Government sets up fund for flood victims

The Burundian government has set up a national solidarity fund to support people affected by rain-induced floods in seven of the country's provinces.

At the same time, President Pierre Nkurunziza issued a decree on Thursday declaring the provinces of Kayanza in the north, Muramvya and Karuzi in the central part of the country, Ruyigi in the east, and Bubanza and Cibitoke in the northwest, as "hunger-stricken following floods".

He also announced the setting up of the solidarity fund, to which every Burundian must contribute money for four months from the end of January.

"The contribution is to be paid by any person engaged in an income-generating activity [such] as workers, businessmen, public and private companies as well as heads of households not living in affected areas," Nkurunziza said.

The announcement also stipulated the amounts various categories of contributors must pay. Members of Parliament and civil servants holding the rank of minister are expected to contribute eight percent of their monthly salary; civil servants whose annual earnings do not exceed US $100 will contribute two percent of their monthly salary; while those earning less than $100 will pay 100 Burundian francs (1 US cent).

Commercial companies will contribute amounts depending on their size: $100 for small-scale enterprises, $200 for medium-scale firms, and $500 for big companies.

Each household in areas not affected by floods will pay 100 Burundian francs during the four months.

However, the order does not specify the amount of money needed to feed the flood-affected people, nor does it state the number of people affected.

Since November 2006, heavy rains have damaged crops and destroyed infrastructures in many provinces of Burundi. Administration officials in Ruyigi, for example, said on Thursday that in the past two weeks, 800 homes have been destroyed, while hectares of crops were swept away by floodwaters.

In February 2006, the government set up another solidarity fund for five drought-affected provinces in the north and east of the country. However, in June 2006, the government announced it had decided to use $10 million - initially intended to feed drought-affected people in the northern and eastern provinces - for the education and health sectors, saying the situation had improved as farmers there had had a good harvest season.

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