From irin@dha.unon.org Mon Oct 21 14:31:30 1996 Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 13:33:07 +0300 (GMT+0300) From: UN DHA IRIN - Great Lakes To: irinwire@dha.unon.org Subject: Burundi: UN Humanitarian Situation Report 25 Sept - 1 Oct 96.10.1 OFFICE OF THE HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR UNDP P.B. 1490 BUJUMBURA BURUNDI Tel: +257 223135 Fax: +257 225850 BURUNDI HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT SEPTEMBER 25 TO OCTOBER 1 Humanitarian activities in Burundi continue to be limited by the regional sanctions imposed on the country. The September 25 meeting of the Regional Sanctions Coordination Committee (RSCC) in Kigali concentrated on the political stalemate in Burundi. The RSCC did, however, publicly confirm that it had agreed earlier in the week to allow FAO to import limited quantities of fertilizer for non-cash crops and vegetable seeds. A six percent drop in the January 1997 pulse harvest is forecast by FAO as a result of the non-delivery of fertilizer that had earlier been blocked by the embargo. It is already too late to use the fertilizer this season. Security throughout Burundi remains precarious with ambushes continuing on the main roads and with most of Bujumbura once again without electricity. Fuel supplies held by the humanitarian community continue to be alarmingly low, and while an order has been made, no new stocks have been received. While there have been few reports of new fighting in Burundi over the last week, reports of continued fighting in eastern Zaire have raised concern about the possibility of a new inflow of refugees into Burundi. To date, however, only small numbers of people have crossed into Burundi to escape the fighting in Uvira and Bukavu. 1. General *Burundi's neighboring states enforcing sanctions against the Buyoya regime hinted last week that they would allow Buyoya to meet with political leaders of neighboring country's at the next regional summit, effectively reducing the Burundian leader's political isolation. In recommendations issued after the September 25 meeting of the RSCC in Kigali, committee members advised that "Buyoya be invited to be available" for the next regional summit to discuss developments in Burundi. The text added that "other leaders of parties to the conflict [are] also invited to be available." Buyoya had tried for some time to win an audience with those responsible for imposing the economic sanctions but had been rebuffed until last week. No firm date has yet been set for the regional summit, but it could be as soon as the second week in October. Member's of the Buyoya government welcomed the opening even though the wording of the recommendations appeared to give President Buyoya's rule the same degree of legitimacy as that of rebel leaders such as Leonard Nyangoma. "We consider that it is a good thing to be able to explain the situation to our neighbors," said Minister of Information Pierre-Claver Ndayicariye. "It is never too late to make peace, but while people hesitate about lifting sanctions, the embargo claims innocent victims," he added in an interview with reporters. *The power struggle within the Hutu-dominated Frodebu party intensified September 25 with 34 more members backing CNDD leader Leonard Nyangoma's claim to be the new party chief. Nyangoma had announced the previous week that he had wrested the party's presidency away from Jean Minani, the former speaker of the national assembly. Minani continues to contest Nyangoma's claim. *In a speech during the September 27 ceremony in which the Burundian Supreme Court swore in Buyoya as head of state, Buyoya reiterated his claim that the coup was necessary to avoid the disintegration of the Burundian state and promised once again to organize a national debate on the country's political future. He added that preparations for the debate were already underway. *Howard Wolpe, President Clinton's special envoy to Burundi arrived in Bujumbura September 29 to once again argue for a negotiated settlement of the conflict and a return to constitutional rule. This was his first trip to Burundi since early August, shortly after the July 25 coup. After his September 30 meeting, Wolpe told reporters that he and Buyoya had discussed ways of restoring peace, but gave no other details. Wolpe is expected to leave Burundi October 3 to meet with political leaders of other countries in the region imposing sanctions against Burundi For the first time since this summer, Burundian authorities have opened their side of the border with Zaire. Although the border was somewhat porous even when it was officially closed, the action by Burundian authorities has made it easier for those supplying the parallel market for fuel in Burundi to bring supplies into the country. The price on the parallel market for fuel is now said to be between 500 FrBu to 700 FrBu, a reduction of several hundred FrBu per liter. Officially, Zaire has kept its side of the border closed. 