The Uvira-Bukavu road was blocked on Saturday by Congolese demonstrators of Burundian origin, who are protesting against the violence and discrimination against them, inflicted by neighboring communities.
However, another tribe of Congolese called Bafurero, was against the demonstration , a situation which created strong tensions between the two communities.
According to witnesses, the demonstration took place in the center of Bwegera in more or less 80 kilometers from the town of Uvira.
Speaking on the facts, the local authority, Mwami Nijimbere Richard, said that the matter was reported to the higher hierarchy. Residents of Bwegera, say that the protesters blocked the main road with tree branches and burned tires.
As youths from the Bafurero tribe opposed the protest, both sides eventually threw stones at each other and the situation became tense until shops and the market were closed.
The Mwami Nijimbere Richard and the traditional chief of the Ruzizi plain chiefdom, affirm that the protest was triggered by an event which took place at the police station, where a leader of the Kakamba group was beaten up at the police station of the police, by young men led by a so-called group leader ,so his relatives were angry and linked the fact to a tribal conflict.
Over the past three months, three people have died in a conflict between Bafulero and Congolese of Burundian origin following a tax dispute.
The center of Bwegera is inhabited by the tribes of Bafulero, Barundi, Bashi, Banyamulenge, and Babembe.
Claude HATEGEKIMANA
Rwandatribune.com