The ongoing conflict between the Teke and Yaka communities in western Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has resulted in 11 deaths on Tuesday, according to local sources. The clashes occurred in Mai-Ndombe province, where a land dispute that started in 2022 has escalated into a humanitarian crisis.
Village chief Stany Libie and civil society leader Martin Suta told Reuters that the victims included 10 Mobondo militants, who are allied with the Yaka community, and one soldier. They accused the government of failing to end the violence that has killed at least 3,000 people and displaced more than 150,000 since 2022, according to the United Nations.
“People are dying, villages are emptying, soldiers are falling, and we wonder why the government has been unable to take effective measures to resolve this problem once and for all for the past two years,” Libie said.
The DRC’s army did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The Teke people claim to be the original inhabitants of the area along the Congo River, while the Yaka and other communities from neighboring provinces have settled there as farmers or workers for Teke landowners. The farmers have to pay a customary tax to the Teke chiefs, which they rejected after an increase in 2022.
The conflict has spread to several provinces near the capital Kinshasa, where groups calling themselves Mobondo, meaning “amulet” in the local language, have attacked Teke villages with machetes, spears, and guns. The Teke have also formed self-defense militias to retaliate.
The violence has drawn comparisons with the ethnic massacres that ravaged the eastern DRC in the 1990s and 2000s, fuelled by competition over land and mineral resources. The DRC is one of the world’s poorest and most unstable countries, despite its vast natural wealth.
The government has deployed security forces to quell the unrest, but they have been accused of committing extrajudicial killings, looting, and sexual violence. In April, the government set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the abuses, but no results have been announced yet.
The government has also tried to mediate between the conflicting parties but with little success. Some of the alleged instigators of the violence have been appointed as negotiators, raising questions about their credibility and impartiality.
The conflict has also disrupted the education, health, and economic activities of the affected populations, as well as the preparations for the general elections scheduled for December. Many students have missed their exams, and many voters have not registered due to insecurity.
The UN and other humanitarian agencies have appealed for more funding and access to assist the displaced and vulnerable people, who face food shortages, malnutrition, and diseases. They have also called for more protection and dialogue to prevent further bloodshed.
Some civil society groups and religious leaders have also initiated peace initiatives, such as inter-communal dialogues, reconciliation workshops, and awareness campaigns. They hope to foster a culture of tolerance and coexistence among the different communities and to address the root causes of the conflict.
Source: Reuters
