This report analyses the string of attacks in and around Djugu territory in Ituri since late 2017. Based on both historical and recent conflict analysis, it finds recent and concrete triggers of the ongoing crisis, nonetheless rooted in protracted tension over land, livelihood and territory, often framed in ethnic binaries. Situated in a geopolitically strategic – but contested – area and shaped by eastern Congo’s broader security challenges, the Djugu crisis quickly escalated, with hundreds killed and half a million displaced. While the bulk of the violence seem to be driven by CODECO, an opaque mystico-armed movement, the government-led response rather complicated than attenuated violence. This report demonstrates that peacebuilding in Djugu depends on deeper understanding of conflict dynamics and requires addressing political manipulation. Stabilisation efforts thus need to be embedded in broad strategies to address long-standing tension over land and identity.
Violence and Instability in Ituri
