Burundi

2008 Key Data

Ten-Year Summary

The Republic of Burundi became a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty on 1 April 2004. It enacted national implementation legislation in October 2008 and completed stockpile destruction in March 2008. There were credible allegations of use of antipersonnel mines by both government and rebel forces in the past, but none involving government forces since the treaty entered into force in April 2004, and none involving rebels since peace negotiations started in May 2006.

Despite being slow to initiate a demining program, Burundi has made significant progress in addressing its mine problem since international NGOs initiated clearance operations in 2005. By May 2009, Burundi was close to fulfilling its Article 5 obligations for the clearance of mined areas well in advance of its 1 April 2014 deadline. Burundi’s antipersonnel mine problem has proved to be less than originally feared. It also has a residual threat from explosive remnants of war (ERW).

From 1999 to 2008, Landmine Monitor identified 826 mine/ERW casualties (218 killed, 523 injured, and 85 unknown), though there is a lack of effective data collection. Mine/ERW risk education activities continued to decrease in 2008, as a response to the reduced level of need resulting from previous risk education activities and the clearance of most hazardous areas. Burundian survivors, along with other persons with disabilities, have limited access to support or services.

Mine Ban Policy

Burundi signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 22 October 2003, becoming a State Party on 1 April 2004.

The Burundi National Assembly adopted a national implementation law on 25 September 2008, followed by the Burundi Senate on 28 September 2008. The law was promulgated by the President of Burundi on 10 October 2008.^[1] Although Burundi reported the enactment of the law at the Ninth Meeting of States Parties, it did not provide further details on the law’s contents in its Article 7 transparency report submitted in 2009.

Burundi submitted its fifth annual Article 7 report on 30 April 2009. The report covers the period from 30 April 2006 to 30 April 2009.^[2]

Burundi participated in the Ninth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in November 2008, where it made statements during the general exchange of views, as well as statements on mine clearance and victim assistance (VA). Burundi also attended the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in May 2009, where it also provided information on mine clearance and VA.

Burundi has not engaged in the discussions that States Parties have had on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2, and 3 (joint military operations with states not party to the treaty, foreign stockpiling or transit of antipersonnel mines, antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices, and mines retained for training).

Burundi is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons. It signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions in December 2008, but had not yet ratified as of 1 July 2009.^[3]

Production, transfer, use, and stockpiling

Burundi has stated that it has never produced antipersonnel mines.^[4] It is not known to have exported antipersonnel mines. There have been credible allegations of use of antipersonnel mines by both government and rebel forces in the past.^[5] Since the Mine Ban Treaty entered into force for Burundi on 1 April 2004, there have been no confirmed instances of use of antipersonnel mines by the army.

Burundi completed the destruction of its stockpile of antipersonnel mines on 17 March 2008, ahead of its treaty-mandated deadline of 1 April 2008. It destroyed a total of 664 mines, including 591 POMZ-2M and 73 TS-50 mines.^[6] The 664 mines destroyed exceeded the 610 reported as stockpiled as of April 2007.^[7]

Burundi has reported retaining two POMZ-2M and two TS-50 mines for training purposes.^[8]

In its Article 7 report submitted in 2009, Burundi reported that in April 2009 a cache of 41 TS-50 antipersonnel mines was discovered in the village of Mabayi, Cibitoke province. It said the mines were being held for the time being by Mines Advisory Group (MAG), which indicated that the mines were subsequently destroyed.^[9]

After stockpile destruction in 2008 and 2009, Burundi stated that the total number of mines held by the National Forces of Liberation (Forces Nationales de Libération, FNL),^[10] the last remaining rebel group, remained to be confirmed.^[11] The FNL and the government signed a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement on 26 May 2008.^[12] In April 2009, FNL combatants began demobilization and the surrender of weapons to the African Union Special Task Force.^[13] There have been no reports of antipersonnel mines being handed in.

