OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
10 - 16 December 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Update 16/12/2007 on cholera epidemic in Rumonge/Bururi Province and 
Nyanza-Lac/Makamba Province

Since the cholera outbreak in Rumonge early November, 117 cholera cases 
have been recorded with no deaths so far. 11 patients are currently 
hospitalized. Humanitarian actors involved in the health sector continue 
to provide assistance through the management of the cholera treatment 
center and the disinfection of households and public facilities in 
affected neighbourhoods of Rumonge. As of 16 December, 1,031 households 
and 11 public facilities have been disinfected. In Nyanza-Lac, 193 
patients have been recorded in the Nyanza-Lac health centre and 6 
patients hospitalized. A total of 4 deaths have been reported so far. 
Humanitarian actors are assisting the Ministry of Public Health with the 
installation of a cholera treatment center, the provision of water and 
the disinfection of affected areas. Sensitization campaigns are ongoing 
both locally and over the radio.

Update on repatriation and refugees

Over last week, only 97 Burundian refugees returned to Burundi through 
Gisuru/Ruyigi Province (55) Province and Kobero/Muyinga Province (42). 
In 2007, UNHCR has registered 33,384 returnees mostly from Tanzania 
except 278 who arrived from other countries.

The transfer of Congolese asylum seekers from Bujumbura Mairie to Musasa 
refugee camp in Ngozi Province continued. 458 Congolese asylum seekers 
were taken to Musasa. To date, 6,621 Congolese are sheltered in the 
Musasa camp.

Assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania

The Government project for the reintegration of war-affected persons 
(PARESI) registered 160 Burundians expelled from Tanzania who arrived 
through Kobero/Muyinga Province (66), Mishiha/Cankuzo Province (92), 
Mabanda/Makamba Province (2) and Gisuru/Ruyigi Province (4). So far in 
2007, PARESI has recorded 9,513 expelled persons (4,519 families).

Update on food aid distribution

During the reporting week, WFP distributed 1,021 MT of food to 174,575 
beneficiaries through its different programmes: Health Nutrition, 
HIV/vulnerable Nutrition, School feeding, Food for Work/Food for 
Training, Refugees Feeding and Return Package.

Workshop training on ways to measure the crop yield

The FAO/Emergency Rehabilitation and Coordination Unit (ERCU) organized 
three-day training workshop on the installation of yield plots, a tool 
which will be used to measure the crop yield for agricultural season 
2007B. Food security actors involved in the Early Warning System/Food 
security surveillance (SAP/SSA), the Ministry of Agriculture as well as 
staff from the national geographical institute attended. A practical 
methodology on how to measure the crop yield in rural milieu was 
elaborated taking into consideration the types of crops by region, the 
schedule to set up the tool and the data collection form. Three yield 
plots were set up in each of the 30 reference households identified in 
each of the 17 Burundi provinces. In order to enhance the use of this 
tool, in collaboration with OCHA, participants in the workshop were 
trained on the use of the global positioning system (GPS). It should be 
noted that the GPS will be also used in the overall monitoring of the 
food security nationwide in order to determine the specific places 
likely to be affected by weather hazards such as drought, hailstorms, 
inundations etc . . .

Humanitarian access to Bujumbura Rural: UNOCHA and NGO meet with FNL

On 13 December UNOCHA and the Italian NGO GVC met with FNL officers 
along with civil authorities, Police and National Defense Force Officers 
in Isale Commune (Bujumbura Rural Province). The purpose of the meeting 
was to advocate for improved access and unhindered working conditions 
for humanitarian and development partners. This initiative has been 
prompted by a series of security incidents affecting international NGOs 
working in Bujumbura rural whose field staff has been repeatedly 
subjected to harassment and threats by some FNL elements requesting 
'taxes' to be paid by all vehicles. As a result, life-saving activities 
such as health support and nutritional monitoring have been suspended in 
some areas.

The FNL commander present at the meeting gave assurance that such 
practices are not tolerated by Palipehutu/FNL movement and that taxes do 
not target humanitarian or development organizations. He ensured that 
activities could resume immediately. Several missions conducted by GVC 
following this meeting have not encountered any problem so far.

Security, landmine explosion in Bubanza

A landmine accident was reported in Mpishi colline in the Kibira forest, 
Musigati Commune on 15 December 2007. According to local authorities, 
one adolescent was killed and three other persons - two adults and one 
adolescent were wounded.

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