DRC: Ethnic conflict displaces nearly 60,000 in northeast /update 4

Event

Ethnic conflict had displaced nearly 60,000 people in northeastern DRC as of Sunday, March 18. Intercommunal fighting between the Hema and Lendu ethnic groups has reportedly left at least 150 people dead since December 2017, and has forced 32,000 others to flee villages and towns in the region to Bunia (Ituri province). According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), some 28,000 others have fled northeastern DRC to neighboring Uganda. Further unrest is expected in the region, particularly in the Djugu area of Ituri province, in the near-term.

Context

Violence between the Hema and the Lendu communities has increased in recent months, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Acts of violence frequently target women and children. A primary source of conflict between the two groups is land disputes; traditionally, the Lendu are settled farmers, and the Hema are pastoralists.

The government's limited role in the eastern provinces, as well as the presence of numerous armed groups and local self-defense militias, have fomented continued insecurity in the area.

Advice

Individuals in Ituri province and elsewhere in northeastern DRC are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all gatherings due to the potential for violence, and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities.