SUMMARY

Repeatedly conflicts have appeared in Sud Kivu Province in the DR Congo (Zaire). Many of them have been explained by the question of identity: are Rwandophones – i.e. speakers of Kinyarwanda and Kirundi legitimate members of the Congolese nation? Between the same communities, conflicts have arisen between agriculturalists and pastoralists, especially during the transhumance period (the seasonal movement of people with their livestock). Livestock has often caused damage to the farmers’ land, thereby conflicts have evolved over the access to and control of land. Similarly local conflicts over the local governance have been intermingled into the mix. At the same time, the different ethnic groups have supported and joined different armed groups and militias in the country supporting different sides in the many conflicts over governmental power that have been ongoing in the country. Similarly different Congolese armed groups have also at times allied themselves with, Rwanda, Burundi or different Rwandan or Burundian rebel groups.

The conflict between CNPSC and Ngumino should be understood in this context. CNPSC was a Mayi Mayi coalition including armed groups from the Babembe and Banyindu and Bafulero communities, all considered as autochtone to the region. Ngumino was a militia from the Banyamulenge community perceived as rwandophones and foreigners to the region. In 2018 there was an escalation in the violence on the high-plateau and the different groups fighting for the communities residing there fought more and more in broad coalitions.

The non-state conflict between CNPSC and Ngumino is first included in UCDP data in 2019. In June of that year, clashes between the two groups had resulted in more than 25 battle-related deaths.