OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
11 - 17 August 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Repatriation of Burundian refugees

During the reporting period, 1,985 Burundian refugees returned to Burundi,
all of them from Tanzania. 1,662 entered through Makamba on three convoys,
and 323 through Ruyigi in one convoy. 2 spontaneous repatriates through
Makamba.

Since Lokole camp is closed, UNHCR assist marginal cases in Muyinga: 1
Burundian refugees who had just gone out of prison.

The European Commission (EC) has entered an agreement with the United
Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to support the naturalization
of Burundian refugees in Tanzania. Funding from the EC will be spent on
processing Tanzanian citizenship applications to be filed by 76,000 adult
refugees who have been refugees in the country since 1972.

The refugees are part of some 218,000 Burundians who fled their country in
1972 and have since been living in settlements in Tabora and Rukwa
regions. Last year, 20 per cent of the refugees indicated their desire to
return to Burundi, while 80 per cent expressed their wish to stay in the
country and apply for citizenship.

The Tanzanian government offered the refugees the right to the country's
citizenship. The current population in the settlements is 208,277
refugees. Since the launch of the strategy in March, over 36,000 adult
refugees have applied for naturalization and over 12,000 have already been
assisted to return voluntarily to Burundi.

Assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania

The Government project for the reintegration of war-affected persons
(PARESI) registered 217 Burundians (134 families) expelled from Tanzania
who arrived through the entry points of Gisuru/Ruyigi Province 5 persons
(2 families), Mishiha/Cankuzo Province 29 persons (10 families), Mabanda/
Makamba Province 98 persons (81 families) and Kobero/Muyinga Province 85
persons (41 families) . Since 01 January, 4,513 expelled persons (2,052
families) have returned to their home country.

Update on food aid distribution

WFP distributed 418 MT of food aid to 29,129 beneficiaries through its
various partner's programmes.

Protection and community reintegration of returnees

The Legal Aid Clinic Project of the African Centre for the Constructive
Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) successfully mediated 8 disputes in the
communes of Rumonge, Nyanza-Lac, Mabanda, Kinyinya and Gisuru (in
provinces of Bururi, Makamba and Ruyigi respectively). Out of 8 disputes,
7 were related to land and 1 related to family law. In addition, ACCORD
conducted 1 legal matter training in the commune of Giharo (Rutana
Province) for 25 administrative authorities. Finally, 11 people received
legal advice from ACCORD and were after referred to either Avocats sans
Frontieres (ASF) or to relevant judiciary institutions. These initiatives
assisted towards the reintegration of returnees into communities, the
promotion of reconciliation and the protection of returnees.

Human rights violations

Burundian National Police agents continue to be directly implicated in
human rights violations. In this regard, HR&JOs documented two relevant
cases including one violation of the right to life and one violation of
the right to physical integrity in Ngozi Province. In the first case, a
detainee succumbed as a result of severe beating by a PSI official in
Marangara Commune. Judicial authorities have launched an investigation;
however, in the second case which occurred in Nyamurenza Commune despite
the victim's release for medical attention, authorities have yet to take
serious action against members of the security forces or other state
officials responsible for torture and ill-treatment.

During the reported week, politically motivated steps were taken by the
judiciary to intimidate and halt criticism against the government. Five
human rights and civil society activists were summoned to appear before
the Prosecutor of Bujumbura Mairie in connection with accusations
broadcasted by the media.

On the occasion of the commemoration of the fourth anniversary of the
Congolese Banyamulenge massacre in Gatumba, survivors and representatives
of the Banyamulenge expressed their disappointment at the international
community and the government's failure to prosecute the perpetrators. With
regard to Transitional justice (TJ), awareness raising activities
continued during the period under review with the HR&JD's participation in
a workshop organized by the Inter-religious Council of Burundi. Forty
participants from Makamba, Rutana and Bururi Provinces attended the
session in which participants committed to reflect on the role of
religious leaders in the setting up of TJ mechanisms.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in
association with the National Mechanism of Burundian Coordination,
organizes from 01 till 05 September 2008 a Workshop on "Crosscutting
Issues" at Source du Nil Hotel, in Rwanda.

The main objective of this Workshop is to identify and to propose the
incorporation of the Crosscutting Issues to the execution, the follow-up
and the projects evaluation of the of the ICGLR; to identify the
activities which would be necessary for the incorporation in Crosscutting
Issues in the projects; to grant directives for incorporation of gender,
human rights, environment, human environment, HIV / AIDS and the youth in
the priority projects and the protocols of the ICGLR to direct the
implementation of its projects.

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