From irin@dha.unon.org Tue Nov 12 20:46:48 1996 Date: Thu, 17 Oct 1996 11:53:22 +0300 (GMT+0300) From: UN DHA IRIN - Great Lakes To: irinwire@dha.unon.org Subject: Burundi: UN Humanitarian Situation Report 8-15 Oct 1996 96.10.16 OFFICE OF THE HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR UNDP P.B. 1490 BUJUMBURA BURUNDI Tel: +257 223135 Fax: +257 225850 Burundi Humanitarian Situation Report October 8 to October 15 The Burundian government reacted angrily to the October 12 decision by neighboring countries to maintain economic sanctions against Burundi. Despite the Buyoya regime's hopes that recent measures to reinstate parliament and allow the functioning of political parties would lead to a relaxing of the sanctions, heads of state from regional countries meeting in Arusha refused to grant additional concessions. In a statement two days later, the Burundian government said that talks with Hutu rebels would not take place until sanctions imposed by countries in the region were lifted. Both the Buyoya government and Leonard Nyangoma, head of the Hutu rebel CNDD movement, had earlier provided participants in the Summit written assurances that they were ready to negotiate. Meanwhile, Tutsi hardliners continued to criticize the Buyoya regime's professed readiness to negotiate with those who support a "genocidal ideology" while receiving nothing in return from the international community. Requests by humanitarian agencies for exemptions for the importation of food and emergency relief items, such as blankets and plastic sheeting, were denied by the Arusha summit. However, recent outbreaks of fighting in both southern and northern Burundi, and the possible influx of thousands of refugees fleeing the fighting in eastern Zaire, makes the need for the items especially acute. 1. General *In the days leading up to Arusha summit, Burundian officials warned that continued sanctions could spark further bloodshed in Burundi. Prime Minister Pascal-Fermin Ndimira told reporters that the embargo had so far cost his country $162 million. Leaders of regional countries meeting in Arusha Oct. 12 to review the economic sanctions imposed on Burundi reiterated that the sanctions would remain in place until there was evidence of unconditional negotiations between all parties to the conflict in the country. In a communique issued by the presidents of Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda and the prime ministers of Ethiopia and Zaire, participants noted that exemptions had already been granted for the import of seeds and fertilizer and held out the carrot of further exemptions should the Buyoya regime begin negotiations. The participants agreed to send a ministerial level delegation to Bujumbura to evaluate Buyoya's commitment to enter into negotiations with the CNDD and "to evaluate the situation and take appropriate action." The delegation was expected to arrive October 15, but only one member arrived. The Arusha communique stated that these negotiations should start by November 12, adding that participants had "expressed readiness to take appropriate action against any group or faction that refuses to participate in the negotiations or places obstacles in the way of the peace process." It is still unclear what those actions might include, although an intervention force has been discussed as one possibility. The Burundian government lashed out at those countries backing the sanctions and said that the maintenance of sanctions favored Hutu rebels and encouraged them to continue their campaign of killing civilians. In a national radio broadcast, a government spokesman called the decision one that "gravely compromises the chances of peace and reconciliation." He added that "in some quarters the objectives are different from those publicly expressed and amount to a secret agenda." In an October 15 press conference, the government withdrew former statements that it was willing to begin negotiations and said that now no negotiations would begin until sanctions are lifted. *US Secretary of State Warren Christopher told a press conference in Arusha Oct. 11 that a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Burundi "is attainable" but he added that should the situation in Burundi deteriorate further, "the international community must be prepared to act quickly to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe." The US has been promoting the creation of a US-backed African peace keeping force that could intervene in civil conflicts where mass killings of civilians appear likely. *Ceremonies marking the 35th anniversary of the assassination of Prince Louis Rwagasore were conducted peacefully October 13. However, appeals from the mayor of Bujumbura for the events to be apolitical were ignored by Uprona supporters, who attended ceremonies wearing red and white caps and t-shirts, their party's colors. Prince Rwagasore, a founder of Uprona, was assassinated in 1961 shortly after being appointed prime minister. Although the crowd applauded warmly when Buyoya laid a wreath at Rwagasore's tomb, Leonce Ngendakumana, the speaker of the national assembly and most senior member of Frodebu present, was booed when he stepped up with a crown of flowers. *As violent clashes between the Zairian army, local tribes and the Banyamulenge continue, fears are mounting that the violence could have a severe impact on Burundi. Some 20,000 Hutu refugees from Burundi fled their camp in eastern Zaire on Sunday after it was attacked by armed men believed to be Banyamulenge. The attack on Runingo camp was the first of its kind in growing conflict in eastern Zaire. Runingo, close to the Burundian border, is one of several camps in the region that are home to 230,000 Hutu refugees. Most of the refugees are from Burundi, but some are also from Rwanda. Earlier in the week, following the attack on a major hospital, allegedly by the Banyamulenge, Zaire declared a state of war in South Kivu and the vice governor of the region declared that the Banyamulenge had until October 15 to leave the region. That order was later revoked by the central government but officials in Kinshasa have made it clear that they want the approximately 200,000 Banyamulenge in eastern Zaire to leave, raising fears of a possible large scale refugee flow into Rwanda and Burundi. Zaire has accused Burundi of backing the Banyamulenge, a charge the Burundian government denies. Calling for a military observer force to be dispatched to the region, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights [for Zaire] warned that the consequences of continued violence could be far greater than the current crisis in the Great Lakes region. 2. Security Fierce fighting was underway between military forces and Hutu rebels over the weekend of Oct. 12-13 in the southwestern province of Bururi. Although the number of casualties is still unclear, preliminary reports from aid agencies indicate that some 35,000 people have been displaced in towns around Rumenge. Those sites containing the affected people are: Muyange, Murage, Buyengero, Busaga, Kibizi and Muramvya. This most recent wave of fighting was sparked after 23 people were killed in the village of Burambi, 100 kilometers south of Bujumbura. The attack, allegedly by Hutu rebels, was one of the worst since the July coup. Soldiers reportedly set fire to the homes of local Hutu families accused of collaborating with the rebels. Explosions were heard around Bujumbura throughout the week, although it was difficult to ascertain if it was from fighting in Uvira or in the hills near the city. On October 14, soldiers were exchanging fire with Hutu rebels on the hills overlooking the capital. Soldiers were said to be shelling houses where rebels were allegedly hiding. Some 2,000 people living in the area reportedly fled to the Kamenge suburb of the city. According to Burundian national radio, a local administrator was killed in Kibuye in northern Kayanza province. His death was announced October 13. Banditry has returned to Bujumbura. On the morning of October 13, armed men entered the house of a UN employee and stole at gun point cash and other items. The employee was not hurt in the incident. Recent attacks were also reported in Mubeka and Ruvubu in Gitega province, but additional details were not available. 3. Affected Populations A recently released MSF- Belgium report on the nutritional status of affected persons in Gihogazi and Nyogoro camps in Karuzi province states that global malnutrition in the camps stands at 14 percent while 3.7 percent of the children were found to be severely malnourished. 85.6 percent of the children were immunized against measles. In an effort to assist the severely malnourished, MSF-Belgium will establish a therapeutic feeding center with 50 beds at Buhiga hospital. There are 17 affected persons sites containing some 50,000 people throughout Karuzi province. Public health specialists from WHO, the Ministry of Health and MSF-France worked in Kirundo Oct. 9-11 to investigate an outbreak of meningitis in the region. The team reported that from September 20 to October 10, 131 people were diagnosed with the disease, of which 32 have since died. The team reported that the population of the area in Busoni commune where the disease is prevalent is approximately 10,780 people. The team will soon begin a vaccination campaign and has stepped up its epidemiological monitoring of the area in addition to a risk-avoidance campaign among the local population. WFP states that during the reporting period it distributed emergency rations to over 8,500 people