The different communities living in Yokorea village, some 50 km from Dala have been called upon to turn their back on useless quarreling and focus their attention on promoting peace and the development of their area. The call was made on Thursday 5 September during a stop-over in the village of "ONUCI Tour", a grassroots sensitization campaign of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI).



"Peace is a precondition for all development. Without peace your village cannot develop. Give yourself the means of bringing development to your village," the head of the UNOCI delegation told the inhabitants.



Several components of the UN Mission's regional office in Daloa took part in the campaign including the Public Information Office, the Child Protection Unit, UN Police, Civil Affairs and the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Office as well as the High Cmmission forRefugees.



The UNOCI officials discouraged the villagers from settling rape cases out of court, urging them to bring such matters before the courts." Do not anymore encourage perpetrators to make more victims," they said.



The Chief of Yokorea village, Didi Dodo Aime said he was happy with the UN initiative which, according to him, would no doubt reduce inter-communal tension.