OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
30 October - 5 November 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Activities and Updates

Food security: A team of researchers led by the NGO Catholic Relief 
Services (CRS) confirmed the existence of the harmful banana bacterial 
disease known as BXW to which there is no resistant plant yet. It has 
entered Burundi from neighbouring countries. Out of 12 assessed 
provinces, 11 are affected albeit in a very sporadic pattern. This will 
make management and containment possible, but the situation represents a 
serious threat to the overall food security in Burundi, since bananas 
are the most important staple food with an average annual consumption of 
300kg per capita. In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and 
Livestock, FAO/Emergency Coordination and Rehabilitation Unit (FAO/ERCU) 
has planned a nationwide awareness campaign on the threat of the banana 
disease. Moreover, coordination meetings will be held with the Ministry 
of Agriculture, the regional Research Institute for Agriculture and 
Zoology (IRAZ), the National Institute for Research and Agricultural 
(ISABU), CRS and partners on the ground in order to assess the risk and 
mechanisms to repel the disease.

Update on assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania:  The influx 
of Burundians continues in Muyinga. Over the reporting period, 43 new 
Burundians expelled from Tanzania were registered. Until the end of the 
reporting period, 128 including the 85 without reference address in 
Burundi were sheltered at the transit centre of Kinazi (Muyinga 
province). Out of the 646 who were previously transferred to their 
communes of origin from Kinazi transit centre on 3 November, only 53 
originating from Karuzi and Kayanza received the return package 
comprised of food and non-food items. The remaining 597 will be assisted 
after final verification of their status as expelled Burundians by local 
authorities in order to avoid fraud. As a result of sensitization by the 
authorities on the ground coupled with a formal recognition as expelled 
persons by the immigration office (PAFE), the number of fraudulent cases 
has significantly decreased.

As for other provinces, a considerable number of expelled persons was 
moreover recorded in Cankuzo. Since the beginning of October some 558 
families have arrived. The reintegration group meeting held on 2 
November recommended that a joint assessment mission (with PARESI and 
other actors on the ground) be fielded as soon as possible.

Update on cholera outbreak: New suspected cholera cases were recorded, 
although below the level of previous weeks. In Bujumbura Mairie, only 28 
cases were admitted and 17 in Bujumbura Rural. As of 5 November, 
Bujumbura Rural had recorded a total of 103 suspected cases with 
deterioration in Mutambu commune and stabilization in Kabezi. By the 
same date, Bujumbura Mairie had registered 223 suspected cases. So far 
only one death was reported. However, there is a persistent risk of 
cholera in said provinces as well as in Cibitoke where 4 cases from 
Rugombo (3) and Buganda (1) have been recorded since the beginning of 
the outbreak in mid-October. In order to efficiently respond to the 
outbreaks and reinforce prevention in Cibitoke, there is a need to set 
up a treatment unit and a contingency medical stock as well as of 
undertaking sensitization activities.

The main challenges are a lack of aquatab disinfectants, lack of funds 
for petrol by BPS (Provincial Health Department) to reach affected 
communes as well as a lack of trained personnel by the same structure. 
Access to potable water is crucial in the prevention of cholera. In 
Bujumbura Mairie, the BPS will have to advocate with the national 
utilities provider REGIDESO for the opening of the 86 tabs which were 
closed in affected urban communes. The other areas which are usually 
affected by cholera outbreaks are Rumonge (Bururi) and Nyanza-Lac 
(Makamba). These two communes have so far not been affected which, in 
the case of Rumonge, is largely due to improved access to potable water 
and community based hygiene and sensitization committees.

Refugee returns: Over the reporting week, UNHCR assisted the return of 
1,993 Burundian refugees from Tanzania. Since the beginning of the year, 
a total of 34,951 refugees have returned to Burundi. So-called 
Go-and-Tell missions to promote repatriation through recently returned 
refugees were organized in Kanembwa, Mtendeli, Mkurwa and Nduta refugee 
camps in Tanzania.

Update on Rwandan Asylum Seekers: 612 persons returned on 3 November and 
another 200 on 4 November. Only some 4,000 Rwandans are now sheltered in 
Musasa. The refugee status determination (RSD) process is continuing 
through the appeals. 272 appeals have been processed of which 2 were 
positive. The appeals process is progressing as scheduled and likely to 
conclude in early December. Musasa site will then be closed and a 
disengagement plan of partners at Musasa will be drawn up on in a 
meeting of partners on 13 November at UNHCR.

Assistance to orphans: Within its project of community assistance to 
orphans and vulnerable children, FVS-AMADE (Famille pour Vaincre le 
SIDA-Association des Amis des Enfants) has inaugurated its sub-office in 
Makamba. The project which is supported by Arcanum Foundation aims at 
improvement of access to healthcare to target vulnerable children. 
Activities planned under this project include counseling and voluntary 
testing, construction of a socio-medical centre, outreach 
activities/sensitization activities on AIDS and provision of school 
material to over 3,500 orphans and vulnerable children during 3 years.

Reintegration and schooling of returnee children: Under its education 
programme supporting the reintegration of returning school children, the 
Foundation for the Refugee Education Trust (RET) provided school 
material assistance to 15 identified schools in provinces with a high 
return rate, i.e. Makamba, Rutana, Ruyigi and Cankuzo. More than 8,000 
kits each containing 10 books, 10 pens, mathematical set, rubbers, 4 
pencils, 10 pieces of soap were distributed over the period from 23 
October ? 3 November. In order to avoid fraud, school authorities were 
involved in the distribution activity.

Torrential rains: Provincial authorities reported torrential rains in 
Bukinanyana (Cibitoke). The rains occurred at the beginning of the 
reporting week and reportedly affected mostly crop fields and less so 
infrastructure and houses. Around the same dates Mutimbuzi commune 
(Bujumbura Rural) was also affected by torrential rains which blew off 
roofs at three schools and damaged several houses. OCHA was fielding a 
rapid assessment mission.

IDP returns in Bubanza: A small group of approximately 20 internally 
displaced persons site returned to their collines of origin from 
Karurama (Rugazi) site. This is one example of the continuing though 
slow return of IDPs. OCHA estimates that there are still about 100,000 
IDPs in Burundi. The last survey conducted in 2005 showed that there 
were a total of 117,000 IDPs living in 160 sites.

Coordination, Protection and Security

Reintegration efforts: A coordination meeting was held in Cankuzo 
province on 2 November. Participants discussed a series of issues 
related to housing for returnees, food security, social infrastructures, 
expelled Burundians from Tanzania, education and health. Actors in the 
reintegration sector also met in Makamba and expressed the need for an 
improved coordination of interventions.

Provincial coordination: The coordination meeting (focal point meeting) 
in Muramvya was held on 26 October. OCHA briefed participants on the 
humanitarian situation prevailing two months before the end of the year.

Security: There were reports of repeated cases of armed attacks (27-29 
October) which affected households in Bubanza commune. This resulted in 
night displacement for some households fearing for their lives. On 30 
October, 4 families were attacked and their households looted by armed 
persons in Buhoro (Bubanza commune). One person was wounded and another 
one killed and then mutilated.

In Cibitoke, during the night of 31 October to 1 November, a group of 
FNL combatants attacked a police station with the objective of freeing 4 
of their fellow combatants who had been imprisoned for theft.

Human rights: A body of a dead person was found on the banks of Ruzizi 
river in Gatumba (Bujumbura Rural). Another 5 bodies had reportedly been 
found in the same area on 19 October. No further details on the identity 
or the cause of death have been provided so far.

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