affected by recent clashes in southern Kayanza province. WFP also reports that it provided food for a UNHCR implemented reforestation program in northern Burundi and a CARE housing reconstruction program in Ngozi province. MSF-F Holland reports that it received an emergency air shipment of 36 MT of bulk drugs October 15. Fourteen MT of the drugs were imported on behalf of MSF-Belgium. The drugs will be used in rural health centers. UNICEF reports that it distributed essential drugs for 50,000 beneficiaries to four health centers and two camps for war affected persons in the Bujumbura area. Christian Aid distributed 600 blankets and 500 pieces of plastic sheeting to vulnerable groups in Kayanza province. The NGO reports that its stocks of non-food relief items is virtually depleted. For several months, Christian Aid has been prevented by the embargo from transporting 60,000 blankets, 20 mt of soap and other badly needed relief items from Tanzania to Burundi. CRS has begun distributing bean seeds and hoes to war affected persons and other vulnerable groups in Gitega province. Over the next month, CRS will distribute 252 mt of seeds and 21,000 hoes to 105,000 people in the province. 4. Humanitarian Coordination DHA/HCU organized a rapid assessment mission to Gitega province to ascertain the needs of affected populations in the region. The mission included representatives from: Christian Aid, CRS, ACF, World Vision, DHA, UNICEF and WFP. Participants visited five of sixteen sites in the province, and found a severe shortage of non-food relief items and a growing shortage of medicine. The team recommended that additional medical supplies and NFI items be distributed throughout the area, but acknowledged that endemic insecurity, the embargo-related prohibition on importing more NFIs and on-going fuel shortages make this difficult. DHA, in collaboration with the NGO Terre des Hommes, has been helping to coordinate other actors in the establishment of an educational infrastructure to serve the 1,400 children living at the Johnson Center and the CPPK. The two adjacent sites in the Kamenge district of Bujumbura provide care to war-affected people from the surrounding hills. DHA, in association with Italian Cooperation, is attempting to arrange an emergency cargo flight to Bujumbura for medical supplies. The flight, to be funded by the Italian government, will leave when a sufficient quantity of cargo is received from medical NGOs and UN agencies. In a special flight from Nairobi, UNICEF received 200,000 doses of BCG vaccine on Oct. 13. The vaccines will be supplied to the national immunization program. The flight also carried approximately 800 kg of essential drugs for the NGO International Medical Corps. FAO is continuing in its efforts to import the seeds and fertilizers which were exempted by the RSCC in Kigali on September 25. Contact has been made with the importer and the transporter in an effort to facilitate the clearance of the fertilizer through Tanzanian customs for transport by barge from Kigoma. In an effort to facilitate Caritas's shipment of bulk drugs and supplementary feeding materials from Kigoma, DHA has put the NGO in contact with the transport agents for the exempted fertilizer. 5. Impact of Sanctions on the Delivery of Humanitarian Assistance UNICEF's activities targeting displaced populations in the interior of the country have been temporarily suspended due to a lack of fuel. These activities include the construction and maintenance of latrines, hygiene and sanitation education, and the distribution of water by tanker truck. A combined fuel order for UN and international NGOs has been made, but supplies from Rwanda have yet to arrive. As illustrated by the recent assessment mission to Gitega, the shortage of non-food relief items is becoming critical. As NGOs deplete their current stocks, there is a danger that victims of new outbreaks of fighting will not receive the necessary life-sustaining goods. In addition, NGOs and UN agencies continue to encounter administrative difficulties in importing sanctions-exempted goods into the country. Although the WFP regional aircraft continues its Nairobi-Bujumbura service, the number of available seats remains insufficient. This shortage has severely limited the ability of humanitarian agencies to rotate staff. HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION UNIT/DHA P.B. 1490 Bujumbura, BURUNDI tel: 257 22 31 35 fax: 257 22 58 50 [ENDS] [Via the UN DHA Integrated Regional Information Network "Wire" mailing list. The material contained in this communication may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. UN DHA IRIN Tel: +254 2 441125 Fax: +254 2 448816 e-mail: irin@dha.unon.org for more information. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer.]