OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
27 October - 2 November 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Activities and Updates

Coordination

As a follow up to the humanitarian reform workshop held on 23 September 
2008, WFP as lead-agency for the logistics cluster (should the cluster 
approach be activated in Burundi) is carrying out an interagency Logistics 
Capacity Assessment to gather information pertaining to capacities and 
needs of government bodies, UN agencies & other humanitarian 
organisations.

Update on food aid distribution

WFP distributed 611 tons of food assistance to a total of 125,382 
beneficiaries. The most important quantities of food (72%) was supplied to 
food insecure persons in Cankuzo, Karuzi and Kirundo provinces.

The food export ban imposed by Tanzania constitutes a major impediment to 
WFP operations, due to heavy reliance on purchases from Tanzania. 
Consequently, the Country Office may experience pipeline shortfalls in 
almost all commodities starting with cereals and pulses in December 2008. 
The Country Office is closely monitoring the situation to avert a possible 
pipeline disruption. Such disruption may lead to temporary suspension of 
targeted food distributions and interruption of FFW distributions. In 
parallel, WFP regional Office is assisting in negotiating export bans 
alleviations.

Human rights

This week, additional cases of harassment against UPD-Zigamibanga party 
members were reported. In Ngozi and Makamba provinces, assistant 
prosecutors ordered on [27 Oct.] the release of two UPD-Zigamibanga 
members arrested on [25 Oct.], as there were no charges filed against 
them. One of them was in possession of party documents while the other, a 
school director and unionist, was participating in a peaceful 
demonstration organised by teachers in Makamba.

During the reporting period, police officials arrested several individuals 
in connection with a series of demonstrations and rallies initiated by 
Palipehutu-FNL members or sympathizers. Eleven such persons were detained 
in Police holding cells, in Muyinga and Bururi provinces, for allegedly 
distributing leaflets and holding placards during pro-Palipehutu-FNL 
demonstrations. Police are investigating these cases.

The prisons' rehabilitation program underway has negatively impacted the 
living conditions of detainees in Gitega and Bururi provinces prisons 
where numerous inmates were transferred. A female inmate sustained a 
bullet injury as a result of a brawl in Rumonge central Prison.

Within the framework of the magistrates and other judicial personnel's 
capacity reinforcement, the HR&JD concluded a five-day training workshop 
in Gitega Commune and Province. Organised in collaboration with the 
Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court, the training aimed at 
underlining the causes and consequences of malfunction in the judiciary 
and their impact on both the administration of justice and the respect of 
human rights.

With regard to the integrated strategy to fight sexual violence against 
women and children, the HR&JD organised a five-day workshop in 
collaboration with the Ministry of Defence in Makamba Commune and 
Province. Thirty FDN officers from the fifth military region (Makamba, 
Bururi and Rutana) were in attendance and the training aimed at raising 
their awareness on sexual violence and strengthening their capacity to 
promote and protect women and children's fundamental rights, and human 
rights in general. Meanwhile, HR&JOs held seven awareness raising sessions 
in six different provinces for a total of 333 participants including 184 
men.

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=6EB73AB3A423F13EC12574FA0043C7C6&file=Full_Report.pdf

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