BURUNDI-DRC-TANZANIA: World Vision to manage large-scale refugee operations

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

NAIROBI, 20 Feb 2004 (IRIN) - World Vision Tanzania said on Friday it had begun serving at least 189,000 Congolese and Burundian refugees in Kigoma Region, western Tanzania.

In January 2004, World Vision Tanzania signed a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to serve as the lead management agency in Muyovosi, Lugufu I, Lugufu II and Nyarugusu camps. In addition, World Vision said it would "facilitate receiving centres" for the refugees and provide community and education services in Nyarugusu, Lugufu I and Lugufu II camps.

UNHCR funds World Vision Tanzania with a US $723,650 grant. World Vision Canada and World Vision New Zealand will provide additional support, the NGO reported. It said with these additional camps, World Vision Tanzania would distribute approximately 34,000 mt of food commodities, worth about $14.2 million, from the UN World Food Programme.

For over a decade, civil war has dominated neighbouring Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Despite a ceasefire signed in 2002, fighting between Hutus and Burundi's Tutsi-led army has left some 300,000 people dead, and 324,209 as refugees in Tanzania. Interethnic fighting in eastern DRC since 1999 has left some 3.5 million people dead and 150,000 as refugees in Tanzania.

As the lead management agency for the Nyarugusu camp since 1996, World Vision Tanzania has been providing emergency relief to 58,000 refugees from the DRC in western Tanzania. During this period, World Vision Tanzania distributed 10,000 mt of food each year. It also registered refugees in collaboration with UNHCR, provided them with non-food items, and allocated them plots on which to build their homes.

Although its refugee workload has tripled, World Vision Tanzania Programme Director Christopher Kenyi said: "It's a good opportunity for us to put into action our long experience and skills in emergency response."

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