Residents of the Djugu territory are beginning to return to their villages. This is the result of operations conducted by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) against the CRP militia, an armed group recently active in the area, and an awareness campaign conducted jointly by representatives of the provincial government and MONUSCO in Bule and Fataki. Armed clashes between members of different communities had led to the displacement of many people in recent weeks and fueled mistrust. The campaign helped bring communities together and dispel misunderstandings.

Restoring trust

Awareness sessions were held from December 17 to 19 in Bule and Fataki. They aimed to restore trust between the FARDC, MONUSCO, and the affected populations, while strengthening civilian protection and intercommunity dialogue.

"These exchanges helped restore trust between the Lendu and Hema communities and relaunch dialogue," explains Dieudonné Cumo Kparri, chief of the Walendu Pitisi Sector. He also indicates that this awareness campaign aimed to send a clear message to armed groups, calling on them to join national disarmament and reintegration mechanisms, particularly RAD or PDDRC-S.

RAD (reintegration and amnesty for de-escalation of violence) is a mechanism established by Congolese authorities to encourage members of armed groups to lay down their weapons and reintegrate into civilian life.

Rejection of all stigmatization

Following the discussions held in Bule and Fataki, displaced persons expressed their desire to gradually return to their villages, resume their activities, and renew collaboration with security services. This is what they have begun doing in recent days. During the awareness campaign, they also emphasized the importance of respecting human rights, an essential condition for a lasting trust relationship.

Furthermore, the communities are calling for the intensification of joint patrols between the Congolese and Ugandan armies and MONUSCO forces.

Ugandan soldiers are deployed in Ituri as part of joint operations conducted with the FARDC, in accordance with bilateral agreements between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

The issue of community stigmatization was also raised during the awareness sessions. Participants insisted on the need to avoid any systematic association of young members of certain communities with armed groups active in the area.

"It is important to avoid associating, without evidence, every young Lendu person with the CODECO group or every Hema with Zaïre or CRP. In an asymmetric conflict context, this type of stigmatization can heighten tensions, whereas awareness campaigns encourage young people to distance themselves from armed groups," insists Dieudonné Kparri.

Since Monday, December 22, 2025, the security situation has been considered calm in the Walendu Pitsi sectors and the Bahema Badjere chiefdom. Joint FARDC-MONUSCO patrols have been conducted there without incident, according to local authorities.

About one hundred people, including Lendu and Hema customary authorities, civil society actors, and representatives of displaced persons from Lodha and Djaiba, participated in these awareness sessions.