OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
3 - 9 September 2007


ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Joint rapid assessment mission

On Sept. 5, an assessment mission was carried out by OCHA and WFP
following a request for assistance from the 2nd vice-presidency in favor
of displaced population in Musigati commune. The information from the
local government indicated a displacement of the population due to
plundering by FNL elements coming from Kibira. The most affected
'collines' are those bordering Kibira (Mpishi, Nyarusange in Musigati
zone, Busiga in Kivyuka zone and Shari II in Bubanza commune according
to the Governor and an estimate of 2600 households in 14 'collines'
according to the Administrator's adviser). The households moved to
neighboring 'collines' and to Musigati Parish where they were being
housed in Musigati primary school buildings.

The displacement is said to have started since negotiations between the
FNL and the Government stopped (with a reduction of the replenishment of
FNL combatants to once or twice a week) but information does not tally
with regard to the exact date and affected 'collines'.

Plundering would include household goods, farm animals and also
extending to the fields.

During the evaluation mission, the team did not find signs of
displacement at the parish, but information confirmed cases of the
population being regularly driven back due to plundering by FNL
elements. The assessment mission recommended distribution of food to the
most vulnerable households. On September 9, WFP assisted by Caritas
distributed 14,465 T of food aid to 918 households identified on the
'collines' bordering Kibira (FNL stronghold) which include: Mpishi,
Kanazi, Nyarusange, Musigati, Gatare, Busiga, Masare, Muyebe,Rugeyo,
Rusekebuye.

The food aid consisted of:

    Maize grain 9.184 T
    'Pulse' 3.903 T
    Oil: 1.148 T
    Salt: 230 KG


Diversion of food intended for the hungry

The population is accusing certain administrative chiefs of having
diverted food intended to help the hungry in Muyinga province
(northeastern Burundi). Several tons of rice, beans and oil disappeared
last June from the provincial stock located in the Scout's Association
warehouse. Forty tons of food donated by the government within the
'Fonds de Solidarite Nationale' was stored there. Trucks among which was
a vehicle of Toyota Dyna make belonging to Kavuruga Business company
were said to have carried this food during the night to unknown
destinations. Certain people among the population of Muyinga denounced
these diversions. It is with this background that militants of CNDD-FDD
party put their hands on 1.1 T of rice at the residence of Issa Sadiki,
chief of Muyinga zone. A complaint was deposited at the prosecutor's
office the same month and a sit-in by these militants took place on
Monday in front of the office to demand the state of advancement of the
file. The governor of Muyinga, M.Victor Burikukiye wants the justice
system to shed light quickly on this case of diversion that he confirms.
Several administrative authorities are suspected of being implicated in
these diversions.

Meningitis Epidemic

In recent days the press echoed the presence of meningitis in the
province of Ruyigi. The provincial health officer contacted by OCHA
indicated that the samples analyzed by the laboratories confirmed the
presence of the disease, but that these were isolated cases and not an
epidemic. Six patients were already diagnosed, treated and cured. The
cases were located in the communes of Kinyinya and Nyabitsinda and also
in Giharo Rutana province. On September 6, 2007 a team from the Ministry
of health consisting of managers from LMTC (Fight against Transmissible
and Contagious Diseases), Bacteriology focal points and Provincial
Health Service made an evaluation mission in Kinyinya. A mission report
should be shared soon with partners. The Provincial Health Service
confirms that drugs are available at the moment.

Assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania

Over the reporting period, the Government project for the reintegration
of war-affected persons (PARESI) registered 277 persons (127 families)
who arrived from Tanzania through the entry points of Kobero/Muyinga
province (64 persons/31 families) and Mishiha/Cankuzo province (213
persons/96 families). Since January 2007, PARESI has recorded 7,791
expelled persons (3,795 families).

