OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
2 - 8 Octoebr 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Update on assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania:  Between 2 
and 8 October, 110 Burundians who had been expelled from Tanzania 
arrived at Kinazi transit centre. All of them were transferred to their 
collines of origin after they had been assisted with food aid. An 
additional 42 remained in the site throughout the reporting period 
because they have no reference. They also continued to receive 
assistance. Cases of expelled persons have also been reported in other 
provinces namely Cankuzo and Cibitoke. PARESI regional offices have 
undertaken follow-up missions.

Assistance to over-aged children lacking previous education: As part of 
its one-year programme for children without previous schooling, the 
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has started the TEP (Teacher's Emergency 
Package) schools for the school year 2006 ? 2007. This programme, which 
follows the Burundian curriculum, comprises the first two years of 
primary school for children from 9 to 14 years old. After the completion 
of the TEP year, the pupils are tested by the local education 
authorities and are integrated into the formal school system either into 
the 2nd or the 3rd grade. For this school year, a total of 12,240 pupils 
will be assisted through 408 TEP classes of 30 pupils each.  The 
programme will be implemented in Muyinga (80), Rutana (56), Ruyigi 
(150), Makamba (44), Bujumbura Mairie (30) and Bujumbura Rural (48).

Refugee returns: Over the reporting period, UNHCR assisted 2,150 
Burundian refugees who returned from Tanzania. Convoys from Kibondo 
through Ruyigi have resumed. During the covered period, 3 convoys 
totalling 951 returnees arrived in Nyabitare (Ruyigi). Since the 
beginning of the year, some 28,150 refugees have returned to Burundi. 
There are still more than 300,000 Burundian refugees in Tanzania and 
more than 18,000 in the DRC. Since the beginning of the year, some 
28,150 refugees have returned to Burundi.

Rwandan Asylum Seekers: After the end of the first instances interviews, 
the situation has changed very little. The number of new arrivals is 
minimal and they are screened immediately and a group of asylum seekers 
in Musasa site (Ngozi province) still awaits a decision on their refugee 
status. As of the end of the week under review, UNHCR reported that 
there were still 4,900 Rwandan asylum seekers. Since the beginning of 
the refugee status determination process, 106 Rwandans have been 
recognized as refugees whereas 13,958 have returned to Rwanda.

Preparation of the 2007A agricultural season: Over the reporting week, 
distributions of seeds and tools complemented by Seed Protection Rations 
(SPR) continued. The former were distributed by FAO and its partners 
whereas SPR were handed out by WFP and its partners. The distribution is 
expected to close by 10 October. The 2007A season is one of two main 
planting seasons. The same season last year was marred by climatic 
disturbances and consequently weak harvests. This year the climatic 
projections are more positive. The harvests are expected for the end of 
this year and the beginning of 2007.

Food Security: During the week under review, the FAO Emergency 
Rehabilitation and Coordination Unit launched training for vulnerable 
fishermen who are part of the beneficiaries and networks supported by 
said unit. As part of its wider efforts to restore the basis for 
self-sufficiency of populations affected by the crisis, the FAO 
Emergency Rehabilitation and Coordination Unit provides fishing material 
and small fishery equipment for smoking, drying and filleting to about 
2,000 households living on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and the lakes 
in the Northern part of Burundi. It is a rehabilitation programme of 
projects which were looted during the war. At the same time the 
rehabilitation efforts are a good opportunity to replace the illegal 
fishing nets (i.e. mosquito nets) by regular fishing nets which is an 
important measure to protect the lake environment.

The targeting of beneficiaries was predetermined as were the 
localisation of installations for drying and smoking among the fisheries 
in Bujumbura Rural. About 30% of the material is already available and 
about to be distributed. The training on production techniques of 
fishermen started over the reporting period and will go on for 2 week.

COORDINATION, PROTECTION

Coordination: On 2 October, the National Aid Coordination Committee 
(NACC), UN agencies, national and international NGOs met in a one-day 
workshop to discuss the humanitarian strategy for Burundi in 2007.

Protection, human rights: According to reports by human rights 
associations, the protection of civilians has improved in the provinces 
of Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza and Cibitoke since the signing of the 
comprehensive ceasefire between FNL movement and the Government of 
Burundi on 7 September 2006. No case of arbitrary arrest or targeted 
killing over alleged collaboration with FNL movement has been reported 
over the last two weeks. Instead, an increase in cases of killings over 
land was reported.

On 3 October, one person hailing from Kabonga in Rumonge commune 
(Bururi) was reportedly killed. The perpetrator was arrested and police 
started investigations.

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