OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
12 - 18 November 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Health: Update on cholera cases in Rumonge/Bururi Province

Since 02 November when the first suspected cholera cases were reported,
a total of 57 cholera patients have been admitted at the cholera
treatment centre in the health facility of Rumonge. Despite the steady
increase in the number of cases, no death has been recorded so far. The
situation is aggravated by the lack of access to clean drinking water by
the population since the state-owned water company (REGIDESO) decided to
cut water supply to some areas of Rumonge due to unpaid bills.
Populations now use untreated water from the Lake Tanganyika.
Humanitarian actions already being undertaken to assist in curbing the
situation include: sensitization on the necessity to disinfect houses,
the provision of aquatabs and jerry cans to treat and preserve potable
water.

Assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania

During the reporting period, the Government project for the
reintegration of war-affected persons (PARESI) registered 96 Burundians
expelled from Tanzania who arrived through Kobero/Muyinga Province (84)
and Mishiha/Cankuzo province (12). No new expelled persons were recorded
at the entry point of Mabanda/Makamba Province. So far in 2007, PARESI
has recorded 8,879 expelled persons of 4,320 families.

In response to their inaccessibility to land, the Provincial
administration allocated land in Mwiruzi/Mishiha Commune/Cankuzo
Province to expelled persons who were temporarily sheltered at
Kibungo/Kigamba commune. Supported by UNICEF, PARESI transferred all 312
expelled persons (81 families) and their belongings. However, in order
to reinforce their reintegration into the community, their access to
basic social services including; healthcare, water and sanitation and
education have to be monitored.

Food security in Burundi's Eastern provinces

Following reports of people fleeing alleged food insecurity from Ruyigi
towards Tanzania, FAO/Emergency and Rehabilitation Coordination Unit
(ERCU) fielded a five-day evaluation mission (12- 16 November) in the
Provinces of Muyinga, Cankuzo, Ruyigi, Rutana and Makamba. The main
objective was to take stock of the situation in terms of rainfall,
implementation of agricultural season 2008A and support required by
expelled persons recently settled in Mishiha/Cankuzo Province. With
regards to population movements towards Tanzania, the mission found it
normal but recognized that the situation is being aggravated by
additional factors such as an extended lean period due to lack of rains.
Moreover, the lack of cassava which is the most important staple food
does not ease the situation. The cassava type resistant to the mosaic
disease has not yet been distributed in all communes of the Province. As
a traditional coping mechanism during the lean period, some heads of
households therefore tend to travel to neighboring Tanzania where they
expect to earn some money for the well being of their families. Given
the already fragile nutritional situation in the Moso region (Eastern
Provinces), climatic changes will have a negative impact on the most
vulnerable families including expelled persons who were recently
transferred to Mwiruzi/Mishiha Commune and who have just started
implementing season 2008A.

Concerning the quantity of rains, the mission noted that it has rained
regularly in all the communes of Muyinga Province. Rain scarcity was
noted in the communes of Kayogoro and Vugizo in Makamba Province and in
the Moso region (Eastern parts of Rutana, Ruyigi and Cankuzo Provinces).

With regards to seeds availability, farmers are confronted with
difficult access to seeds especially bean seeds due to poor crop
harvests for season 2008B in the Moso region and the delayed
implementation of season 2008A due to lack of rains. The lack of food on
the market led to an increase in prices for basic food crops, compelling
farmers to consume their seeds initially reserved for planting;
rendering the situation even more complicated particularly for the most
vulnerable families.

The set up of a national platform for the prevention and management of
disasters by the Government of Burundi is an important step forward
towards the management of disasters. Within this framework, a
partnership was formed between WFP, the Climate Predictions and
Applications Center based in Nairobi/Kenya (ICPAC) and the Burundi
Geographic institution (IGEBU) to improve analytic capacities with
regards to climate forecasts. Under this perspective, WFP held a
training session for its field staff, partner organizations and the
Government on food security assessment. The objective of the training
was to improve capacities in prevention and early warning for climate
related disasters.

Update on repatriation

UNHCR registered 1,234 Burundian refugees who mostly arrived from
Tanzania through the entry points of Kobero/Muyinga Province (59),
Gisuru/Ruyigi Province (756), and Mabanda/Makamba Province (391). 28
spontaneous returnees were registered in Mabanda. Since January 2007,
36,987 Burundian refugees have been repatriated to their home country
including 473 spontaneous returnees. So far, 375,986 Burundians refugees
have returned under the UNHCR facilitated repatriation process which
began in April 2002.

Update on food aid

Over the reporting week, in collaboration with its implementing
partners, WFP assisted 84,175 beneficiaries with 1,108 MT of food. 61%
of the assistance was distributed through the Food for Work programme.

In order to increase recovery activities, WFP launched a series of
environmental protection activities in the Kirundo and Muyinga
Provinces. In Kirundo, bamboos will be planted on 20 hectares of land in
the Gaturanda region which will contribute to the protection of Lake
Cohoha. In Muyinga, such activities consist of the protection of
hillsides against erosion. These initiatives which fall under WFP Food
for Work programme will be implemented by community-based associations
involving 156 persons.

As of 13 November, WFP's operation stocks stands at 9,110 MT of food,
540 MT are being offloaded and another 6,452 MT are still in transit. In
order to meet food needs up to March 2008, WFP requires an extra 3,700
MT of food.

Ongoing initiatives for the protection and community reintegration of
returnees

The Legal Aid Clinic Project of the African Centre for the Constructive
Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) concluded the mediation of five land
conflicts in Rumonge/Bururi Province, Mabanda/Makamba Province and
Butaganzwa/Ruyigi Province. Furthermore, two conflict management
trainings were organized for 50 community leaders in the communes of
Itaba/Gitega Province and Mabanda/Makamba Province. Eleven individuals
received legal advice where after they were either referred to their
partner organization, Avocats Sans Frontieres or to relevant judiciary
institutions.

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

Full_Report.pdf:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=6947A6AA8DA75FF1C125739C0030F4D9&file=Full_Report.pdf


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