OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
26 March - 1 April 2007
6 April 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Prevention and follow up of avian flu disease in the Great Lakes Region: 
The regional project for the prevention and monitoring of the avian flu 
pandemic was launched during a workshop in Goma in the Democratic 
Republic of Congo (DRC). The workshop which took place from March 21st 
to 23rd was attended by heads of veterinary services from Burundi, DRC, 
Rwanda, representatives from the Belgian Cooperation in the said 
countries, and FAO representatives. Although the avian flu virus known 
as H5N1 has not yet been detected in any of these countries, the region 
is considered as a high risk area given the reported high level of bird 
migration. The situation is cause for concern in Burundi where thousands 
of birds migrate into the country mostly from Europe, to seek shelter 
during cold winter months from November to April every year. Main entry 
points are the Ruzizi River plain, the northern region near the "Lacs 
aux oiseaux" and the Ruvubu Park. In order to help Burundi reach the 
level of preparedness of the neighboring countries namely DRC and 
Rwanda, the workshop recommended the organization of a field mission to 
assess the situation and identify an emergency response to the situation 
at hand.

Repatriation: During the reporting period, UNHCR registered 60 returnees 
from Tanzania who arrived through the entry points in Kobero in Muyinga 
province (44 persons) and Gisuru in Ruyigi province (16 persons). From 
the beginning of January till end of March 2007, UNHCR has registered 
2,689 Burundian returnees including 83 spontaneous returnees. Since the 
beginning of the facilitated repatriation operation in 2002, 341,688 
Burundians have returned to their home country.

Update on Burundians expelled from Tanzania: During the reporting week, 
the Government project for the reintegration of war-affected persons 
(PARESI) registered a total of 255 persons (133 families) expelled from 
Tanzania: 75 in Kinazi (Muyinga) and 180 in Munzenze (Cankuzo). Since 
January 2007, PARESI has recorded 1,235 expelled persons (665 families) 
who arrived from Tanzania through the entry points of Kobero in the 
province of Muyinga and Mishiha in the province of Cankuzo.

With regards to expelled persons without addresses, the Ministry of 
National Solidarity has authorized the transfer of these persons from 
Kinazi transit site to the temporary transit site of Songore (Ngozi). 
Meanwhile, PARESI will follow up the situation in Munzenze (Cankuzo 
province) by collecting updated statistics by identifying expelled 
persons without addresses.

Reintegration of demobilized persons: Within the framework of 
reintegration of demobilized former combatants, the national commission 
for demobilization, reinsertion and reintegration has undertaken joint 
construction activities involving former combatants and youth in the 
Mpanda and Musenyi regions (Bubanza province). These activities aim at 
ensuring clean water adduction systems and the construction of bridges. 
Such activities will help achieve the national objective for 
reconstruction.

Update on food aid distribution: Throughout the month of March, WFP 
distributed 5,027 MT to 699,421 beneficiaries throughout its various 
programmes: Feeding centres, food for work/food for training, assistance 
to refugees and HIV/AIDS affected persons, targeted distribution, seed 
protection rations

Security: Since March 27th, the United Nations security phases in 
Burundi's western provinces including Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza and 
Cibitoke were revised from phase IV to phase III. This came about as a 
result of the overall security improvement in these provinces.

Coordination: UNICEF, OCHA and UNDP project for the reintegration of 
war-affected persons and fight against poverty (PRRSLP) carried out a 
three day mission in Karuzi to assess damage caused by the 
January-February torrential rains which seriously affected school 
infrastructures. This situation has rendered the learning conditions 
very harsh for school children in several primary schools. Either school 
children have stopped going to school or classrooms are over crowded. In 
order to enable continuous delivery of lessons at the Bukirasazi primary 
school (Shombo commune), classrooms are covered with tarpaulin. The 
roofing of the Kinazi primary school was torn out and some pupils were 
relocated to the nearest schools in Bugenyuzi and Rusasa, while others 
were compelled to stay at home due to insufficient classroom capacity.

For more information: E-mail: ocha-burundi@un.org, Tel: 205000 Ext. 5542

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