Weekly Humanitarian News 03 – 09 Dec. 2007

UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES Office for the Coordination of Bureau de la Coordination Humanitarian Affairs in Burundi des Affaires Humanitaires au Burundi http://ochaonline.un.org/Burundi http://ochaonline.un.org/Burundi

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Update on cholera epidemic in Rumonge/ and Nyanza-Lac/ Rumonge/Bururi Province Since early November, 99 cholera cases have been diagnosed with no deaths so far. It is reported that the daily rate of admissions has dropped significantly with only 5 patients currently hospitalized. Cordaid assisted the Ministry of Health in setting up a cholera centre around mid-November. With support from UNICEF, the Burundi Red Cross and Solidarités, 745 households and 11 public facilities have been disinfected. Solidarités provided 4 bladders and water trucking in the most affected areas. A damaged adduction is being repaired with support from Solidarités while additional water taps have been reopened by REGIDESO the national Water Authority (previously closed due to unpaid public bills). The situation is under control with medical care being provided by experienced staff and the epidemic is expected to cease with the beginning of the short dry season (December - March). Nyanza-Lac/Makamba Province Following the cholera outbreak in Mvugo, 57 persons were hospitalized in the Nyanza-Lac health centre. The media has reported 2 deaths so far (people who did not even reach the health centre). Cordaid is supporting the Ministry of Health in setting up a cholera centre. Staff reinforcement has been sent by Provincial health authorities while a bladder has been installed close to the Mvugo centre by Solidarités. The Burundi Red Cross has recently started disinfection (spraying). Sensitization campaigns are ongoing both locally and over the radio. UNICEF is working with the Burundi Red Cross to initiate further actions.

MSF Belgium comes to the end of its assistance programme in Karuzi Province After 14 years of humanitarian assistance in the Province of Karuzi, MSF Belgium announced its decision to cease its operations and to officially hand over all assistance activities in 12 health centres and the hospital of Buhiga to health authorities. MSF states that the reason for this closure is because Burundi is no longer in a phase of acute emergency since development programmes are now being implemented. The European Union intends to support health services in Karuzi from 01 January 2008. Furthermore, MSF highlights the fact that subsidized medical care gives vulnerable populations more access to healthcare. When this initiative was introduced, MSF noticed that the number of visits to health centres where they operated increased from 150,000 consultations in 2003 to over 350,000 in 2006. While there are now over 5,500 admissions in hospitals as compared to 2003 which registered only 4,500 admitted patients. Considering that the vast majority of populations in Karuzi live on subsistence farming, they will be unable to afford adequate medical care if they have to pay for it. MSF hereby expresses concern over future health plans for the Province of Karuzi.

HealthNet TPO concludes a 16-day campaign against sexual violence in Makamba In collaboration with UNICEF, HealthNet TPO coordinates all activities to provide assistance to victims of sexual violence in Makamba Province. After 16 days of active campaign against sexual violence, HealthNet TPO ended the campaign with a series of activities including: a match, cultural songs and dances ‘Agasimbo’, a drama depicting various human rights abuses and a friendly football match. The ceremony was attended by local authorities and NGOs.

Great Lakes Advocacy Group (GLAG) Grassroots Activist Meeting, Rwanda The GLAG seeks to address the root causes of violence against women in the Great Lakes Region by increasing the capacity of grassroots communities to advocate against sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) on the local, national and regional levels. Care International in Burundi reports that a recent regional meeting brought together 35 grassroots activists from Burundi, the DRC, Rwanda and

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Burundi Weekly Humanitarian News 03 – 09 Dec. 2007

