Mbuji Mayi, 27 January 2012 - The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) Civil Affairs Office organized a two-day meeting with the Provincial Ministry of Interior and the civil society on conflict resolution in Kasaï Oriental.

The conflict mapping established in 2010 in the province recorded more than a hundred conflicts. Some of the conflicts date back to more than 20 years. Those conflicts are either related to land, or related to the exploitation of natural resources, or even raised by customary power struggles. They generally spark deadly attacks or destruction of goods, resulting in the displacement of many people. For example, in March 2011, about 40 houses were burnt down in the localities of Lulamba and Kanangila, Luilu territory; and in 2009, 32 people were killed as a result of a land conflict.

The goal of the tripartite meeting was therefore to find solutions to these enduring conflicts which have major consequences on the populations. According to the explanation of Jean Alexis Kaswaswa, the President of the Civil society Coordination office of Kasai Oriental, the approach is first to prioritize the conflicts, and then to find concrete actions required in the field according to the nature of each conflict.

The notables of the villages and experts of NGOs such as Search for Common Ground will be called on to find the methodology to be followed for achieving these reconciliation actions with the communities in conflict.

François Tshibenji/ Radio Okapi/ MONUSCO