Commitment to the Mine Ban Treaty

Policy

The Republic of 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.

A national implementation law, Law No. 1/30, was passed by the legislature in September 2008, and took effect on 10 October 2008.[1] It includes penal sanctions against the use of antipersonnel mines.[2]

Burundi did not submit its Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report due 30 April 2011. It has submitted six previous reports.[3]

In November–December 2010, Burundi participated in the Tenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva. Burundi also attended the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in Geneva in 2011. It made statements on victim assistance and mine clearance at both meetings.  

Burundi is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

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.

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.[5] There have been no confirmed instances of use of antipersonnel mines by rebel forces since May 2006, when negotiations to end hostilities began. Prior to May 2006, the government accused the National Forces of Liberation (Forces Nationales de Libération, FNL) of sporadic mine use.[6]

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.[7] The 664 mines destroyed exceeded the 610 reported as stockpiled as of April 2007.[8]

In June 2010, Burundi confirmed it was retaining two POMZ-2M and two TS-50 mines for training purposes.[9]

During a civilian disarmament campaign from July–October 2009, 28 antipersonnel mines were surrendered by the population and subsequently destroyed by Mines Advisory Group (MAG).[10] Burundi later reported that its police forces recovered another 76 antipersonnel mines during the civilian disarmament campaign. The mines were destroyed with technical assistance from MAG on 16 June 2010.[11]

MAG also continued to report the discovery and destruction of previously unknown stocks of antipersonnel mines.[12] From April–May 2010, MAG reported the collection of three antipersonnel mines in its work to remove and destroy surplus small arms and light weapons in Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rural, and Cibitoke provinces in western Burundi.[13]

Commitment to the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Policy

The Republic of Burundi signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 3 December 2008, ratified on 25 September 2009, and was thus among the first 30 ratifications to trigger the convention’s entry into force on 1 August 2010.

As of June 2011, Burundi had not yet commenced the process of enacting national implementation legislation for the convention.[1] Previously, in August 2010, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official stated there was willingness to initiate a drafting committee to prepare legislation, but it was not possible to say how long the process would take.[2]

Burundi submitted its initial Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 report in early 2011.[3]

Burundi participated in the Oslo Process that led to the creation of the convention, including the formal negotiations in Dublin in May 2008 where it supported a comprehensive ban on cluster munitions.[4] Burundi continued to actively engage in the work of the convention in 2010 and the first half of 2011. Burundi attended the First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Vientiane, Lao PDR in November 2010, where it called on all nations to join the convention and confirmed that it is not affected by cluster munition contamination, although mines and unexploded ordnance have created victims.[5] Burundi also attended the convention’s first intersessional meetings in Geneva in June 2011, where it made a statement on cooperation and assistance.

Burundi has not yet officially made known its views on certain important issues related to the interpretation and implementation of the convention, including the prohibition on transit, the prohibition on assistance during joint military operations with states not party that may use cluster munitions, the prohibition on foreign stockpiling of cluster munitions, the prohibition on investment in production of cluster munitions, and the need for retention of cluster munitions and submunitions for training and development purposes.

Burundi is party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It has not joined to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

The Association for the Care of Orphans of War (Association de Prise en Charge des Orphelins de Guerre, APECOG) and Handicap International (HI) campaign in support of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Burundi.[6]

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

Burundi has stated that is has never used, produced, stockpiled, or transferred cluster munitions.[7] The Article 7 report confirms no stockpile of cluster munitions, including for training.

Contamination and Impact

Mines

Burundi has a small residual problem of antipersonnel mines, the legacy of more than a decade of internal conflict. In June 2011, Burundi reported that survey by the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) confirmed 11 hazardous areas in two provinces in the northeast of the country. Most of the contamination is from explosive remnants of war (ERW) and affects electricity pylons. Clearance was expected to be completed by October 2011.[1] Major clearance operations involving international NGOs DanChurchAid (DCA) and the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) were completed in 2008.