Landmine Monitor has not received any allegations of mine use since May 2006, when negotiations to end hostilities began. Prior to May 2006, the government had accused the FNL of sporadic mine use.^[14]

Scope of the Problem

Contamination

As of May 2009, Burundi had a small residual threat from mines and ERW, the legacy of 13 years of internal conflict.^[15] DanChurchAid (DCA) declared that more than 90% of “known hazardous areas” were cleared before operations were disrupted by persistent threats from FNL non-state armed groups (NSAGs).^[16] The Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) stated that despite the lack of any declaration of Article 5 compliance by the government, no “meaningful clearance work” was left to be done.^[17]

Burundi has declared that only two suspected hazardous areas (SHAs) remained from the more than 230 identified by an FSD general survey in 2005–2006 as well as subsequent survey by demining operators.^[18] The uncompleted areas are in Mpishi, Mussigati commune, and Mwico, Kanyosha commune; these are located in Bujumbura Rural and Bubanza provinces, respectively.^[19] FSD cautioned, however, that a further 58 SHAs had been recorded in the first half of November 2008 on the hills facing the Kibira park area as a result of FNL activity.^[20] However, the information about the SHAs, which resulted from a new general survey by FSD, was quite general. FSD’s former program manager believed that the number of affected areas would prove to be considerably lower than initially reported.^[21]

The FSD general survey identified a widespread but low intensity ERW threat that included mortar rounds, rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, artillery shells, and aircraft bombs.^[22] According to MAG, there is a particular problem with hand grenades: “Accidents also happen when children play with grenades, unaware of the risks.”^[23] Burundi has also indicated that an ERW threat might exist within the Kibira and Rukoko parks, which had been impossible to access because of FNL presence.^[24]

Casualties

As in previous years, the Humanitarian Department for Mine/UXO Action (Direction de l’Action Humanitaire contre les Mines et Engins non explosés, DAHMI) was unable to provide reliable casualty data for Burundi; information is therefore incomplete. In 2008, Landmine Monitor identified at least four new mine/ERW casualties, including two killed and two injured in two incidents. Two of these casualties were recorded by DAHMI, and two were reported in the media.^[25] DAHMI identified one additional incident which could not be included in the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) database due to lack of information.^[26]

Casualties continued to be reported in 2009, with at least three people injured in three incidents as of May.^[27] In February, a female of unknown age was injured in a mine incident in a house compound in Kanyosha (Bujumbura Rural province).^[28] In March, a 12-year-old boy was injured by a mine while collecting wood in Musigati (Bubanza province).^[29] In a separate incident in March, another person was injured in a field in Buterere (Bujumbura Mairie province).^[30] There have also been reports of cows killed by mines around Kibira park, but the information has not been confirmed.^[31] DAHMI stated that casualties from the 2009 incidents had not yet been entered into IMSMA.^[32]

The total number of mine/ERW casualties in Burundi remains unknown and unverified. DAHMI reported at the end of 2008 that 1,561 casualties were registered (16% killed and 84% injured).^[33] In 2008, however, Burundi reported several different figures, including 1,549, 1,551, and 1,556, always repeating that 16% were killed and 84% injured.^[34] DAHMI stated that inconsistencies were due to double counting of IMSMA forms, but that the database has been “cleaned up” and verified.^[35]

From 1999 to 2008, Landmine Monitor identified at least 826 mine/ERW casualties, including 218 killed, 523 injured, and 85 of unknown status. Information on device type, activity, location, gender, and age was not systematically reported, and data provided by relevant authorities appeared to be conflicting. It appears that casualty rates started decreasing sharply in 2005 (14 casualties) and remained relatively low in the following years (2006: 15 casualties; 2007: eight casualties). However, during the same time period, mine action authorities were less capable of providing information.^[36]

In May 2009, Burundi reported that the majority of casualties were adults between 21 and 50 years (50%), followed by youth between one and 20 years of age (34%). The majority of casualties were farmers (75%), followed by students (11%), and military personnel (3%). Burundi reported that the decrease in casualty rates since 2004 is due to risk education (RE) activities.^[37]

There is little data on persons with disabilities. In August 2008, a national census was completed in Burundi,^[38] which included one question on the type of disability and one on the cause of disability.^[39] As of August 2009, results of the census had not yet been released.^[40] A 2006–2007 disability survey by Handicap International (HI) found that one in four (680 out of 2,630) persons with disabilities had been injured by mines and ERW.^[41] In March 2009, HI launched an assessment of the status of persons with disabilities in six provinces, but the results were not ready as of 2 June 2009.^[42]

Program Management and Coordination

Burundi’s oversight of mine action has been vested in the National Civil Protection Service, within the Ministry of Interior and Public Security.^[43] In April 2009, the service became the General Directorate for Civil Protection, and a new director was appointed.^[44] On 11 February 2008, Burundi officially inaugurated DAHMI.^[45]

DAHMI is responsible for the coordination of mine action activities but does not coordinate or implement VA, which is the responsibility of several different ministries. The Ministry of National Solidarity reportedly has overall responsibility for VA.^[46] Following its assessment mission in November 2004, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) drafted a national VA strategy for Burundi, which has never been implemented.^[47]

Mine action program operators in 2008

* Mine action program closed in 2008.

