USAID/OTI Burundi Field Report
January 2005
Program Description
The Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) supports the ongoing peace process in Burundi as outlined in the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement (APRA) by strengthening local capacities to benefit from and contribute to the peace process. PADCO, Inc., the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (WWICS) and the national NGO African Strategic Impact (ASI) implement OTI's Community-based Peace and Reconciliation Initiative (CPRI) and manage CPRI's field offices in the provinces of Gitega and Ruyigi. Through CPRI's four components: the Community-based Leadership Program (CBLP), vocational skills training (VST), community initiatives and media, the four organizations strengthen local-level cooperation for conflict mitigation, help diverse groups generate non-farm income, and increase knowledge and participation in public dialogue on current issues. The four organizations work closely with community groups, government entities, media outlets, NGOs, international organizations and other USAID offices to maximize the positive outcomes of their efforts. Since resuming the program in February 2004, OTI has invested $3,940,589 in these activities through 169 small grants.
Country Situation
Food Security Emergency in Northern Burundi – On January 7, the transitional government of Burundi (TGoB) declared a food security emergency in Burundi's northern provinces of Kirundo and Muyinga. The north has been badly affected by drought, and a number of people have died as a result of malnutrition. USAID/OFDA is present in both provinces and is responding to the emergency.
President Wants to Amend Draft Constitution Prior to Referendum – President Ndayizeye announced his intention to amend articles 301 and 302 of the draft post-transition constitution to allow transitional presidents to stand as candidates in the upcoming election and to allow the first post-transition president to be elected directly. Both South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who serves as chief mediator in the Burundi peace process, and U.N. Special Representative of the Secretary General Carolyn McAskie, strongly discouraged the TGoB from amending the draft. South Africa Deputy President Zuma indicated that if Burundians vote against the draft constitution, elections will still be held and post-transition leaders will be entitled to amend the draft constitution.
Post-transition Constitutional Referendum Rescheduled – The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) identified February 28, 2005, as the new date for the thrice-postponed national referendum on the draft post-transition constitution. CENI Chairman Paul Ngarambe explained that the referendum was delayed until February to allow for the public posting of national voter registration lists January 14-23. Observers report some irregularities on the lists.
Governor of Bubanza Assassinated – The Governor of Bubanza was assassinated when unidentified assailants ambushed his vehicle on January 23 in Bujumbura Rural. The Minister of Home Affairs, speaking on behalf of the TGoB, condemned the assassination. It remains unclear whether political or criminal motives were behind the assassination.
USAID/OTI Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
In January, OTI approved 13 grants totaling $329,548. Eight grants totaling $242,180 support the VST program in four schools in Ruyigi, including the second six-month session of VST training, which will start at the end of February. Grants also fund start-up kits for 46 associations formed by the 449 apprentices who will graduate next month from the first session.
On January 17, the four VST schools in Gitega launched the second session with 436 students, who were buoyed by their predecessors' successes. The 361 apprentices who graduated from Gitega schools in December 2004 formed 36 associations, several of which have contracts with CPRI to produce construction materials for VST schools and Community Initiatives projects. Other association members have already found employment in the private sector. All associations' memberships are open to people who have not studied at CPRI-sponsored schools in order to strengthen ties between the VST schools and the communities and encourage further diversity of backgrounds among members.
CPRI visited the Gitega demobilization center to explain to ex-combatants how CPRI's four program components facilitate their reintegration into their communities of origin. The VST and Business, Numeracy and Literacy (BNL) provincial coordinators encouraged ex-combatants who are returning to Gitega and Ruyigi to enroll in CPRI-sponsored vocational schools. Ongoing enrollment in Ruyigi for the second session indicates high numbers of demobilized ex-combatants in Kinyinya commune.
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| U.S. State Department official speaks with people in Mugera, Bugendana commune. |
CPRI also approved a grant to send the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications, a former journalist with CPRI partner Burundi National Radio and Television (RTNB), to attend an international workshop on women in media entitled "Journalism in the Democratic Process" in Accra, Ghana. Upon returning to Burundi, the ministerial policy-maker will share information and recommended action points with journalists from CPRI-sponsored and other media agencies and with activists of the national constituency for women's rights. Her feedback will encourage gender-sensitive programming and awareness in public broadcasting.
