SUMMARY

In early February 2021, a conflict emerged beteen the two communities Iyeke and Nkundo which led to coordinated attacks by Nkundo villagers against the Indigenous Iyeke community in the Bianga district of Monkoto territory, Tshuapa province, DR Congo (Zaire). These assaults resulted in deaths, destruction of homes, schools, churches, and health centers across eight villages. The violence was rooted in longstanding tensions over land access and bonded labor practices, exacerbated by incidents such as the unresolved killing of an Iyeke laborer in December 2020 and a dispute over a debt between an Nkundo trader and an Iyeke villager in January 2021.

Survivors reported that some attackers chanted slogans suggesting political endorsement for the violence. According to an Human Rights Watch report, some Nkundo were heard shouting, "The Honorable [member of parliament] told us to kill the Iyeke – they will explain themselves," implying possible incitement by local politicians.

The tactics employed during the attacks were brutal and indiscriminate. Nkundo assailants, some armed with hunting rifles, machetes, and spears, targeted Iyeke villages, looting and burning homes and community structures. The majority of victims were children and the elderly, who were unable to flee. In response, some Iyeke attempted to defend themselves with bows and poisoned arrows, but these efforts were largely ineffective against the better-armed attackers.

The violence was localized within the Bianga district but had a devastating impact on the Iyeke community.

The non-state conflict between Iyeke and Nkundo is first included in UCDP data in 2021. On 3 February 2021 Nkundo assaults on Iyeke villages resulted inat least 66 Iyeke deaths including 40 children.