Data collection and management

Burundi uses IMSMA.^[48] In 2008, casualty data collection in Burundi remained inadequate, and no progress was made in expanding the coverage, accuracy, and detail of the IMSMA database. Although it was announced that IMSMA would be fully operational by December 2006 and detailed, verified data would be available by September 2007,^[49] this was not the case as of May 2009. DAHMI reported that, although data collection was ongoing, as of October 2008 it was not able to enter data into IMSMA for logistical reasons.^[50]

In June 2008, Burundi announced that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior and Public Security would undertake “a survey of victims in all the country,” starting in July 2008.^[51] However, since then, no progress was reported.

Plans

Strategic mine action plans

The main goal for the mine action program in 2009 was “strengthened national capacities for peaceful reintegration and socioeconomic community recovery, including for vulnerable people and mine survivors.”^[52]

National ownership

Commitment to mine action and victim assistance

Burundi’s commitment to mine action has been inconsistent since becoming a State Party. In 2005, Landmine Monitor noted that clearance operations had been slow to start. According to remarks by the head of the government’s National Civil Protection Service reported in December 2004, “Two years after the cease-fire, there is still no systematic mine clearance program.”^[53] In 2008, however, the UN praised the swift implementation of the action plan “owned by national authorities,” and noted that it might make Burundi one of the first mine-affected countries in Africa to meet its Article 5 obligations before the deadline prescribed in the Mine Ban Treaty.^[54]

At the Eighth Meeting of States Parties in November 2007, Burundi stated that its objective was to develop a VA strategy and create a national committee to coordinate assistance to persons with disabilities.^[55] At the Ninth Meeting of States Parties, it announced that two workshops on assistance to persons with disabilities were organized in 2008 (2–3 April and 20–21 November) to help prepare a national plan of action in 2009.^[56] No further updates were reported as of May 2009.^[57] Therefore, guidelines for Burundi’s VA implementation remain limited to the so-called coherent victim assistance program which it has been presenting at international meetings since 2006.

Persons with disabilities are not differentiated from other vulnerable people.^[58] Despite identifying a need for specific programs for persons with disabilities in its 2006 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, Burundi did not report on progress achieved in its 2009 Annual Progress Report.^[59]

In November 2008, Burundi announced the creation of a national committee to monitor the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities, composed of government and civil society organizations.^[60] However, this committee has not yet been formed and the African decade ends in 2009.

National management

Management of Burundi’s mine action program has been fully nationalized. The Burundi Mine Action Coordination Centre (BURMACC) (previously called the UN Mine Action Coordination Centre, UNMACC) began work in June 2004 under the auspices of the UN Operation in Burundi, with support from the UN Office for Project Services and UNMAS. The UNMAS program was completed on 31 July 2006 and moved under the administration of the government of Burundi with UNDP support. The center was functionally operational in 2005.^[61] DAHMI replaced BURMACC in 2008.^[62] In 2004–2008, UNDP provided mine action capacity-building support to the government of Burundi. This support ended in 2008.^[63]

National mine action legislation and standards/Standing operating procedures

The mandate for DAHMI followed the signature of an official decree by General Evariste Ndayishimiye, Minister of Interior and Public Security, in October 2007.^[64]

No national mine action standards were adopted in Burundi. However, FSD noted that “DAHMI insisted that all sites were left ‘metal free’ (not just ‘mine free’) and consequently, many tasks required ‘full excavation’ clearance methods to be adopted. This required the full removal and checking of the top 15cm of soil, which hugely impacted on clearance productivity rates.”^[65] The two NGO operators used their own standing operating procedures for demining operations.^[66]

Demining and Battle Area Clearance

Demining and battle area clearance operations are now the sole responsibility of DAHMI, following the closure of the DCA and FSD programs in 2008. Demining in Burundi only uses manual methods.^[67] MAG has been assisting Burundi with its management of ammunition and weapons storage areas and the destruction of surplus weaponry, and it has also conducted destruction of several items of UXO.^[68] A joint MAG/Burundi National Police (Police Nationale Burundaise, PNB) team, created in July 2008 to support the civilian disarmament campaign launched by the government in 2006,^[69] includes disposal of any ERW encountered.^[70]

