US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA185

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000185 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KPKO, PHUM, CG 
SUBJECT: RESURGENCE OF ETHNICALLY-BASED VIOLENCE IN ITURI 
 
 
1. (U) Summary. Lendu militias attacked the Ituri Hema 
village of Tche January 26, causing an unknown number of 
civilian casualties and hundreds of IDPs. A similar attack on 
another village February 1 apparently resulted in about 60 
deaths. Clashes between Lendu and Hema militias in the Djugu 
territory of Ituri have been escalating since mid-December 
and could further increase if the GDRC does not act. End 
Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) MONUC and NGO sources in Bunia spoke with poloff 
January 31 about an attack by Lendu militias against Hema 
civilians in the Ituri village of Tche (60 kms SW of Bunia) 
on January 26. Hema survivors claim that 15 civilians were 
killed by the attackers, but this figure has yet to be 
confirmed by MONUC. According to the NGO German Agro Action 
(AAA) there are close to 1500 internally displaced persons 
(IDPs) in the area as a result of this attack. MONUC has 
deployed 60 Pakistani peacekeepers to Tche to protect 
remaining civilians and UN and NGO agencies are providing 
humanitarian assistance to IDPs. 
 
3. (U) NGO sources in Bunia said the attack on Tche is part 
of an ongoing conflict in the territory of Djugu between 
Lendu militias, mostly from the Front for National 
Integration (FNI) and Hema militias from the Union of 
Congolese Patriots (UPC). This conflict started in 
mid-December and has continued to escalate, fueled apparently 
by the desire to control strategic routes to Lake Albert. 
 
4. (U) According to the NGO sources, MONUC has made an effort 
to dismantle militia camps in the area of conflict and to 
provide humanitarian assistance to civilians following recent 
clashes. Peacekeepers, however, are only deployed to two 
towns in extremely isolated Djugu territory (Fataki and 
Kpandroma) and have limited capability to protect civilians 
in small villages. Sources also note that Lendu militias 
involved in the fighting are from different factions and may 
not be under the control of one particular leader. 
 
Comment 
------- 
5. (SBU) Although recent clashes between Lendu and Hema 
militias are not yet sustained or widespread, there is a real 
danger that the situation can deteriorate again into more 
significant ethnic conflict. As Ituri's history demonstrates, 
ethnically-based conflicts are extremely difficult to defuse. 
The economic motivations which had apparently led to a 
temporary decrease in Hema-Lendu hostilities seem to have 
fallen by the wayside. It is unclear what either the GDRC or 
MONUC can do to defuse the situation, although local 
community leaders in Bunia are trying to facilitate dialogue. 
MEECE