[1] Jean Bamanisa is the son of Alex Barlovatz, a doctor from Yugoslavia, and Violette Nyakato, who came from the Ituri region.

He was friendly with President Joseph Kabila despite his ties by marriage to the opposition leader.

In 2013 his Barnet Group concluded a $230m agreement with the South African company PPC Ltd. to build a cement factory in Orientale.

Over 300 people had been killed by fighters of the CODECO (Cooperative for the Development of Congo) militia group in the province in the last three months.

MONUSCO, The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC, was no longer intervening, but only acting as observers.