• Humanitarian Bi-Monthly report Situation Report #04 Date/Time 28 May 2009

This report was issued by Burundi office. It covers the period from 11 to 24 May 2009. The next report will be issued on or around 9 June 2009.

HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES - MSF prepares the phase out of its emergency nutritional operation in - Repatriation from last Burundian camp in Rwanda - New refugee camp in Bwagiriza

I. Situation Overview The President of Burundi has officially requested the support (logistical, technical, financial and moral) of the United Nations for the preparation and the organisation of the 2010 elections. Since March, doctors have been strike over their salaries. Developments in South Kivu and the forthcoming operation Kimia II against FDLR, are not expected to have a major impact on Burundi. The IACP contingency plan remains valid and will be updated in September.

II. Humanitarian Needs and Response

Health MSF is preparing to phase out its emergency nutrition programme in the Kirundo province as it expects the situation to improve as the harvests ongoing. MSF has also noted that children being referred to its nutritional centres are not as severely malnourished as when it started its emergency programme. Since February 9th, 2009; over 480 children were admitted to the nutritional stabilisation centre because of acute severe malnutrition with medical complications; some 28 children were lost because their situation was too critical when they arrived at the stabilisation centre. During this emergency nutrition programme, MSF found that 58% of the children admitted had oedemas and systematic testing of incoming patients also showed that 53.2% also had malaria. To date, close to 50 children suffering from acute severe malnutrition are admitted daily, MSF hopes that number will be brought down to 30 thanks to increased food availability as a result of the harvest season. This improvement however, will depend not only, on the levels of food production but also on the capacity of provincial health centres to treat malnourished children, as well as a regular supply of plumpy nut and of food rations for parents/relatives accompanying the malnourished children to the health centres. It is worth noting that, as we report, food rations for relatives accompanying the malnourished children were made available recently but it has now been 4 to 5 weeks since take home plumpy nut rations were distributed. The MSF withdrawal plan follows the schedule below: o June 5: last day of the children transfer by MSF vehicles of the health centres towards the nutritional stabilisation centre o 10 to 12 June: transfer of the children from the stabilization centre towards the paediatrics service of the Kirundo hospital o 15 to 25 June: support of MSF to paediatrics service of the Kirundo with a minimum staffing o June 26: closure of base MSF in Kirundo

Food Security Although some areas of the country (north and north-east) were able to begin harvesting beans one month early (June 2009), prices are still high on the market. A study at Ngozi market revealed that commodity prices are still high. Beans are at 550BIF/kg, rice at 1,100BIF/kg, sweet potatoes at approximately 175BIF/kg, cassava flour at 500BIF/kg and maize flour at 500BIF/kg; while the revenue of farmers living by casual labour is 500 BIF/day/capita. Furthermore, the next harvest could be slightly jeopardized by heavy rains as reported

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. during this month of May. A Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) for the agricultural season 2009B is planned for the beginning of June 2009. During the reporting period, WFP continued assisting the most vulnerable people through school feeding, returnees/refugees feeding and nutrition programmes. WFP with its partners have distributed 1,688mt of food to 104,291 beneficiaries.

Repatriation Repatriation from last Burundian refugee camp in Rwanda During the reporting period, the first convoy of 529 Burundian refugees from Kigeme refugee camp, the last Burundian refugee camp in Rwanda, arrived through Kanyaru Border. Repatriates were transferred to Mugano transit centre, before being transported to their communes of origins. Kigeme will be closed at the end of May. Repatriation Statistics In all, between 11 and 24 May, 2,963 returnees arrived in Burundi, including 529 from Rwanda and 394 from Mtabila and 2,040 from Old Settlements in Tanzania. Since the beginning of this year, 8,998 Burundian refugees have returned, including 8,200 from Tanzania (4,814 from the Old Settlements and 3,386 from Mtabila), 741 from Rwanda, and 57 who returned from elsewhere. Congolese Refugees The new refugee camp in Bwagiriza () received a first convoy of 133 Congolese refugees divided into 33 households, from Songore transit centre (Muyinga) on 20 May. A second convoy arrived from with 232 refugees. The Congolese refugee camps in Kinama (Gasorwe) and in Musasa have reached the maximum reception capacity that complies with UNHCR refugee camp standards. The Bwagiriza camp has a capacity of 8,500 persons. So far, transfers from Bujumbura to the camps have been on a relatively low level in 2009, with 589 persons (212 families) transferred between 1 January and 27 May, i.e. less than 120 persons/month.

Protection and Human rights On [13 May], the HRS received a copy of a letter addressed to a number of national and international stakeholders, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, by a magistrate of Bujumbura Mairie’s Tribunal de Grande Instance (TGI). In his letter, the latter states that he was kidnapped and assaulted by unidentified individuals wearing police uniforms on [7 May] and had recently, along with two other magistrates received death threats in connection with the acquittal of Alexis Sinduhije, the leader of the Mouvement pour la Solidarité et la Démocratie (MSD). Meanwhile, Burundi’s Magistrate Union (SYMABU) issued a statement on the same day indicating that it would seek the support of President Nkurunziza and the Higher Judicial Council to guarantee the security of all magistrates. This week, the HRS continued to receive reports of violations of political freedoms. On [6 May], six alleged FNL party members were detained by the Police Nationale du Burundi (PNB) in Kiremba Commune, , after holding a meeting. Local authorities claimed that those detained had failed to provide due notification of the event, which they viewed as a political meeting. On [9 May], a meeting of UPD Zigamibanga was banned by the local administrator of Muyinga. In a separate event, credible sources informed HROs that, also on [9 May], two secondary school pupils affiliated to MSD were arbitrarily arrested and then taken into police custody by a local official in Mwaro Commune and Province. They were released on [10 May] after the PNB Provincial Commissioner intervened. Allegations of violations of the right to physical integrity perpetrated by members of the PNB were also reported. On [6 May], the PNB’s chef de poste in Nyamurenza Commune, Ngozi Province, allegedly beat and injured two men. To date, authorities have reportedly taken no action. In Kayanza Commune and Province, a man was reportedly subjected to ill treatment by a PNB officer. The victim was taken to hospital to be examined and the case has been referred to the prosecutor’s office. BINUB held a number of events this past week as part of its commitment to promoting human rights in Burundi. Three awareness raising sessions were held [12 to 14 May] in Musigati and Rugazi communes of , and in Busoni Commune, Kirundo Province. Among the 147 participants were senior State representatives, local officials, and 25 women. Topics discussed included procedures for bringing cases to court as well as ways of tackling impunity. From [13 to 15 May], the HRS organized, in partnership with the Service National des Renseignements (SNR), a workshop on human rights for 28 SNR officials, including 8 women. The HRS also held, on [13 and 14 May], a workshop for youth associations on the forthcoming

