DRC: Ethnic violence leaves 35 dead in Ituri province as of February 5

Event

As of Monday, February 5, ethnic violence between members of the Hema and Lendu groups has left at least 35 people dead in Djugu territory (Ituri province) since Friday, February 2. The fighting is primarily over land usage: the Hema are generally pastoralists and the Lendu are farmers. Additional incidents of ethnic violence over land usage is expected in Ituri province in the coming weeks.

Context

Violence between the Hema and the Lendu communties has recently increased, with the sides exchanging attacks; hundreds of houses have been burned in the conflict in recent weeks. Recurrent ethnic violence between the two sides has affected the area for several years. The groups regularly fought each other from 1999 to 2007 under the banners of the Lendu-dominated Force de Résistance Patriotique d'Ituri (FRPI) and the Hema-dominated Union des Patriotes Congolais ​(UPC).

In general, the security situation in the eastern DRC is volatile as a result of numerous rebel groups and armed criminal gangs operating in the region. As the political process in Kinshasa stalls, grievances over socioeconomic and political conditions could exacerbate intercommunal violence throughout the country. There is an increased risk of civic unrest and violent crackdowns by security forces in urban areas across the country, including the capital Kinshasa.

Advice

Individuals in the affected areas are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all demonstrations due to potential violence, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.

More generally, a number of Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the east and northeast of the country for various security reasons.