SITUATION REPORT 26 March – 1 April 2007 - P UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES Office for the Coordination of Bureau de Coordination des Affaires Humanitarian Affairs in Burundi Humanitaires au Burundi http://ochaonline.un.org/Burundi http://ochaonline.un.org/Burundi ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES Prevention and follow up of avian flu disease in the Great Lakes Region: The regional project for the prevention and monitoring of the avian flu pandemic was launched during a workshop in Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The workshop which took place from March 21st to 23rd was attended by heads of veterinary services from Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, representatives from the Belgian Cooperation in the said countries, and FAO representatives. Although the avian flu virus known as H5N1 has not yet been detected in any of these countries, the region is considered as a high risk area given the reported high level of bird migration. The situation is cause for concern in Burundi where thousands of birds migrate into the country mostly from Europe, to seek shelter during cold winter months from November to April every year. Main entry points are the Ruzizi River plain, the northern region near the “Lacs aux oiseaux” and the Ruvubu Park. In order to help Burundi reach the level of preparedness of the neighboring countries namely DRC and Rwanda, the workshop recommended the organization of a field mission to assess the situation and identify an emergency response to the situation at hand. Repatriation: During the reporting period, UNHCR registered 60 returnees from Tanzania who arrived through the entry points in Kobero in Muyinga province (44 persons) and Gisuru in Ruyigi province (16 persons). From the beginning of January till end of March 2007, UNHCR has registered 2,689 Burundian returnees including 83 spontaneous returnees. Since the beginning of the facilitated repatriation operation in 2002, 341,688 Burundians have returned to their home country. Update on Burundians expelled from Tanzania: During the reporting week, the Government project for the reintegration of war-affected persons (PARESI) registered a total of 255 persons (133 families) expelled from Tanzania: 75 in Kinazi (Muyinga) and 180 in Munzenze (Cankuzo). Since January 2007, PARESI has recorded 1,235 expelled persons (665 families) who arrived from Tanzania through the entry points of Kobero in the province of Muyinga and Mishiha in the province of Cankuzo. With regards to expelled persons without addresses, the Ministry of National Solidarity has authorized the transfer of these persons from Kinazi transit site to the temporary transit site of Songore (Ngozi). Meanwhile, PARESI will follow up the situation in Munzenze (Cankuzo province) by collecting updated statistics by identifying expelled persons without addresses. Reintegration of demobilized persons: Within the framework of reintegration of demobilized former combatants, the national commission for demobilization, reinsertion and reintegration has undertaken joint construction activities involving former combatants and youth in the Mpanda and Musenyi regions (Bubanza province). These activities aim at ensuring clean water adduction systems and the construction of bridges. Such activities will help achieve the national objective for reconstruction. Update on food aid distribution: Throughout the month of March, WFP distributed 5,027 MT to 699,421 beneficiaries throughout its various programmes: Feeding centres, food for work/food for For more information: E-mail: [email protected], Tel: 205000 Ext. 5542 SITUATION REPORT 26 March – 1 April 2007 - P training, assistance to refugees and HIV/AIDS affected persons, targeted distribution, seed protection rations Security: Since March 27th, the United Nations security phases in Burundi’s western provinces including Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza and Cibitoke were revised from phase IV to phase III. This came about as a result of the overall security improvement in these provinces. Coordination: UNICEF, OCHA and UNDP project for the reintegration of war-affected persons and fight against poverty (PRRSLP) carried out a three day mission in Karuzi to assess damage caused by the January-February torrential rains which seriously affected school infrastructures. This situation has rendered the learning conditions very harsh for school children in several primary schools. Either school children have stopped going to school or classrooms are over crowded. In order to enable continuous delivery of lessons at the Bukirasazi primary school (Shombo commune), classrooms are covered with tarpaulin. The roofing of the Kinazi primary school was torn out and some pupils were relocated to the nearest schools in Bugenyuzi and Rusasa, while others were compelled to stay at home due to insufficient classroom capacity. Primary school of Bukirasazi in Shombo commune, Kinazi primary school in Bugenyuzi commune, OCHA OCHA, March 2007 March 2007 For more information: E-mail: [email protected], Tel: 205000 Ext. 5542 .