2 | P a g e national consultations on transitional justice. Fifty youth leaders attended, including 15 women. The national consultations are scheduled to begin in [Jun. 2009]. On [19 May], the trial of eleven people, accused of murdering people with albinism and trafficking in their body parts, began at the Tribunal de Grande Instance (TGI) of Ruyigi Province. The public prosecutor presented the case in a courtroom crowded with representatives of the diplomatic corps, NGOs, including human rights and grassroots associations, as well as BINUB’s HRS. The accused were not represented by a lawyer in violation of Article 11.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) according to which: Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence. The hearing was adjourned until [28 May]. On [16 May], the chairman of (SYMEBU), Dr. Pierre Claver Hajayandi issued a statement on the privately owned television channel, Renaissance. Mr. Hajayandi indicated that he is being harassed and threatened by members of the Service National de Renseignement (SNR). He further alleged that he had narrowly escaped an ambush in the outskirts of Bujumbura Mairie. On [20 May], Immaculée Nimpagaritse, a representative of the trade union of Burundi General Practitioners, SYMEGEB, in the embattled negotiations with Government, issued a statement in which she declared that she had received threats from three members of the Service National de Renseignement (SNR). Dr. Burundian physicians have been on strike over a pay dispute for more than two months. Last week, they temporarily stopped providing emergency services in a bid to put more pressure on the government. The HRS continued to receive reports of violations of political freedoms. In Bukeye Commune, , on [16 May], local administration and police officials disrupted the inauguration of UPD- Zigamibanga party headquarter, although they had been informed of the event. They reportedly confiscated the party’s flag and declared that the inauguration was illegal. In a similar event which occurred in Kinindo Commune, Bujumbura Mairie on [24 May], PNB elements dispersed another meeting of UPD-Zigamibanga upon the orders of the local administration which had reportedly received notice of the event. On [19 May], at Mugano Refugee Transit Human Rights Violations and Abuses Reported from 9 to 24 May 2009 Centre in Giteranyi Commune, Muyinga Police Nationale du Burundi (PNB) Province, HRS monitors met with a group of Type of violation Victims 529 Burundian refugees, the first to be Cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment 1 man Attempt violation of the right to life 2 men voluntarily repatriated out of the 2000 33 men, incl. 6 alleged reportedly sheltered at Kigeme camp in Arbitrary/illegal detention FNL party & 6 boys Rwanda, which is due to close at the end of Failure to separate children from adults in 34 boys & 1 girl detention May 2009. A number of agencies and Non/insufficient registration of detainees 46 men, 2 boys & 9 minors organizations are providing assistance to the Inhumane conditions of detention 59 people refugees, including UNHCR, the German Local Administration Cooperation Agency (GTZ), International Type of violation Victims Violation of the right to physical integrity 1 woman & 3 men Rescue Committee (IRC), African Violation to the freedom of association and UPD party Humanitarian Action (AHA) and the Project peaceful assembly for the Support of the Repatriation and Common crimes relevant for human rights Type of violation Victims Reintegration of War Affected Persons. Rape 4 women & 12 girls Although they welcomed their return home, Attempted rape 1 girl many among the refugees also lamented the Gang rape 1 woman loss of personal belongings they had left Infanticide 1 baby Incest 1 girl behind. Lynching 1 man On [19 May], the HRS held a meeting with representatives of nine local media organizations that will cover an awareness raising campaign on the national consultations on transitional justice from [30 May – 17 Jul.]. On [20 May], 22 newly recruited field assistants were trained on Transitional Justice and the principles of national consultations. On this occasion, Women’s network group Dushirehamwe presented the gender aspects associated with the national consultations. A test consultation will be launched on [22 and 23 May] in Kamenge and Musaga communes of Bujumbura Mairie. The HRS conducted visits at Mpimba central prison in Bujumbura and Bubanza Province jail, to assess the impact of human rights trainings delivered to police and penitentiary staff in 2008. It appears that in Bubanza, 8 agents trained have since retired, while only 5 out of the 19 staff trained remain on duty at in Mpimba prison. .

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Assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania From 11 to 24 May, the Government project for the reintegration of war-affected persons (PARESI) registered 221 Burundians (69 families) expelled from Tanzania who arrived through the entry points of: Kobero (27 persons/14 families), Mishiha (11 persons/5 families) and Mabanda (183 persons/50 families). Some 1,634 Burundians (622 households) were expelled from Tanzania from January 1st to May 24, 2009.

Protection and community reintegration of returnees The Legal Aid Clinic Project of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) successfully mediated 12 disputes in the communes of Bukemba, Giharo, Kinyinya, Itaba, Nyanza-Lac and Rumonge. Out of 12 disputes, 10 were related to land and 2 to family and civil law. In addition, ACCORD conducted 8 conflict management and legal matter trainings in the commune of Rumonge, Nyanza-Lac, Bukemba, Giharo, Kinyinya and Gitega for 193 community leaders and local administrative authorities. 18 people received legal advice from ACCORD where after they were referred to either Avocats sans Frontières (ASF), or to relevant judiciary institutions. These initiatives assisted towards the reintegration of returnees into communities, with the promotion of reconciliation, as well as with the protection of the rights of returnees.

III. Coordination/Emergency Preparedness A joint assessment and monitoring mission was conducted by WFP and OCHA at Sabe site (neighbourhoods north of Bujumbura) on 20 May 2009. The mission objective was to assess the situation of households after torrential rains caused flooding in the Sabe and Buterere areas in April. On 6 May 2009, Médecins sans frontières Belgique started a health care programme on the Sabe and Buterere sites and will also provide water and build latrines. Food assistance is being provided by the Ministry of Solidarity, the World Food Programme, and other civil society organisations.

Recommendations from the mission are: Recently reconstrcuted home in Sabe  Relocate the population on a site suitable for human dwelling;  Provide drinking water and medicines;  Acceleration latrines constructions and maintenance service;  Sensitise population in water and sanitation; IV. Contact Please contact:

Bujumbura: Ndamama Sheila, Information Management Assistant [email protected], +257 22 20 55 58

Bujumbura : Kubwayezu Floribert, Field Analyst [email protected], + 257 22 20 51 60

For more information, please visit http://ochaonline.un.org/burundi

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