities in
order to improve food aid distribution in order to mitigate tensions
between returning asylum seekers and those who stayed, as the former are
prioritised in receiving an assistance package.  Even though some of the
waystations in Tanzania were dismantled subsequent to the return of the
asylum seekers, there are still over 300 persons in Mugunzu waystation
who originate from Kirundo and Bujumbura Rural.

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Food security: With the support of the Belgian Embassy, FAO/Emergency
Coordination Unit (ECU) has set up new experimenting areas in Cibitoke
where a mosaic resistant variety of cassava was multiplied. During the
agricultural season 2007A, FAO/ECU will distribute this crop disease
resistant cassava to farmers associations which will be sufficient for
400 hectares nationwide.

Rwandan Asylum Seekers: Further to the announcement by the Interior
Minister on 10 April, the 52 Rwandan asylum seekers who had been granted
refugee status (out of the 1,249 who underwent refugee status
determination) were transferred to Giharo site in Rutana province. UNHCR
facilitated the voluntary return of 57 Rwandans to their country of
origin after they were denied refugee status. The remainder entered into
the appeals process.  Meanwhile, food aid was distributed to the Rwandan
Asylum Seekers hosted in Rwisuri and Musasa sites (10 April) and Songore
(11 April). MSF Holland continued to provide health assistance both to
the still over 19,000 asylum seekers as well as Burundian patients
living in the surroundings of the sites with malaria and respiratory
infections ranking among the most frequent illnesses. ACF nutritional
monitoring showed 33 cases of moderate malnutrition and 2 severe cases.
IRC, GTZ and ONUB continued to ensure water provision.

Food aid distribution: WFP and its partners distributed 3,173 MT of food
aid to 469,464 beneficiaries.  WFP also continued Crisis Indicators
Monitoring (CIM) in the provinces of Kirundo, Ruyigi, Cibitoke and
Cankuzo which showed the persistence of coping mechanisms such as
migration, loans, sale of property and livestock, reduction of meals and
theft.  In two collines in Ruyigi province, the grassroots
administration authorities obliged beneficiaries to share food
assistance with their non-vulnerable neighbours.  WFP intervened with
the support of the governor in order to stop such behaviour.

Returnees: During the reporting week, UNHCR has facilitated the return
of 140 refugees. No spontaneous return was recorded. As of 16 April,
UNHCR had registered 2,802 Burundians returning from exile, i.e. 2,648
facilitated and 154 spontaneous returnees.

COORDINATION, ACCESS, PROTECTION AND SECURITY

Access: Humanitarian activities were conducted without restrictions.
However, the communes of Isale, Kanyosha and Mutimbuzi remain affected
by security incidents which occur at night.

Security: On 14 April, a group of 12 youth accused of collaboration with
FNL-Pailipehutu movement were arrested in Mabayi commune (Cibitoke) and
are being questioned by the police. Moreover, recruitment was reported
in some communes of Bujumbura-Rural and Cibitoke. Recurring cases of
armed banditry were reported in Kinyinya area (Gatumba, Mutimbuzi). On 9
April, around forty armed persons allegedly FNL rebels coming from the
Rukoko forest stole household items in Kinyinya (Gatumba zone).

Coordination: A joint evaluation mission was organized to Gisuru (Ruyigi
province) from 10 to 13 April 2006 in response to the mass return of
Burundian asylum seekers (see above).  OCHA conducted a mission to the
Northern provinces of Kayanza, Ngozi, Muyinga and Kirundo in order to
assess the nutritional situation. A slight increase in the number of
beneficiaries was noted which is partly due to poor harvests during the
2006-A season.

Human rights violations: Cases of human rights violations continue to be
reported in areas of Bujumbura Rural.

For more information: Adelaide Habonimana, E-mail: habonimanaa@un.org,
Tel: (257) 910 196

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -