afrol News, 25 October - "Severe funding shortages" has forced the World Food Programme (WFP) to slash rations to some 400,000 Burundian and Congolese refugees living in camps in western Tanzania. The UN's emergency food aid agency warned that rations could be cut even more if fresh funding was not provided.

WFP in a statement today "urgently" appealed to potential donors for US$ 14 million to prevent additional cuts and continue feeding the refugees housed in 13 camps in Western Tanzania through the first half of next year. The UN agency warned that even current cuts could lead to instability in the camps and have "serious implications" on the health of refugees.

With inadequate supplies of both cereals and lentils, WFP had to reduce the daily ration of the most important staple, maize, by a quarter to 1.9 kilograms per person per week, down from 2.5 kilograms. Recently, WFP had been forced to cut the ration of lentils by a similar amount.

- We had no other choice, said Patrick Buckley, WFP Country Director for Tanzania. "This harsh measure was unavoidable and could have serious implications as the refugees rely almost entirely on WFP food aid for their survival," added Mr Buckley.

WFP has appealed to donors for 39,000 tons of food in order to bridge a gap in food commodities in the first half of 2005. Food arriving from outside Tanzania could take up to six months to reach the refugees, while cash contributions would enable the agency to buy food within the country and in the region that could reach the camps within two to three months.

- Donors have to act fast, otherwise food stocks will dry up completely by February, warned Mr Buckley. "Regular provision of a full ration is vital for the health of refugees, and our concern is that prolonged cuts will lead to increased instability in the camps," he added.

The WFP operation assists more than 400,000 refugees in addition to more than 8,000 Tanzanian school children, street children, orphans, hospital patients and others in the host communities surrounding the refugee camps.

Though many Burundian refugees have returned home over the last two years, the number repatriating has recently slowed because of concerns about the security situation in Burundi. Meanwhile the continuing insecurity in the east of Congo Kinshasa (DRC) has been preventing most Congolese refugees from returning home.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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