After several years of intercommunal tensions, members of the Hema and Lendu communities in four groupings of Djugu territory are once again living in an atmosphere of calm. Through a locally driven dialogue initiative supported by MONUSCO, the two communities are gradually rebuilding the social and economic ties that had been disrupted.

An old divide

Since 2017, relations between the Hema and Lendu communities had severely deteriorated across parts of Ituri. In the groupings of Penyi and Bedu-Ezekere, for instance, residents no longer interacted with their Hema neighbours from Tambaki and Sala. Markets, schools, churches and even health centres operated separately, while intermarriages had come to a halt.

« For years, each community lived in isolation. Even cattle were no longer allowed to graze across neighbouring fields. The situation had become very tense, but dialogue has helped restore communication », explained Elisabeth Buve, a member of the Réseau des Femmes Médiatrices de l’Ituri (REFEMI).

Women leading the way to peace

Since May 2025, women from both communities, trained by MONUSCO in community mediation, have been conducting awareness-raising sessions in the villages of Bedu-Ezekere, Penyi, Tambaki and Sala. They promote tolerance, cohesion and reconciliation through community meetings held in markets, schools and places of worship.

“We learned how to engage in dialogue, to explain what peace means, and to involve families and youth in this process. Attitudes are changing for the better,” said Ngoyi Abitani, a women leader from Bedu-Ezekere grouping.

MONUSCO’s sustained support

Through its Gender and DDR Sections, MONUSCO has trained more than 80 women mediators across Ituri Province. These women also contributed to the drafting of a national advocacy paper for peace, presented in Kinshasa in June 2025.

“MONUSCO trained us in mediation, negotiation, and community mobilization for dialogue,” said Marthe Dheve from REFEMI.

Interactions between the Hema and Lendu are gradually resuming. Markets are once again open to both communities, fields are cultivated jointly, and phone exchanges are common. Signs of rapprochement, including the resumption of some intermarriages, have also been observed.

“We now cooperate without fear, and exchanges take place in a spirit of mutual respect,” noted Ngoyi Abitani.

A model to replicate

The “intercommunal proximity dialogue” initiative has contributed to reducing tensions in this part of Djugu territory. A joint Hema-Lendu committee now ensures follow-up on commitments, conflict prevention, and countering misinformation.

“We have learned to distinguish the actions of armed groups from community identity. When violence occurs, we condemn the act itself without attributing it to an entire group,” explained a Hema teacher.

During her visit to Ituri in late September, MONUSCO Deputy Head of Mission Vivian Van de Perre commended this initiative and encouraged its replication in other parts of the province.