Mine and battle area clearance in 2008

Progress since becoming a State Party

Burundi is required by Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty to destroy or ensure the destruction of all antipersonnel mines under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 April 2014. Despite being slow to initiate a demining program, Burundi has made significant progress in addressing its mine problem since international NGOs initiated clearance operations in 2005 (see table below), although as of May 2009 a small residual threat remained to be dealt with before it could declare compliance with Article 5. Security concerns caused the intended completion date of April 2008 to be postponed.^[71] Burundi had subsequently aimed to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas as well as be free of ERW by the end of 2008.^[72]

Demining in 1999–end 2008^[73]

Risk Education

RE activities continued to decrease in 2008, due to the reduced level of need resulting from previous RE activities and the clearance of most hazardous areas.^[74] The number of incidents has also reduced significantly. DCA believes that continuing to provide RE would simply create unnecessary fear.^[75] Burundi did not report on RE activities for 2008 in its Article 7 report submitted in 2009.^[76]

HI ended its activities in March 2008 because it perceived the mine threat to be marginal.^[77] DCA also ended its RE project in early 2008 to focus its attention on small arms and light weapons awareness activities, a need identified from RE sessions. In January 2008, DCA handed over its RE project to its national partner, the National Council of Churches in Burundi (Conseil National des Eglises au Burundi).^[78] An external evaluation of DCA’s RE activities in 2007 found it effective to work through “an established, authoritative and active church network.”^[79] DCA also continued to provide limited safety messages through its explosive ordnance disposal and survey teams and through the distribution of materials, reaching 21,174 people. The population was informed on how to report contamination to DCA.^[80]

In its Article 7 report submitted in 2008, Burundi reported that DAHMI had developed and distributed new RE materials with support from UNICEF, although it was not specified when these activities had taken place.^[81] Two national demining organizations, the Demining Center in Central Africa (Le Centre de Déminage en Afrique Centrale, CDAC) and the Burundian Demining Center (Centre Burundais de Déminage, CBD), established in 2008 by former national staff of international NGOs, have reported including RE in their mandate and conducted some limited RE activities in 2008, including the distribution of materials.^[82]

Earlier RE was conducted by a variety of actors, including the Ministry of Defense,^[83] BURMACC,^[84] HI,^[85] and UNICEF.^[86] DCA implemented RE in 2004–2005 for Burundian refugees in Tanzania^[87] and a project with the church network in April 2006.^[88]

Victim Assistance

The total number of survivors is unknown but is estimated at between 523 and 1,311.^[89] In May 2009, Burundi recognized that its VA efforts were still weak and called for international assistance.^[90] The Ministry of Interior and Public Security acknowledged that not all persons with disabilities received assistance, due to a lack of financial resources.^[91] In November 2008, Burundi reported the following as its main VA challenges: the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the approval of the national plan for community-based rehabilitation, the promulgation of the law on disability, and the creation of a training school for physiotherapists and orthopedic technicians.^[92]

A long period of civil war has damaged Burundi’s healthcare system.^[93] While there is little data available, war victims, including mine/ERW survivors, have put an additional strain on the healthcare system. While progress has been registered in the field of healthcare since 2007, access and overall performance remained problematic.^[94] In 2008, public health centers continued to lack personnel and supplies.^[95] A strike by healthcare personnel from November 2008 to April 2009 to protest against low wages and poor working conditions adversely affected the delivery of services.^[96]

Services for persons with disabilities in Burundi continued to be delivered mostly by NGOs.^[97] NGOs are in charge of providing first-aid to mine/ERW survivors at the incident site and transfer to hospitals.^[98] About 10 to 20% of patients requiring orthopedic surgery needed to be treated abroad.^[99] The government distributes cards for people displaced by the war, including persons with disabilities, which give access to free healthcare. However, the card is not accepted everywhere and does not cover all costs.^[100]

There are four rehabilitation centers and orthopedic workshops in Burundi, one run by the government and the other three by religious associations with support from HI.^[101] In 2008, nine physiotherapists were trained by the NGO African Medical Assistance, but in the absence of a training school for rehabilitation specialists and ortho-prosthetic technicians, the availability of qualified staff remained a problem.^[102] Waiting lists to obtain prosthetic and orthotic devices remain long and the cost for appliances variable.^[103]

Socio-economic reintegration opportunities for mine/ERW survivors remain largely non-existent, although there are some income-generating projects targeting vulnerable persons, including persons with disabilities.^[104]

Burundi’s constitution prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities, but there is no specific disability law or action plan. The draft law on disability adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2007 had not been passed as of May 2009.^[105] Burundi signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol on 26 April 2007 but had not ratified it as of 1 July 2009.

