OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
4 - 10 June 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Activities and Updates
Repatriation of Burundian refugees

During the week under review, UNHCR registered 150 Burundian returnees
who arrived from Tanzania. Since January 2007, 3,679 Burundian returnees
have been recorded. Since the beginning of facilitated repatriations in
2002, UNHCR has registered 342,528 Burundians who returned from exile.
There are still over 350,000 Burundian refugees in Tanzania, and more
than 17,000 in the DRC.

On June 4 was held in Dar are Salam the 11th meeting of the Tripartite
commission on the repatriation of the Burundian refugees alive in
Tanzania. Tanzanian, Bagrurundian authorities and UNHCR agreed upon
measure to support the promotion of return. Assistance in camps will be
focused on life-sustaining and right-based activities such as food,
shelter, water/sanitation, health/nutrition and primary education, while
scaling down supplementary assistance such as secondary education,
vocational training and income generating activities.

It is expected that some 8,500 Burundian college students living in
camps will return to Burundi along with their families to continue their
studies in Burundi. The Burundian government has proposed to exempt
college students from fees fro a period of 2 years.

All parties also recognized that the reintegration of refugees who left
Burundi in 1972 remains more difficult and that alternative solutions
may be envisaged. This prompted Burundian and Tanzanian authorities and
UNHCR to visit in the old camps (Katumba, Mishamo and Ulyankulu)
sheltering the Burundian refugees exiled in 1972 soon after the
Tripartite meeting. More than 200,000 Burundians live in these
settlements.

Update on food aid distribution

Over the reporting week, WFP distributed 1057 MT of food assistance to
248,876 vulnerable persons through its various programmes: Feeding
centers, food for work/food for training, assistance to refugees,
HIV/AIDS affected persons and targeted distribution.

Food security

Heavy rains have damaged crops and harvest in some parts of Kayogoro
commune (Makamba province). Currently joint assessment teams from Min.
of agriculture, FAO, WFP, OCHA and partners are currently evaluating
harvests of the season B countrywide (Crops and Food Security Assessment
Monitoring).

FAO Emergency Unit has continued the distribution of goats to vulnerable
persons, in particular to the refugees recently repatriated. After the
provinces of Makamba, Rutana, Muyinga, Karusi, Gitega and Ngozi, it was
the turn of Cankuzo.

The targeting and the distribution were carried out in partnership with
Solidarites and close cooperation with the DPAE and the administration.

On 7 June 2007, CRS organized an evaluation workshop to share results of
a survey on seeds fairs conducted by the organization since 6 years.
Considering the positive impact of this program, recommendations include
to extend it while diversifying inputs and seeds to better answer the
needs of beneficiaries.

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

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