SUMMARY
The Batende (also known as Tende) were a Bantu-speaking community primarily residing in the western parts of DR Congo (Zaire), especially in Yumbi territory in present-day Mai-Ndombe province, with a smaller population across the border in the Republic of Congo. In Yumbi territory the Batende formed the demographic majority and regarded themselves as one of the autochthonous peoples of the area, with long-standing customary claims to land and local authority along the Congo River. Their economy was mainly based on small-scale agriculture and riverine activities, with most households relying on subsistence farming supplemented by fishing and petty trade for their livelihoods.
Batende communal interests were articulated through customary chiefs and local notables who exercised authority over land and village affairs and who often also held influence in the territorial and provincial administrations. In Yumbi, Batende elites occupied key local positions and were central in negotiations over administrative boundaries, customary jurisdictions and representation in elected and appointed offices. These structures became focal points in longstanding disputes with neighbouring Banunu communities over land, taxation and recognition of customary authority, as each side sought to consolidate or expand its influence in the local governance system.
The Batende position as a majority in Yumbi territory and their influence in Mai-Ndombe’s provincial politics meant that they were closely linked to national and provincial political dynamics. Competition around elections and appointments, as well as around the distribution of state resources, reinforced existing tensions with the Banunu, who felt excluded from local power despite forming majorities in specific localities such as the town of Yumbi and nearby villages. These rivalries were sharpened by disputes over land and burial sites, in particular regarding the burial of Banunu customary leaders on land claimed by Batende families.
The Batende mobilised youth and community members aligned with customary and political leaders. In December 2018, shortly before the presidential elections, disputes over land, political representation and burial rights escalated into large-scale intercommunal violence between Batende and Banunu communities in Yumbi territory. Batende actors, including local leaders and mobilised villagers, were reported to have taken part in coordinated attacks on Banunu-inhabited localities.
