OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
30 April - 5 May 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Activities and Updates

Health:  Despite measures to kill all the stray dogs in Rugombo commune 
(Cibitoke province), 10 persons were bitten by rabies-sick dogs. 
According to the administration, these dogs move within the commune and 
this makes their eradication difficult. Similar rabies issues were noted 
in Ruyigi provinces earlier this year.

Food security monitoring: The FAO/Emergency Rehabilitation and 
Coordination Unit (ERCU)

has started to support the launch of 'output square' measurement to 
improve in existing monitoring and evaluation tools available in 
Burundi. This ECHO funded program started with a technical workshop 
which took place in Gitega on 23 April. This system uses samples of land 
(a square of variable surface) to measure land productivity and crop 
density. 500 early warning system households have already enrolled in 
the program. Initial setup should be completed by the end of May and 
will be ready to analyze the agricultural output of season B.

Repatriation of Burundian refugees: During the reporting period, 97 
Burundian refugees returned to Burundi from Tanzania and one from South 
Africa. Since the beginning of this year, a total of 3,152 Burundian 
refugees have returned to their homeland. There are still more than 
300,000 Burundian refugees in Tanzania, and more than 17,000 in the DRC.

Repatriation of Congolese refugees: During the period under review, no 
voluntary repatriation convoy was organized to the DRC. Since the 
beginning of the voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees in October 
2006, some 1,428 refugees have returned to the DRC from Gasorwe camp, 
located in the province of Muyinga.

Transfer of Congolese refugees: During the reporting period, 129 
families (482 persons) were transferred from Bujumbura to Gasorwe 
refugee camp.

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 104 persons (52 families) expelled from 
Tanzania: 68 at entry point of Kobero (Muyinga) and 36 at entry point of 
Mishiha (Cankuzo). Since January 2007, PARESI has recorded 2,183 
expelled persons (1,186 families.

Update on food aid distribution: WFP distributed 1344 MT to 255,728 
beneficiaries throughout its various programmes: Feeding centres, food 
for work/food for training, assistance to refugees and HIV/AIDS affected 
persons and targeted distribution.

Coordination: OCHA participated in the thematic workgroup on food 
security in Karuzi. Partners exchanged on the approaches and the 
reinforcement activities in order to protect side basins and the 
improvement of marsh. This will help to prevent flooding or landslide.

For more information: E-mail: ocha-burundi@un.org, Tel: +257 22 205000 
Ext. 5542

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