Refugee Programme
The annual verification exercise was carried out in August in the southern camps (Kigoma region). Figures released by UNHCR indicate significant reductions in the caseload and the overall caseload in the camps in Tanzania is now estimated at 372,500 refugees.
The greatest reduction in the caseload was noted in the camps which have been receiving new arrivals, notably Lugufu (32%) and Mtendeli (22%). The drop in the beneficiary figure is mainly due to the number of "re-cyclers" previously registered. These are refugees who return to the border without being "de-registered" and come back into Tanzania and register as "new" refugees. This is done in order to obtain multiple ration cards and also more non-food items. A new screening committee consisting of UNHCR and the local authorities has been set-up in order to cut down on this problem (UNHCR - 23/09/99; WFP - 15/09/99, 23/09/99).
Between January and late August 1999, approximately 100,500 refugees from DRC, Burundi and Rwanda sought asylum in Tanzania. The number of refugees seeking asylum decreased to approximately 2,300 during August. During the same period a total of 7,800 Burundian and Rwandan refugees were repatriated to their home countries (WFP - 15/09/99, 10/09/99, 05/09/99).
The general security situation in and around Kasulu, Kibondo and Kigoma was of some concern in August, with armed robberies and attacks increasing even in the day. The local population reported severe loss of their harvest due to nightly thefts by the refugees. According to CARE, the refugees are increasing their agricultural activities in and outside the Nyarugusu camp perimeter in Kasulu district. This has resulted in some conflicts between the residents and refugees (WFP - 15/09/99).
Food assistance
WFP provides food rations to all registered refugees in camps in Tanzania and additional food commodities are distributed to thousands of the most vulnerable refugees under therapeutic and supplementary feeding programmes. Tanzanians also have access to the medical facilities that are located in the camps, and thus may also be in the supplementary and therapeutic feeding centres. At of the end of August 13,500 people were assisted in the special feeding programmes including pregnant and lactating women (WFP - 15/09/99, 23/09/99).
WFP's food availability has gradually improved over the reporting period and full rations will be distributed to the refugees in the next distribution cycles. In previous months, the refugees were only receiving half rations of cereals, although other commodities were covered at 100%. This resulted in tension in some camps. To ease food pipeline shortages, efforts are being undertaken to purchase pulses locally (UNHCR - 16/09/99; WFP -30/07/99, 13/08/99, 02/09/99, 15/09/99, 23/09/99).
Nutritional situation
UNHCR reports that the camp population's nutritional status is stable. Surveys are scheduled for late in September (UNHCR - 16/09/99).
The preliminary results of an IFRC/TRCS/UNICEF/UNHCR nutritional survey amongst Tanzanian children under five living in 16 Tanzanian villages close to the camps in Kasulu, Kibondo, Ngara and Kigoma districts have just been made available (see Annex). The survey estimated the prevalence of acute wasting at 5.2% and severe wasting at 2.8%. These prevalences are considerably higher than those obtained in a survey in the refugee camps in the same area in May, which estimated the prevalence of acute wasting at 1.8% and severe wasting at 0.2% (see RNIS 27).
Drought response
WFP/Government/Donor assessments conducted in July and August have concluded that an emergency situation continues to exist in the regions of Dodoma, Mara, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga and southern Mwanza, all of which have now suffered three consecutive bad harvests. In Shinyanga and parts of southern Mwanza there has been both a very poor crop performance and a collapse of cotton production, which is the main crop. By the end of July, approximately 925,000 people had received food. The WFP EMOP will continue until December (WFP - 13/08/99).
Overall, the refugees in Tanzania are not considered to be at heightened risk (category IIc), given the levels of assistance they receive.
