DR Congo: Over 40 Killed, Scores Displaced in Fresh Ethnic Clashes

Atleast 43 people have been confirmed killed in ethnic clashes between the Lendu and the Bahema North people in the district of Djugu situated in the northeastern province of Ituri.

The separate incidents which occurred over the weekend saw the Lendu attack the Hema north ethnic group, commonly known as Bagegere at a place called Bulukwa, 70 kilometres from Bunia in Ituri province of DR Congo.

Attacks were witnessed in the localities of Ndjachulu, Su, Kau and Ndogbe in Northern Bahema area.

On the same night, groups of the Lendu set fire to houses belonging to the Hema in the locality of Anjer.

The following day, Saturday, Lendu attackers are said to have killed a policeman together with his brother in the Chusa locality.

Those killed included children and women who were slain using machetes while more than 600 houses were torched leaving many displaced.

An unspecified number of other victims who managed to escape the attack with deep wounds into the bushes with no chance of medical help are feared dead.
Government has since deployed the military in the affected areas to prevent further attacks that have led to more than 1000 displaced.

The conflict between the Hema and Lendu dates back to the violence that resulted from the four-year-long Second Congo War of 1998 in which about 29 armed groups from 9 African countries waged war.

By the time guns went silent, over 5.4 million people were dead and 2 million displaced in what became the deadliest conflict in the world.

It is this conflict, escalated by the proliferation of guns that became a precursor to the Ituri ethnic row with the Lendu later represented by the Nationalist and Integrationist Front (FNI) while the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) fought for the Hema.

Following the disarmament of the two warring factions in exchange for amnesty in 2006 and 2007, the province had been restive until days ago for causes yet to be identified.