[allAfrica.com]  [US-Africa_Business_Summit_Registration]


Over 12,000 Civilians Flee Army Offensive

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
NEWS
May 15, 2003
Posted to the web May 15, 2003
Bujumbura
More than 12,000 people have fled Bubanza Province, northwestern Burundi, since
8 May when the army launched an offensive against Forces pour la defence de la
democratie (FDD) rebels, humanitarian workers said on Thursday.
"Approximately 2,500 households, that is more than 12,000 people, have been
forced to flee following heavy clashes between the army and FDD rebels at Ruce
and Muyebe localities last week; the majority fled towards Rugazi and Musigati
communes in Bubanza," said Helena Mazarro, a humanitarian affairs officer in
the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Mazarro told IRIN that the displaced were yet to receive aid from humanitarian
agencies. "We are still waiting to determine the exact number of people who
fled in order to begin assisting them," she said.
The governor of Bubanza, Isae Bigirimana, told IRIN that the number of
displaced could be higher than originally estimated. "We are compiling a list
of those who have left, which we will then give to humanitarian agencies," he
said.
Mazarro said OCHA had received reports from an NGO working in Bubanza, known as
Cordaid, that three health centres in Ruce, Ntamba and Muyebe had been looted.
She said Cordaid was planning to set up mobile clinics at Mugoma and Kayange
from 19 May.
Mazarro said OCHA, together with officials from the UN World Food Programme
(WFP) and the NGO Catholic Relief Services (CRS), were planning to tour Bubanza
on Monday "to evaluate the needs" of the population.
"Aid distribution will probably start on Tuesday, but again we need to know if
the area is secure, otherwise the aid can be distributed at Muzinda, 18 km
northwest of Bujumbura, the area is somehow safe," Mazarro said.
Army spokesman Col Augustin Nzabampema told IRIN on Thursday that heavy clashes
were reported at Ruce on Wednesday, but that calm had resumed. "The army drove
the rebels away during the clash at Ruce, and the situation is calm although
rebels are still within the surrounding areas," he said.
The army has claimed that it killed more than 100 FDD rebels since 5 May when
it launched offensives across central and northern Burundi, a claim the FDD has
dismissed as false. An FDD spokesman told IRIN that those killed by the army
were civilians.

   

  =============================================================================
   Copyright © 2003 UN Integrated Regional Information Networks. All rights
        reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
  =============================================================================