Update on repatriation, refugees

Since January 2007, 20,393 refugees returned to Burundi within the
framework of the voluntary repatriation, including 321 who came by their
own means. A total of 2,468 returned last week through the exit/entry
points of Manyovu/Mugina: 565; Kabanga/Kobero: 1,161; Mabamba/Gisuru:
740. Two (2) individuals returned from Zambia. They were met at
Bujumbura international airport by UNHCR. The number of returnees per
week still remains high. The cash grant and the 6 month food ration have
had a positive effect on the increase of returnees.

Since the beginning of the repatriation operation in 2002, 359,392
Burundian refugees have returned to their native land. More than 300,000
others are estimated to be remaining on Tanzanian soil.

|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
| PROVINCE  | CUMUL | CUMUL | CUMUL | CUMUL | CUMUL | CUMUL |  CUMUL |
|           |  2007 |  2006 |  2005 |  2004 |  2003 |  2002 |2002-07 |
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|BUBANZA    |     69|    332|    233|    282|    356|    211|    1483|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|BUJA MAIRIE|    124|    539|  1 328|  1 413|  2 053|  1 192|   6 649|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|BUJA RURAL |    231|    514|    389|    419|  1 707|    971|   4 231|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|BURURI     |   1082|  2 745|  1 092|  1 648|  5 268|  3 649|  15 484|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|CANKUZO    |    910|  1 656|  1 599|  2 879|  8 361|  1 453|  16 858|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|CIBITOKE   |     86|  1 115|    631|    348|    937|    601|   3 718|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|GITEGA     |    523|  1 694|  1 803|  2 730|  2 952|  1 257|  10 959|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|KARUZI     |   1028|  3 945|  4 363|  5 925|  3 910|  1 882|  21 053|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|KAYANZA    |    123|    748|    631|  1 004|    736|    356|   3 598|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|KIRUNDO    |   1685|  2 149|  8 545|  6 194|  4 147|  6 633|  29 353|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|MAKAMBA    |   3927| 11 063| 16 550| 11 975| 19 611|  4 418|  67 544|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|MURAMVYA   |    152|    656|    613|    820|    949|    130|   3 320|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|MUYINGA    |   5231|  6 217| 15 932| 12 676| 11 988| 20 152|  72 196|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|MWARO      |      3|     72|     39|     54|     62|     11|     241|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|NGOZI      |    612|  1 577|  2 679|  2 737|  1 758|  1 838|  11 201|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|RUTANA     |   2077|  3 487|  4 006|  7 850|  4 312|  2 065|  23 797|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|RUYIGI     |   2530|  6 359|  7 674| 31 370| 13 247|  6 438|  67 618|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|SANS       |      0|     47|      1|      3|     12|     26|      89|
|ADRESSE    |       |       |       |       |       |       |        |
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
|TOTAL      |  20393| 44 915| 68 108| 90 327| 82 366| 53 283| 359 392|
|-----------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+--------|

Source: UNHCR


WFP and its partners food aid distribution

During the last week, WFP supported by its partners provided 799 T of
food aid to 49,661 beneficiaries all over the country. In order to meet
the needs of the returnees effectively, WFP plans more than 9,462 T of
food aid to be distributed to the returnees in their arrival areas
within the framework of the six months return package to allow them to
better integrate and sustain themselves until the first harvest. These
rations will be distributed by Caritas (WFP partner) from 42 fixed sites
identified within the dioceses and parishes and in addition other 116
mobile sites will be used to better reach the beneficiaries.

International Day for Disaster Reduction

The Coordination service for Civil Prevention within the ministry of
security and internal affairs supported by OCHA organised a preliminary
meeting to plan the activities to mark the Disaster Risk Reduction Day
on 10th October. The theme for 2007 is: "Disaster risk reduction begins
at school".

Integrated commission BINUB/Government on repatriation and reintegration

Her Excellency Immaculee Nahayo, Minister of National Solidarity, Human
Rights and Gender, chaired the monthly integrated Commission on
repatriation and reintegration meeting held on September 10. Discussions
focused on presentations given by the Director of the Ministry of
National Solidarity, Human Rights and Gender, Norwegian Refugee Council
(NRC) and the Director of education and pedagogy.

For more information: E-mail: ocha-burundi@un.org

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