SUMMARY

URDPC has carried out one-sided violence against civilians in Ituri province in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire). The violence is rooted in long-standing tensions between the Hema and Lendu communities, primarily linked to disputes over land, resources, and political representation. These tensions have periodically escalated into violence, most notably during the Ituri War (1999–2003). After a period of relative calm, violence reignited in December 2017 in Djugu Territory. The immediate trigger was the death of Father Florent Dhunji, a Lendu priest, under suspicious circumstances, leading to accusations against the Hema and a resurgence of hate speech. Subsequent incidents, including altercations between youths of both communities, escalated tensions and led to retaliatory attacks. The renewed violence was characterized by systematic attacks by Lendu militias against Hema civilians. URDPC, a Lendu militia associated with the broader CODECO movement, emerged as one of the main actors targeting civilians in this renewed phase of violence.

Leaders of URDPC have publicly stated that their actions aim to defend the Lendu community against perceived aggression from the Hema and the Congolese armed forces (FARDC). In June 2019, Justin Ngudjolo, identified as a leader of these militias, declared himself the head of an armed group in Wago forest, asserting that his forces were trained to protect the Lendu population. These declarations have been accompanied by anti-Hema rhetoric, contributing to the cycle of violence and justifying attacks on civilians as acts of defense. Attacks have also targeted other communities, such as the Alur.

URDPC’s one-sided violence has been characterised by large-scale massacres, executions, and attacks on villages and internally displaced persons camps. Civilians have been killed using both firearms and machetes, often in coordinated attacks involving the burning of homes and widespread looting. Following the death of leader Justin Ngudjolo in March 2020, URDPC fragmented into multiple factions, and violence against civilians intensified as splinter groups continued attacks with less centralized control. By 2023, remaining CODECO factions had largely been absorbed into URDPC, consolidating the group’s position as the primary actor within the movement. Violence escalated significantly in the years following the group’s emergence and reached a peak in 2023, after which the level of one-sided violence declined but remained persistently high through 2024 and 2025.

Initially concentrated in Djugu Territory, the violence spread to neighboring areas in Ituri, including Mahagi, Irumu, Mambasa and Aru territories.

URDPC first became active as an actor in one-sided violence in 2019 when the one-sided violence resulted in more than 25 civilian deaths. The threshold was reached in May that year when 19 corpses were found in the village of Tara on the edge of Lake Albert.