Congo’s Kasaï Provinces Conflict Assessment
The violent conflict that broke out in Congo’s Kasaï provinces in 2016 caused more than 3,300 deaths and, at its peak, up to 1.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), has largely subsided, but it has left pockets of instability, deep grievances and acute ethnic tension, as well as widespread destruction and destitution that will continue to haunt the Kasaï region, in particular Kasaï and Kasaï Central provinces. With this conflict assessment report, Mercy Corps would like to draw attention to the current situation in the Kasaï and highlight the significant challenges that remain in not only rebuilding physical infrastructure, but in repairing a torn social fabric and rebuilding trust among communities who had lived together peacefully for decades prior to the conflict. This report is based on information from 66 key informant interviews with 95 individuals and 12 focus group discussions conducted mostly in Kasaï and Kasaï Central provinces in February and March 2019 in collaboration with the local NGO Travail et Droits de l’Homme (TDH).
