Famine claims 100 in Burundi

2005-01-12 10:18

Bujumbura - About 100 people have died of hunger in the past two months as a result of a famine in two provinces in northwest Burundi, local officials said.

In the province of Muyinga, about 160km northeast of Bujumbura, "the administrators have counted 70 people dead from famine or its consequences in six of the seven communes in the last two months", the governor, Saidi Badende, told AFP by telephone.

In the province of Kirundo, 200km northeast of Bujumbura, "about 20 people have died of hunger or its effects since December," said governor Philippe Njoni.

Local authorities in Kirundo had already sounded the alarm on December 14 by announcing the deaths of four people from hunger.

The UN's World Food Programme said at the time it was concerned about the situation in Kirundo, but refused to use the word "famine."

The aid organisation Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders, MSF) was to send teams into the two provinces on Wednesday to investigate the deaths and the food situation, said one of its representatives, who declined to be identified.

About 80% of the population of Kirundo are threatened by famine, as are some 50% of Muyinga, according to local authorities.

The population of Kirundo is about 600 000 while that of Muyinga is 350 000.

The WFP is present in both provinces. It said it distributed more than 7 000 tons of aid to more than 850 000 people in Kirundo alone last year.

"The needs are enormous. The aid arrives and we are grateful to WFP, but more is needed," said Badende.

- AFP