A/HRC/32/52 such attacks must continue and should be carefully coordinated at the regional and international levels. During his mission, the Independent Expert was able to visit the town of Grand Bassam, site of the terrorist attacks of 13 March 2016, in order to hold talks with the local authorities and to offer his personal sympathy and condolences to the victims and their families. 12. The Ivorian authorities have specific legal instruments at their disposal for dealing with offences that may be regarded as acts of terrorism. Anti-terrorism legislation, which is taking on an increasingly international character, often provides for derogations from the provisions of ordinary criminal law and tends to cast a wider net with a view to increasing the effectiveness of enforcement. It is therefore necessary to ensure that such provisions are implemented in strict compliance with all guarantees of a fair trial (which, it should be recalled, apply at all stages of criminal justice proceedings, from the preliminary investigation until acquittal or conviction). 13. Continued attention must also be given to potential sources of intercommunal tension in certain parts of the country. Such tensions are stoked by rivalries between farmers and pastoralists over limited natural resources and are sometimes aggravated by competition for local leadership. Upstream dispute prevention should be preferred to downstream enforcement. It is important to continue to reinforce the legal and social norms that serve as a framework for the land sector, since uncertainties in that respect often sow discord and tension. Local authorities, given their close ties with their communities, have a key role to play in defusing intercommunal conflicts. That delicate task would be facilitated by the involvement of all available human resources at the national and local levels, including traditional leaders, religious leaders and civil society stakeholders. 14. One aggravating factor in intercommunal conflicts that calls for the authorities’ full attention is the possibility that members of some of these communities may be armed; this is especially of concern in locations where conflicts may be likely to arise, but it remains a concern even in areas not regarded as particularly sensitive. For years now, Côte d’Ivoire has suffered from chronic instability linked to armed conflict. This kind of situation is conducive to the procurement and circulation of weapons — particularly small arms that are relatively easy to conceal — and to the existence of a subculture in which conflicts are resolved through violence. Moreover, the country borders on regions in which many weapons are still in circulation. There is no doubt that the presence of firearms held by dozo groups increased the deadliness of the intercommunal conflict that erupted in Bouna in March 2016. 15. Significant disarmament efforts have already been undertaken in Côte d’Ivoire with the support of the international community under programmes run by the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Authority. Such endeavours must be pursued within other institutional frameworks as well in order to reinstate the State’s monopoly of legitimate force on a permanent basis and thus ensure lasting stability and security for the Ivorian people. The successful efforts undertaken by the authorities to restore security and stability are commendable and should continue, and the international community has a duty to support them effectively. 16. The Independent Expert welcomes the awareness campaign aimed at communities located along the country’s western border which was undertaken by the National Commission on the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in close collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 16 to 27 May 2016. Those communities were warned about the dangers posed to the security and stability of their regions, and to the country as a whole, by the availability of illicit weapons. The awareness campaign also encouraged people to voluntarily surrender any weapons that they might have in their possession in exchange for access to income-generating activities and local development projects. 6 GE.16-10958