** Uvira: reflection on the causes of conflicts and access to light weapons **
The workshop of reflection on the dynamics of conflicts, held on May 16, 2025 in Uvira, turned out to be a point of convergence to question the profound causes of the tensions which shake this region of South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through the intervention of Sudi Yaudi, facilitator of the Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission (CDJP/UVIRA), participants highlighted several determining factors, including easy access to light weapons.
The problem of the circulation of weapons, whether light or small, is particularly worrying in the context of eastern DRC, where the proliferation of armaments has been described as a central vector of violence. This ease of access to weapons contributes not only to the brutality of clashes between armed groups, but also accentuates community conflicts already anchored. Alongside this phenomenon, other elements such as poverty, discrimination, ignorance and the desire to be able to have been identified as roots of local tensions.
The conflicts analyzed during the workshop varied in kind, ranging from rivalries between communities such as the Bavira and Bafuliiru, to tensions between groups of civil society, without forgetting the sometimes conflicting relationships between the Wazalendo and the authorities. This diversity highlights the importance of not reducing conflicts to a single dimension; They are the result of complex interactions between different social and political strata.
The highlighting of a cartography of the participants underlines an undeniable progress in understanding conflictual dynamics. This encourages to ask: how can these maps be used not only to analyze, but also to anticipate and prevent future conflicts? One of the major issues lies in the transition from theory to concrete solutions. What measures could be implemented to defuse tensions between communities while integrating the security imperative inherent in the presence of weapons?
The workshop also highlighted the need to integrate the voice of the populations affected by these conflicts. This attention to humans is essential, because it could potentially stop the cycle of distrust and frustration that creates a fertile soil for conflicts. By bringing the authorities closer to the communities, a movement towards better social cohesion could see the light of day.
In parallel, the dynamics of poverty and the idleness of young people have been highlighted as catalysts of violence. What role can education play, as a vector of empowerment and inclusion, to break the cycle of violence that feeds on ignorance? Awareness of compliance with laws and better dissemination of rights could not only strengthen the resilience of communities, but also feed their capacity for action in the face of conflict inevitability.
As part of the answer to these questions, the commitment of local actors, supported by international initiatives such as that carried by the Dutch Foreign Affairs, is beneficial. However, an essential question remains: how to guarantee that these initiatives are not transformed into short -term solutions without real anchoring in local realities?
Thus, the reflection which took place in Uvira shows that it is crucial to explore the links between the availability of arms, socio-economic conditions and local governance. By promoting an open dialogue and the co-construction of solutions between authorities, actors of civil society and affected populations, we can hope for a prospect of lasting peace in this region of the Grand-Lacs. Ultimately, the attention paid to the analysis of conflicts, coupled with proactive and inclusive actions, could give birth to a renewed vision for a less imprinted future of violence.