SUMMARY
The Alur were an ethnic community present in north eastern DR Congo (Zaire) since at least the sixteenth century. They were one of the largest groups in the Ituri region, although most Alur lived on the Ugandan side of the border. In Congo, the majority of Alur resided in Mahagi territory and in neighbouring areas along the frontier. They were closely related to Alur communities in Uganda and shared language, culture and kinship ties across the border. In colonial and post colonial politics in Ituri, the Alur were sometimes described, like the Hema, as relatively privileged compared to some other groups, but in local conflicts they were often seen as allied with the Lendu rather than the Hema. During the Ituri War, which originally centred on violence between Hema and Lendu communities, Alur areas were gradually drawn into the fighting and Alur groups became more directly involved in the conflict.
Alur interests were historically represented through customary chiefs and clan leaders. During the escalation of violence in Ituri, traditional authorities played an important role in mobilization and self defence. The traditional chief of the Panduru clan, Jukot Warr Palara, was a key figure in early Alur military mobilization; he called on Alur to organize in order to push back Lendu attackers after an assault on 25 December 2001. More broadly, Alur chiefs and notables provided leadership in local defence initiatives and in negotiations with neighbouring communities and armed actors. An Alur governor ruled Ituri in late 1999–early 2000.
The Alur in DR Congo (Zaire) had strong historical links to Uganda, where the majority of Alur lived, and where the community had long been integrated into political and social structures. These cross border connections meant that Congolese Alur followed developments in Uganda closely and that families, traders and leaders moved regularly between the two countries. The presence of Ugandan forces and interests in Ituri during the Congo wars further shaped the environment in which Alur leaders operated, although the community as such did not constitute a formal state backed proxy. Nevertheless, their location along the border and their cross border identity influenced how other actors interpreted their loyalties and shaped external attitudes towards Alur inhabited areas.
The Alur were closely linked to several more organized Congolese armed groups that emerged during the Ituri War. In reaction to attacks on Alur villages, local mobilizations fed into the creation of broader movements. After a Hema attack on Alur communities, the FPDC (Popular Force for Democracy in Congo) formed in 2002 as an Alur dominated armed group. In February 2003, the FAPC (Forces armées du peuple Congolais, People’s Armed Forces of Congo) was created as a breakaway faction from the UPC; this organization also included many Alur fighters and leaders and became one of the main Alur linked armed groups in Ituri.