Uganda. The goal of this meeting was to begin a process of strategically strengthening grassroots-led advocacy against SGBV at the local, national and regional levels in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. Key outcomes of this meeting included: 1) Grassroots activists had a deeper understanding SGBV issues within conflict and post-conflict contexts of the region. Activists from each country presented their conflict and SGBV contexts. Stories in Northern Uganda and the DRC focused on rape as a tool to destroy communities, while activists from Burundi and Rwanda emphasised domestic violence, lack of access to resources and little political decision-making as forms of violence. Conflict, women's low status, exclusion, poverty and regional political dynamics were cited by activists as direct and indirect causes of SGBV. 2) Activists drew up local advocacy action plans in each of their countries. Advocacy priorities range across the four countries. In Burundi these include: a continuous sensitization of communities to change harmful practices through the sharing of personal stories from the ‘Abatangamuco’ (Kirundi for those who bring light where there is darkness); continuous advocacy for medical, psychosocial and legal assistance to victims of sexual violence; organise and participate in radio and television spots on violence against women; form a national association or network of community activists (Abatangamucos).

Update on repatriation and refugees Over last week, 606 Burundian refugees returned to Burundi. The most significant return took place in (72 returnees), followed by Makamba Province (329 returnees and 63 spontaneous), and (142 returnees).

The 12th meeting of the Tripartite Commission The 12th meeting of the Tripartite Commission (Burundi/Tanzania/UNHCR) on the situation of Burundian refugees living in Tanzania was held in on 03 December. During this meeting, all parties pledged to ensure that humanitarian principles are respected during the voluntary repatriation of refugees. Among other issues, the Commission released results of a recent survey carried out in settlement villages for refugees who fled Burundi in 1972. Faced with the option of either returning to their country of origin or naturalization in Tanzania, 79% (171.629) refugees preferred to become naturalized Tanzanians against 21% (45.547) who opted for repatriation. Furthermore, the Tanzanian Government announced its intention to close camps by June 2008. In this regard, the Burundian Government appealed to its counterpart to prolong this deadline until the period when refugees normally tend to return in great numbers (between July and November every year).

UNHCR and UNICEF increase their assistance to Burundian returnees and expelled persons With financial support from the European Union to the value of 10 million Euros, UNHCR and UNICEF will greatly increase assistance towards the reintegration of Burundian returnees. Both returnees and expelled persons will receive assistance in: the constructions of houses, legal aid, healthcare, better access to free education and other forms of assistance. Within the framework of this project, UNHCR and UNICEF will assist some 125,000 beneficiaries including over 110,000 voluntary returnees and 15,000 expelled persons. The project will start in 2008 and will run for two years. All activities will take place in the border Provinces with Tanzania (Cankuzo, Makamba, Muyinga, Rutana and Ruyigi), because returnees and expelled persons mostly use them as entry points. UNICEF will construct 15 schools and 15 pre-schools within the framework of this project.

Assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania The Government project for the reintegration of war-affected persons (PARESI) registered 216 Burundians expelled from Tanzania who arrived through Kobero/Muyinga Province (63 families). So far in 2007, PARESI has recorded 9,405 expelled persons (4,481families).

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Burundi Weekly Humanitarian News 03 – 09 Dec. 2007

Update on food aid distribution Last week, WFP distributed 808 MT of food to 183,244 beneficiaries mostly through the School Feeding and Food for Work programmes.

Seeds distribution: sorghum and rice Sorghum and rice are normally planted over the month of December. This planting season, FAO/ Emergency and Rehabilitation Coordination Unit (ERCU) distributed 425 tons of sorghum seeds to approximately 85,000 vulnerable households. Priority areas for distribution were the Bugesera and Moso regions which tend to have prolonged dry seasons and little rainfall. Thereafter, the Provinces of Kirundo, Cankuzo, Ruyigi and Rutana each received 50 tons of sorghum. In addition to this sorghum distribution, many associations of seeds producers including rice received good quality seeds as well as mineral manure from the FAO. These were given particularly to associations which work in marshlands with an average altitude (between 1300 m and 1700 m of altitude) and some associations of vulnerable households cultivating in the Imbo plains. The total surface area covered by the programme is 2,250 hectares.

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