At least 535 people were killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo as intercommunal violence resulted in potential crimes against humanity, according to a new United Nations report.
The massacre took place over three days in December, not long before the country’s long-delayed presidential election.
Violence erupted in Yumbi between the Banunu and Batende communities after a dispute over the burial of a Banunu chief.
Witnesses told UN investigators that village chiefs helped to plan the violence.
The attacks “followed strikingly similar patterns and were characterised by extreme violence and speed, leaving little time for people to escape”, the UN said.
Banunu villagers were targeted with firearms and petrol, the investigation found.
The death toll is likely to be higher because many victims’ bodies are believed to have been dumped in the nearby Congo river, the UN said.
“The similarity in the way the attacks were carried out indicated prior consultation and organisation,” the report said.
“Certain chiefs of Batende-majority villages were cited by many sources as having taken part in the planning of the attacks.”
The UN investigators expressed concern that not enough had been done to prevent the violence and the risk of conflict remains.
“Provincial authorities appear to have failed in their responsibility to protect the population,” the report said.
“In spite of clear signs of rising tensions and an increased risk of violence, no steps were taken to reinforce security ahead of the attacks.”
The country’s electoral commission barred voting in Yumbi because of the massacre.
Additional reporting from agencies
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