Uvira, 28 September 2012 - A joint mission was undertaken on 28 September 2012 in the territory of Uvira by the head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and the Congolese Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Customary Affairs, Richard Mangez, to reconcile the Bafuliru and Barundi communities in the Ruzizi plain.

The third community known as Bavira, equally present in this plain was spared the tension sparked by the murder of the paramount chief in the Ruzizi Plain on 25 April 2012.

After meeting with the three community leaders, Mr. Mangez ordered an end to the violence and by the same token, promised that the investigations into the murder "would proceed". However, "State legislations establishing the chiefdoms in the Ruzizi plain should be respected and collaboration between the police, the army and the local population enhanced," he added.

Immediately, the dignitaries and traditional leaders of the three communities as well as local parliamentarians from Uvira and stakeholders from civil society organizations attending the event, signed a deed, which was read by Minister Richard Mangez saying: "We, the dignitaries attending the 28 and 29 September 2012 meeting held in Uvira, cognizant of the importance of peace and security as primary factors for socio-economic development of the territory and the province, solemnly make a commitment to respect the autonomy of the three traditional administrative entities in the territory of Uvira, namely the Bafuliru, Barundi and Bavira chiefdoms in the Ruzizi plain, to combat any forms of manipulation of the youths through divisive theories of superiority, to denounce and condemn any form of xenophobia, violence, and tribal and ethnic hatred."

As a reminder, the inter-communal conflict left several people dead and many more injured, causing scores of villagers to flee their homes. To ensure that the commitment made by the three chiefdoms is respected, a monitoring mechanism comprising of three representatives from each of the three communities was set up.

Previously, on 30 and 31 August 2012, MONUSCO, through its civil Affairs section, organized in collaboration with the inter-communal consultation framework of Uvira and the NGO Search for common Ground, a meeting between the two communities, aiming at initiating a genuine dialogue was attended by provincial and territorial officials.

Laurent Sam Oussou/ MONUSCO