Pressing need to address protection and humanitarian needs of internally displaced persons adequately

The United Nations Senior Inter-Agency Network on Internal Displacement has completed a five-day mission to Burundi. The mission, led by the UN Special Coordinator on Internal Displacement, Mr. Dennis McNamara, was composed of representatives of FAO, OHCHR, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP and WHO as well as an NGO representative. The objectives of the mission were to assess the needs of internally displaced persons; to review the capacity of UN agencies and other humanitarian actors to respond to such needs, with a view to identifying any gaps in the humanitarian response; to review existing institutional arrangements within and between the UN agencies, the Red Cross Movement, NGOs and the Government, to assess whether these adequately address the needs of internally displaced persons, and to make recommendations to concerned agencies, organisations and the Government for future action.
During the course of the mission, the delegation met with Government officials, including the President of the Republic of Burundi, his Excellency Mr. Pierre Buyoya. The delegation also met with representatives of the United Nations, the Red Cross and Crescent Movement and the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as with the diplomatic and donor community. The delegation got first hand impressions of the conditions of internally displaced persons through a number of field visits in Bujumbura Mairie and the provinces of Bujumbura Rural and Muyinga.

While recognising the efforts undertaken by the Government and the humanitarian community to address the needs of the displaced, these vulnerable populations continue to live in dire conditions with many of them inaccessible due to the on-going insecurity and therefore receiving no humanitarian assistance and protection.

"Burundi is facing one of the most acute problems of displacement population in Africa today and these populations, and in particular women and children, are in urgent need of increased assistance and protection in almost every sector. Some of them are clearly living in sub-standard conditions and often have been doing so for many years," said Dennis McNamara, who was appointed UN Special Coordinator for Internal Displacement in September 2000.

The Mission noted that serious gaps remained in the provision of protection for the internally displaced persons who continue to be vulnerable to violent abuse by all armed actors. The Mission reiterated the primary responsibility of the Government in ensuring the protection of displaced populations. It also underscored the need for the international community to strengthen its efforts in this area, both by the UN, NGOs and others.

The Mission encouraged the Government to undertake all efforts to ensure safe and unhindered access of humanitarian workers to all displaced populations, as provided for in the Arusha Agreement. The Mission also underscored the need for all actors to the conflict to respect the principles of humanitarian action, including in particular those of impartiality, neutrality and non-discrimination.

The Mission was concerned over the difference in response provided to the various categories of displaced populations and reiterated the responsibility of the Government to ensure that the response to the needs of all displaced populations was based solely on objective criteria of vulnerability.

It was particularly important that assistance to and protection for the displaced should take into account the specific needs of women and children, particularly with regard to sexual abuse, exploitation and HIV/Aids. Assistance should also be provided in an integrated manner, taking into account the needs of the host communities, which were often impoverished.

Burundi remains one of the most under-funded of all humanitarian emergencies globally. For the year 2000, the UN received only one quarter of the funds its had appealed for. The Mission urged the donor community to strengthen their support for humanitarian efforts undertaken for displaced populations, which was also a critical means to reinforce the process of peace building and peace consolidation.