United Nations Nations Unies

Office for the Coordination Bureau de Coordination Of Humanitarian Affairs in Des Affaires Humanitaires au Burundi http://ochaonline.un.org/Burundi http://ochaonline.un.org/Burundi Burundi Weekly Humanitarian News 2 –8 FEBRUARY 2009 Activities and Updates

Expulsions of foreign nationals within Community”, the first batch being distributed Following to the Government decision to expel during the reported period. illegal migrants, UNICEF has planned meetings at Food security and distribution provincial level for Information and Sensitizing of the The process of identifying new beneficiaries for Food local and provincial authorities on repatriation, For Assets (FFA), HIV/AIDS and School-Feeding expulsions and the migrations. Meetings will be led programs continued. In the school-feeding programme in Cankuzo (18 February 2009); Ruyigi (19 is being extended to new schools in Ngozi and February 2009) and Muyinga (4 March 2009). The Kayanza (where there was no schools feeding objectives of the meetings will be to inform the local programme before), and in Muyinga provinces with the authorities on issues relating to cross-border support of Burundi Government‟s funds granted by the movements and the situation/rights of children World Bank. resulting from mixed couples living in Burundi Activities such as Health and Nutrition, School Support to vulnerable households Feeding, returnees and refugees feeding have been through restocking livestock conducted throughout the country, 730 tones of food have been distributed to 176,223 beneficiaries. Health The epidemic of cholera in Cibitoke is not completely under control but shows not signs of deteriorating. 2 treatment sites are opened and now cater for 22 cases in Rugombo and Cibitoke treatment site. No fatalities were reported in relation to this new episode. So far: - CONCERN distributed 250 litres of fuel - Red Cross will help in the disinfection of the affected households - UNICEF will provide disinfection products - The Ministry for health already gave 1,000 litres of „Ringer lactate‟ Some recipients of the “peace village of Gitara” (on 3 February 2009) - WHO coordinate the efforts and provides financial FAO/ERCU continued its restocking programme of support to the MoH livestock targeting vulnerable people. In this programme, priority is given repatriates installed in Human rights violations “peace villages” and those returned at their colline The Independent Expert (IE) on the human rights of origin. situation in Burundi, Mr. Akich Okola, concluded his 11th mission to Burundi with a press conference. The Goats of local race (East Africa small goat) are IE briefed participants on discussions held with distributed; as it is a species vulnerable households national authorities, representatives of political parties, are familiar with. national and international human rights organisations, For the first six-month period 2009, 9,060 goats will UN agencies and the diplomatic corps. Among key be distributed to 3,020 direct beneficiaries issues raised, were the preparation of the 2010 households, with the approach of “chain of solidarity elections, the establishment of the National Human

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Rights Commission in accordance with the Paris /, 15 persons (5 families) in Principles, Transitional Justice (TJ) and the Gisuru commune and 1 person (1 family) in restrictions of freedom of expression, opinion and Kinyinya commune ; peaceful assembly. Mr. Okola insisted on the - Kobero / Muyinga province, 6 persons (3 independence of the national human rights families) transferred in their colline of origin: 1 institutions to ensure their effectiveness and person (1 family) in Giteranyi commune, 4 persons credibility. (1 family) in Bwambarangwe commune / Kirundo This week, HR&JOs were involved in the monitoring province and 1 person (1 family) in Nyamurenza of two sensitive trials including that of former commune/ ; CNDD-FDD Chairman, Mr. Hussein Radajbu and - Mishiha / , 27 persons (10 his co-accused, as well as the case of the summary families) transferred in their colline of origin: 2 executions [Aug. 2006] of four civilians in Kinama persons (2 families) in Cankuzo commune and 25 Commune, Mairie. In the case of Mr. persons (8 families) in Mishiha commune ; Radjabu, the defence presented its response to the - Mabanda / , 48 persons (16 prosecutor‟s pleadings on the merit of the case and families) transferred as following: 44 persons (13 the hearings will resume on [9 Feb.]. Meanwhile in families) in Nyanza-Lac, 3 persons (2 families) in the Kinama case, the Tribunal de Grande Instance Mabanda and 1 person (1 family) in Kiyogoro in Bujumbura Mairie adjourned the session, due to commune. the absence of one of the accused and the lack of legal counsel for the other. Since January, PARESI assisted 311Burundians (122 families) expelled from Tanzania. With regards to State official‟s harassment against UPD-Zigamibanga party, HR&JOs followed up this Evaluation of Rural habitat in week the case of two UPD militants prevented from Burundi holding a political meeting with the local population The Information, Counselling, Legal Assistance of Commune and Province, on the grounds programme (ICLA) of the Norwegian Refugee Council that they had not given prior notice to the local (NRC) has published a report on different types of administration. They were simply released after villages and collines in Burundi. Since 2006, NRC has being taken into custody for questioning. However, conducted surveys in several villages and rural hills in HR&JOs remain concerned by the growing trend of Burundi. The surveys were guided by the assumption disruption of activities carried out by opposition that specific villages share certain characteristics parties by the CNDD-FDD led administration. according to their origin; as is the case with rural hills. This week, HR&JOs also documented several Based on its findings, it is recommended that cases of extortion of money attributed to Police and reintegration villages be constructed as much as the FDN in Nyanza-Lac and Ndava Communes, possible in the proximity of existing trade centres, respectively in Makamba and Mwaro Provinces. In where there are already a number of economic the first case, FDN and immigration officials (Police activities. Besides, the type of soil and the overall de l’air et des frontières - PAFE) are reported to topography should be given keen attention when have allegedly perceived additional fees without constructing reintegration villages in order to reduce providing receipts from approximately 20 traders the human impact on environment and water pollution. buying supplies in Tanzania. Meanwhile, the head In addition, it is important that the government clarify to of the local Police in has reportedly the residents of reintegration villages their legal rights been imposing fines on the population without on houses and land. Furthermore, the construction of informing the administration and supporting reintegration villages and other main activities should documents. HR&JOs are investigating these cases. follow an integrated approach among the Assistance to Burundians expelled administration, humanitarian organisations, beneficiaries and the host community. Lastly, a new from Tanzania programme for the construction of reintegration The Government project for the reintegration of war- villages should include vocational training and affected persons (PARESI) registered 104 components of income generating activities. Burundians (38 families) expelled from Tanzania who arrived through the entry points of: The report can be found on the websites of OCHA Burundi: http://ochaonline.un.org/burundi and of the - Gisuru / , 23 persons (9 Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). families) transferred in their colline of origin: 7 persons (3 families) in Muyinga commune 2 of 2