Progress in meeting VA26 victim assistance objectives

Burundi is one of the 26 States Parties making up the VA26 group, with significant numbers of mine survivors and “the greatest responsibility to act, but also the greatest needs and expectations for assistance” in providing adequate services for the care, rehabilitation, and reintegration of survivors.^[106] Burundi did not formally present its 2005–2009 objectives as part of its commitment to the Nairobi Action Plan. However, it presented various versions of its “coherent victim assistance program” in April and November 2007, June 2008, and May 2009.^[107] The May 2009 version of Burundi’s “coherent victim assistance program” included six objectives and seven actions that remain incomplete and are not SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound).^[108] The data collection action included in the June 2008 version was removed from the May 2009 version.^[109] Progress on any of the objectives and actions in this program appears to be unrelated to their VA program goals. Even though Burundi has announced since 2007 that the development of a VA strategy is one of its priorities, the plan had not been presented as of May 2009.

In 2008, a process support visit was undertaken by the Mine Ban Treaty Implementation Support Unit on behalf of the co-chairs of the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration.^[110]

Burundi participated in the workshop on advancing landmine VA in Africa in Nairobi in 2005.^[111] Burundi reported on its VA activities at meetings of States Parties in 2006–2008 and at the Standing Committee meetings in 2005 and 2007–2009.^[112] At most meetings, it gave largely identical statements on the situation of VA. Burundi used the voluntary Form J of its annual Article 7 reports to provide an update on VA activities in 2005, 2006, and 2008, but not in 2007 or 2009. ^[113] Burundi included a VA expert on its delegation to the Standing Committee meetings in 2007 and 2008, and at all meetings of States Parties since 2006.^[114]

Victim assistance coverage

It is not known how many mine/ERW survivors received assistance in 2008 or in the last 10 years as no specific VA programs were implemented and survivors have not been differentiated from war victims or other vulnerable people.^[115]

In 2008, HI continued to support five rehabilitation centers by providing equipment and materials, training technicians, and supporting the management of the centers. In June 2008, HI launched a community-based rehabilitation project in Ruyigi province. HI also supported local associations of persons with disabilities in conducting awareness on the rights of persons with disabilities.^[116]

In 2008, the ICRC continued to support one private hospital treating weapon-injured people. With ICRC support, 286 weapon-injured people were treated in referral hospitals. The ICRC also trained 702 volunteers in first-aid.^[117]

Other organizations providing services to war victims, including mine/ERW survivors, included HealthNet TPO, Oxfam-Quebec,^[118] the Network of Associations of Persons with Disabilities in Burundi (Réseau des Associations de Personnes Handicapées du Burundi), and Survivor Corps, which established an office in Burundi in 2009.^[119]

Support for Mine Action

Landmine Monitor is not aware of a comprehensive long-term cost estimate for meeting mine action needs in Burundi. In 2008, UNDP continued to support mine action programming in Burundi, including facilitating “the effective coordination and monitoring of mine action activities at a national level.” In April 2007, Burundi reported that UNDP services were necessary only until the end of 2007.^[120] However, UNDP support continued in 2008 with a project budget of $997,629 (€677,461).^[121] One of Burundi’s three mine action “end goals” for 2007–2008 included the aim of incorporating mine action funding into the national budget.^[122] No progress on the development of a dedicated national mine action budget was reported for 2008.

Burundi’s “coherent victim assistance program,” presented at the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in April 2007, included some goals for capacity development and noted some financial and material shortfalls in VA programs including “insufficient infrastructure,” insufficient financial support for micro-credit programs, and a lack of equipment for sport and cultural programs, but it did not include detailed resource mobilization strategies.^[123] No further strategies for raising funds for VA were reported in 2008.

National support for mine action

The government of Burundi did not report national funding for mine action in 2008, nor did it provide valuations of government contributions to VA programming and support services.

International cooperation and assistance

In 2008, two countries, Austria and Switzerland, reported providing $1,094,632 (€743,333) to mine action in Burundi. Reported international mine action funding in 2008 was 1% higher than the previous year. Welt Ohne Minen (World Without Mines) contributed $120,000 to FSD in 2008 for mine clearance.^[124] Pending determination of the extent of its landmine problem, Burundi’s overall mine action budget needs remain uncertain, and there is not enough information to measure the adequacy of international funding.

2008 International Mine Action Funding to Burundi: Monetary^[125]