2. Security The Burundian army reports that five civilians, ten rebels and two soldiers were killed last week near Rutegama in Muramvya province. Thirteen people were injured in separate attacks in the province over the week but additional details were not available. Rebel ambushes continue along major roads throughout the country, although UN security officials report somewhat fewer ambushes than previous weeks. Rebels continue to target minibuses transporting passengers and food to markets, as well as other soft, commercial targets. Direct attacks against military units have become infrequent. While attacks along Route 2 between Gitega and Murumvya continue, rebels have now begun to target vehicles travelling along Route 3 between Bujumbura and Rumonge. This week, rebels attacked at least three vehicles traveling on that route with at least one person killed, three injured and three vehicles destroyed. The attacks were in the vicinity of Kabezi, about 25km south of Bujumbura. According to WFP, there are unconfirmed reports of serious clashes in Kayanza province, including an attack on a health center and hospital in Butaganzwa commune. Rebels have once again destroyed electric pylons in Bubanza province. At least one more pylon was toppled Sunday, once again plunging most parts of the city into darkness and forcing UN agencies and NGOs to divert fuel stocks to run generators. WFP has had to remove its Twin Otter plane from service in order for it to undergo maintenance in Johannesburg. Without the use of the plane, members of the humanitarian community who need to travel between Bujumbura and other regional towns will be forced to risk travel by road. Use of the plane would be essential should an evacuation of UN staff be necessary. It is expected to be at least a week until the plane is back in service. 3. Affected Populations UNHCR reports that refugees continue to cross into Burundi from eastern Zaire. Over 400 have crossed the border since the conflict between Zairian Tutsis and elements of the Zairian miliary erupted last month. Many of those escaping the fighting who have crossed into Burundi are in the troubled Cibitoke province, and will be transported by the Burundian government to a UNHCR camp now being prepared in Gihanga, about 15 km north of the Bujumbura airport. ACF is exploring the possibility of enlarging its nutritional programs in Gitega, rural Bujumbura and northern Kayanza. The International Rescue Committee has begun operations in Muyinga province. In conjunction with the Ministry of Health, IRC will work to improve sanitation in IDP camps and rehabilitate local water systems. According to WFP, the governor of Ngozi province is discussing with relief agencies, including WFP, the possibility of resettling internally displaced Burundians on the sites of the two former refugee camps in the province. 4. Humanitarian Coordination The Rwandan Sanctions Committee has granted a joint request from the humanitarian community for a bulk shipment of diesel and petrol for UN and NGO humanitarian operations and basic administration. WFP and the UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania are exploring procedures for importing fuel from that country. On the assumption that the Rwandan shipment will arrive shortly, no order has been placed with Tanzanian suppliers. On September 30, UNICEF, with the logistical support of WFP, organized an airlift to Burundi of 500 kg of vaccines to prevent the spread of measles and polio. The quantity is sufficient to immunize 150,000 children. UNICEF has sent essential drug kits to Rutana and Muyinga provinces through its operational partner IMC, to Cankuzo through MSF-Switzerland and to Bururi through WFP in collaboration with provincial health authorities. Final touches are being completed on the new draft of the Joint Operations Plan for Humanitarian Assistance in Burundi. Preparations for a joint-agency assessment mission to examine the state of IDPs in the Gitega region are underway. 5. Impact of Sanctions on the Delivery of Humanitarian Assistance The recent RSCC exemptions granted for medicine have not prevented serious shortfalls in the providing of essential services in the health sector. A major concern continues to be the severe shortage of BCG (tuberculosis) vaccines. UNICEF-donated government stocks of the vaccine are virtually depleted. New supplies have been ordered, but unless they are received within days, the vaccination chain will be broken. The lack of fuel continues to limit the ability of all agencies to undertake field activities. It has become increasingly difficult to deliver essential drugs, vaccines and food used in supplementary feeding programs. Lack of fuel, for example, has prevented UNICEF from supervising the delivery of materials for the repair of water catchment sites and gravity flow systems in Kirundo and Ngozi provinces, as well as the distribution of emergency water and sanitation materials for recently displaced persons in Kayanza and Ngozi provinces. Materials ordered from suppliers outside the country for the provision of emergency water and sanitation facilities, as well as other humanitarian needs, have been blocked from delivery. Obtaining humanitarian materials locally has become increasingly difficult as supplies have run out and can not be replenished. 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.]