In November 2009, Burundi reported that contamination was suspected in four provinces in the northwest of the country: Bubanza, Cibitoke, Muramvya, and Bujumbura Rural.[2] In July–September 2010, MAG and DAHMI jointly conducted non-technical survey of a total of 96 suspected hazardous areas (SHAs) in the five provinces of Bubanza, Cibitoke, Kayanza, Makamba, and Muramvya.[3] MAG confirmed mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination in 10 SHAs around the park. The team also investigated five SHAs in Makamba province, along the border with Tanzania. In total, the survey confirmed contamination in a total of 12 areas. In one of the confirmed hazardous areas (CHAs), a mine was cleared immediately by the MAG-Civil Defense mobile team.[4]

MAG has obtained funding from the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs to support clearance of the remaining contaminated areas. Training of a team from the Civil Defense staff started in March 2011.[5]

MAG’s non-technical survey, however, covered only suspected areas identified by the Humanitarian Department for Mine/UXO Action (Direction de l’Action Humanitaire contre les Mines et Engins non explosés, DAHMI) around Kibira park and in some entry paths; it did not include verification of the park itself, which is a National Reserve and therefore a protected area. The park, therefore, which is not inhabited and is uncultivated, may also contain contamination.[6]

Explosive remnants of war

The precise extent of ERW contamination is not known, although MAG has regularly encountered ERW.[7] Burundi has previously indicated that an ERW threat might exist within the Kibira and Rukoko national parks.[8] Burundi is not believed to be affected by cluster munition remnants.[9]

Mine Action Program

Key institutions and operators

Mine action in Burundi falls under the remit of the General Directorate for Civil Protection, which is located within the Ministry of Public Security. On 15 May 2009, DAHMI was officially set up under the same ministry, marking the end of active UNDP support. DAHMI is responsible for the coordination of mine action activities.[10]

Land Release

There has been little clearance in Burundi since DCA and FSD closed their programs in 2008; although, as of August 2011, MAG was assisting Burundi to fulfill its Article 5 obligations.

Survey in 2010

As noted above, survey of SHAs took place in July–September 2010. The final report for the non-technical survey of the SHAs around Kibira park was officially handed over to the executive director of Civil Defense during a workshop on 24 November 2010.[11] According to the final report, the survey confirmed 10 SHAs as remaining hazardous. Nine of these areas are located in the province of Bubanza, while the tenth is in the province of Cibitoke.[12]

Mine clearance in 2010

MAG has been the only international clearance capacity since 2009. In October–November 2010, MAG trained four Civil Defense staff in demining to explosive ordnance disposal level 1 certification.[13]

Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Burundi is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 April 2014. Burundi has made significant progress in addressing its mine problem since international NGOs initiated clearance operations in 2005, although as of March 2011 a residual threat around Kibira park remained to be addressed before it could envisage declaring compliance with Article 5. Security concerns had caused the intended completion date of April 2008 to be postponed.

As noted above, clearance of 11 remaining CHAs was expected to take place from April to June 2011.[14] Even after this has been completed, however, some contamination may still remain inside Kibira park.

Other Risk Reduction Measures

During the MAG-Civil Defense survey, a total of 2,219 persons received risk education from MAG-Civil Defense personnel.[15]

Casualties

Casualties Overview

N/A = not applicable

For the first time since 2000, the Monitor identified no new casualties from mines or explosive remnants of war (ERW) in Burundi for 2010.[1] While this is in line with annual casualty figures that have been declining since a peak in 2005, it is likely that casualties may have occurred but were not recorded since the Humanitarian Department for Mine/UXO Action (Direction de l’Action Humanitaire contre les Mines et Engins non explosés, DAHMI) had not collected any casualty data since it began reorganizing casualty data in 2009.[2] In 2009, the Monitor identified three casualties from mines and an unknown explosive device in Burundi.[3]

In June 2010, Burundi estimated that the total number of casualties was 6,000.[4] This represented a significant increase from the 1,561 casualties recorded as of the end of 2008.[5] It was believed that this included 5,000 mine/ERW survivors,[6] though no further details were available as of April 2011.[7] DAHMI recognized that a new census would be needed to determine the exact number of casualties in the country.[8] From July to September 2010, the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) carried out a non-technical survey in five of the 17 provinces in Burundi through which 44 casualties were identified.[9] While the incident dates were not known for all, the survey found that “the majority of incidents recorded during the survey took place during the war” and thus were likely already included in casualty data held by DAHMI.[10]