On January 19, a delegation from the State Department, USAID in Washington, and the U.S. Embassy and USAID offices in Burundi visited Gitega to observe CPRI-supported activities. In Bugendana commune, volunteers at the Mugera community center project explained to the visitors how working together has rejuvenated mutual confidence among diverse ethnic groups, the host population, displaced persons and repatriates. Volunteers explained that the project is the first opportunity for people to come together as a community rather than as individuals. Afterwards, members of the delegation visited the Giheta Vocational Skills Training (VST) school and the Giheta Secondary School rehabilitation initiative. Trainees and community members in Giheta remarked to the delegation that the CPRI-sponsored activities are a unique opportunity for people to reunite after ten years of civil conflict.
CPRI staff participated in a workshop on January 26-27, funded by USAID/OTI and DFID, focusing on community recovery as a tool for supporting transition in Burundi. Representatives from thirty-five organizations discussed grassroots participation, land and justice issues, reinforcement at the commune level, and links to national structures. The CPRI team promoted the idea of mainstreaming conflict mitigation in community interventions
B. Grant Activity Summary
C. Indicators of Success
CPRI is enjoying the praise of high-level government officials. During a graduation ceremony for apprentices at Giheta VST school, Gitega, the Minister of Handicrafts expressed how impressed he is with the VST program. He added that, as a result of close cooperation with OTI and its implementing partners, he is able to provide informed responses to frequent questions posed by the President of the Republic on the progress of CPRI-supported schools. CPRI media partner RTNB broadcast the ceremonies and the Minister's remarks on national television on December 24, 2004.
On January 4, CPRI partner RSF Bonesha FM broadcast an interview with the Governor of Ruyigi who spoke positively about CPRI's impact in his province. Specifically, he highlighted how community initiatives, VST schools, and CBLP trainings collectively contribute to strengthening communities capacities to share open dialogue, to cooperate to advance common interests and to resolve conflict. In separate meetings with the provincial district military commander and officer in charge of training for the integrated National Police Force, the Governor spoke highly of the partnership among CPRI, the population and the administration of Ruyigi.
As preliminary feedback from CPRI's stakeholder assessment in December 2004 indicates, communal conflicts arise between predominantly Tutsi internally displaced persons (IDP) resident in IDP camps and the majority Hutu host population. In Mutaho and Itaba communes, Gitega, local civil society leaders, irrespective of their ethnicities, are meeting together to resolve conflicts between these diverse groups. Both of the communes are witness to a legacy of ethnic violence, notorious massacres and widespread distrust among the population. However, trainees are putting aside a history of ethnic divisions and justice based on ethnic considerations. Instead, they are calling on skills learned in the CBLP trainings to facilitate dialogues between IDPs, host population and repatriates to resolve their conflicts together.
CBLP training is not only reaching returned refugees who have repatriated to Burundi, but it is also reaching Burundians who are still resident in refugee camps in Tanzania. One repatriate who participated in the conflict mitigation training in Bweru commune, Ruyigi, returned to Tanzania to help his family repatriate to Burundi. While waiting for the repatriation process to complete, the CBLP trainee began teaching contents of the curriculum to other refugees at Mutabira refugee camp. Upon his return to Burundi with his family, he explained "people were so appreciative because there are a lot of conflicts every day in the refugee camp". He shared with CPRI staff that he intends to return to the Burundian refugee camp in Tanzania to continue conflict mitigation trainings.
D. Program Appraisal
In January, OTI conducted a midterm evaluation to determine if the Community-based Peace and Reconciliation Initiative is meeting the program objectives and responding effectively to the evolving political transition in Burundi. During a de-brief with the CPRI team, the OTI evaluators described the program as highly relevant to Burundi's key transitional issues and responsive to U.S. foreign policy objectives.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
In February, CPRI staff and WWICS lead facilitator for CBLP, Liz McClintock, will conduct a field-based evaluation of Master Trainers throughout the eighteen target communes. At the conclusion, the CBLP team will facilitate a workshop to introduce the newly-identified facilitators and to explain their role as a link between Master Trainers and the communities. Facilitators will conduct refresher trainings of CBLP skills with already-trained civil society leaders. They will also inform CPRI partners of evolving conflicts and concerns in their target communities so that the CBLP curriculum can be responsive to the changing realities of the grassroots population.
A total of 449 apprentices are expected to graduate from four VST schools in Ruyigi. During graduation ceremonies in the eight schools in Gitega and Ruyigi provinces, students receive a certificate signed by OTI and the Ministry of Handicrafts and a booklet with the text of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement (APRA) to share among their communities. Through their associations, they will also be receiving start-up kits of tools and materials.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington, D.C.: Carlisle J. Levine, Program Manager at 202-712-0955 or clevine@usaid.gov
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