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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 9 – 15 FEBRUARY 2009 Activities and Updates

The erratic climatic which prevailed during the season Emergency nutritional programme 2009A seriously affected the households located in in Kirundo Bugesera, Imbo and Moso regions. To allow these Médecins Sans Frontières -Belgium has opened a affected households to set up the second farming Therapeutic Feeding Centre to improve assistance season (2009B), FAO, CRS, and GTZ, provided to malnourished children in Kirundo. To date, 65 agricultural inputs to the most vulnerable populations severely malnourished children have been admitted in the various communes. On the whole, 151,650 to the centre. Those cases were referred to the households (9% of the total population) will be centre by MSF/B doctor during his visit in Out assisted during this season 2009B. Patient Treatment (OPT); 21 OPT centres are This humanitarian support programme, which started opened every week. IMC will take over from MSF/B on 16 February 2009, will provide assistance to 91,750 when it starts its three-year programme in the households through seeds fairs and 59,900 province. households through direct inputs distributions. In the The lack of qualified and adequately trained medical case of the direct distributions, each beneficiary personnel is the main constraint MSF/B is facing. household receives 10 kg of bean seeds and 10 gr. of MSF/B is planning to take over 6 Out Patient vegetable seeds. At seed fairs, households receive a Treatment centres in near future. According to coupon worth 10,000Fbu (approximately 8US$) to MSF/B there is a good coordination with UNICEF purchase the seeds of their choice and 10 gr. of and WFP and stock requisitions for Feeding vegetable seeds. Centres are quickly responded to.

Food Security The 2nd farming season has been just started. However, the Bugesera (Northern) and Moso (Eastern) natural regions are still facing water deficit and the availability of foodstuffs there remains low there. Migratory movements towards Rwanda to look for employment opportunities or to find food were again reported in the local media. Within the Seeds fair (FAO 16/02/09) in rural, the households buy the seeds of their framework of the search for a sustainable response choices with a coupon of 10,000Fbu to this problem, five potential projects “Vivres pour la Création des Avoirs Communautaires” (Food for Human rights violations Assets) were identified: two in Karusi and three in HR&JD continued to receive reports of police raids in Kirundo. various provinces, resulting in the deportation of WFP also distributed 395 tonnes of food to 164,195 several hundreds of alleged illegal aliens. On [9 Feb.], beneficiaries of its various programmes (Mother- 140 alleged illegal aliens, including Rwandans and Child Health /Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, School Feeding, Congolese, were arrested in Mugina and Mabayi Therapeutic Feeding, Institutional Feeding, Return Communes, . They were expelled on Package for repatriates as well as Refugees [10 and 11 Feb.] respectively. On [10 Feb.], a similar feeding) throughout in the country. operation in commune and Province led to the

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transfer of 320 people to the stadium for identity Assistance to Burundians expelled verification. Fifteen people, including 13 Congolese, from Tanzania a Rwandan and a Ugandan, were deemed irregular. The Government project for the reintegration of war- Eight individuals were notified that they would be affected persons (PARESI) registered 137 Burundians shortly expelled while the others were given two (43 families) expelled from Tanzania who arrived weeks to legalize their situation. through the entry points of: HR&JD continued to monitor tensions between the - Kobero / , 51 persons (16 ruling CNDD-FDD and opposition parties this week. families) transferred in their colline of origin: 7 Two CNDD-FDD members were injured after having persons (3 families) in Muyinga commune, 8 disrupted an UPRONA gathering in Bugabira persons (2 families) in Bwambarangwe commune / Commune, on [29 Jan.]. Five Kirundo province, 9 persons (2 families) in militants, including two UPRONA members, were Giteranyi, 2 persons (1 family) in Bugabira temporarily arrested as a result. On [8 Feb.], a province, 4 persons (1family) in Kayanza similar incident occurred when CNDD-FDD commune, 16 persons (5 families) in Busiga members led by a local official, disrupted a UPD- commune/Ngozi, 4 persons (1 family) in Zigamibanga meeting in the same Commune, Gitaramuka commune/ and 1 despite the fact that the meeting had been person without refence transfert at Nyarunazi previously authorised by the local administration. peace village in Buhinyuza commune; Also, FRODEBU President Léonce Ngendakumana confirmed his [2 Feb.] statement accusing the ruling - Mishiha / , 13 persons (4 party of training and arming young Burundians to families) transferred in their colline of origin; intimidate the population. He further expressed - Mabanda / , 73 persons (23 fears over various difficulties encountered by families) transferred as following: 29 persons (6 FRODEBU to hold meetings, particularly in the families) in Nyanza-Lac, 6 persons (3 families) in context of the 2010 general elections. Mabanda, 1 person (1 family) in Kiyogoro On [9 Feb.], HR&JOs attended the trial of Jean commune, 28 persons (8 families) in Rumonge Claude Kavumbagu, the Director of Burundian commune/, 3 persons (2 families) online media agency Net Press, who was arrested in Burambi commune/Bururi province, 1 person (1 in [Sep. 2008] on charges of defaming the Head of family) in Bisoro commune/, 4 State. The public prosecutor requested a two-year persons (1 family) in Musongati commune/Rutana prison sentence and 50.000 FBu fine. The case is province and 1 person (1 family) in Bukeye under deliberation. In the case of former CNDD- commune/. FDD, President Hussein Radjabu and his co- Since January, PARESI assisted 453 Burundians (166 accused, hearings were held from [9 -11 Feb.], families) expelled from Tanzania. before the Supreme Court in Bujumbura Mairie. The defense lawyer’s essentially based their arguments on an alleged “State conspiracy” against their Protection and community clients. The hearings are scheduled to resume on reintegration of returnees [16 Feb.]. The Legal Aid Clinic Project of the African Centre for Within the framework of the awareness-raising the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) campaign on the forthcoming national consultations successfully mediated 3 disputes in the communes of on transitional justice, the HR&JD held on [12 Feb.] Bukemba, Giharo and Rumonge (respectively in a workshop in Mwaro Commune and Province, for provinces of Rutana, Rutana and Bururi). All disputes fifty participants, including civil society and religious were related to land. Eight people received legal groups’ representatives. On a separate note, advice from ACCORD and were after referred to either HR&JD also held in partnership with the NGO Avocats sans Frontières (ASF) or to relevant judiciary Terres des Hommes, a four-day training workshop institutions. These initiatives assisted towards the on juvenile justice, in Ngozi Commune and reintegration of returnees into communities, the Province. Judges, judicial police officers social promotion of reconciliation and the protection of workers were among the fifty four people, including returnees. 11 women in attendance.

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