Victim Assistance

There are estimated to be 5,000 survivors in Burundi.[11]

No efforts were made to assess the needs of survivors in 2010, despite an expressed interest in a needs assessment by the Ministry of National Solidarity (MNS). This was reported to be due to lack of funding.[12]

Victim assistance coordination[13]

The Interministerial Coordinating Committee for Victim Assistance was formed but was not yet functioning by December 2010.[14] During 2010, DHAMI and MNS victim assistance coordination efforts included raising awareness about the issue of mine survivors and disability with other government ministries, securing donor assistance, and preparing for a national victim assistance planning meeting that was held in January 2011.[15] A National Victim Assistance Action Plan was developed during the January 2011 meeting and was to be adopted later in 2011. [16]

The MNS is also the government agency in charge of coordinating assistance and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities more generally.[17]

Burundi provided very limited information on victim assistance activities in Form J of its last Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report submitted for April 2009 to April 2010.[18] It declared not applicable Form H of its Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 report for 2010.[19] Burundi gave updates on victim assistance at the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in June 2010 and at the Tenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in December 2010.[20]

Representatives of the Union of Persons with Disabilities of Burundi (Union des Personnes handicapées du Burundi, UPHB) and of the Center for Training and Development of Ex-Combatants (CEDAC), an organization with survivors included within its membership, were invited to participate in the January 2011 victim assistance planning meeting and provide input in the development of the victim assistance plan. [21]Some survivors were involved in the implementation of economic inclusion projects through NGO service providers, and, to a limited extent, in providing peer-to-peer support.[22]

Service accessibility and effectiveness

Victim assistance activities in 2010[23]

There was an increase in the number of services open to survivors in Burundi in 2010, particularly in the area of physical rehabilitation, despite continued concerns among some service providers that donor funding available for victim assistance was decreasing.[24] MNS saw its annual budget for disability programs double for 2010,[25] but it is not known how these funds were used. Overall, victim assistance stakeholders did not note any major changes in the availability or accessibility of services for survivors as a result of these changes.[26]

A new rehabilitation center was constructed and equipped through the government of Burundi, with funds from Thailand, while an existing rehabilitation center was renovated with ICRC support.[27] However, survivors have yet to observe an increase in the availability of physical rehabilitation, reporting that services were still inaccessible for survivors living outside urban centers.[28]

The closure of the international organization Survivor Corps, and CEDAC’s closing of its psychosocial support activities in one district, both during 2010, significantly reduced the availability of psychosocial support for survivors. Many survivors were believed to be in need of support.[29]

In 2010, economic inclusion initiatives remained limited. The UPHB launched a new program to promote income-generating activities for survivors and other persons with disabilities, though stated that additional efforts and funding were needed.[30] There were ongoing challenges to launch successful small businesses given the difficult economy but some improvements were seen in business success rates.[31]

Burundian law provided for equality of the rights of persons with disabilities. Despite the increased funding for assistance to persons with disabilities announced by the MNS, the government did not enact legislation or otherwise mandate access to buildings, information, or government services for persons with disabilities.[32]

Burundi signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 26 April 2007.

In 2010, Burundi did not report any contributions to its mine action program.

International contributions towards mine action in Burundi in 2010 totaled US$182,120.[1]

Of the total international contribution, 75% went towards clearance activities, while the remainder went towards victim assistance activities.

Burundi was one of the 16 African states which received support from France in the form of the training of students at the Centre for Humanitarian Demining Training-West Africa (Centre de formation au déminage humanitaire-Afrique de l'Ouest) in Benin.[2]

International government contributions: 2010[3]

From 2006 to 2008 international contributions to mine action in Burundi averaged $1.72 million per year. The large decrease in funding in the 2009–2010 period resulted from the completion of major clearance operations in 2008.[4]

Summary of contributions: 2006–2010[5]