Draft:Lendu People Congo
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Comment: As noted at your user talk page, Joshua Project is not considered a reliable source on Wikipedia. References 8, 9, 10, 13 and 14 are all dead links, and the book references don't have page numbers. Wikishovel (talk) 17:44, 10 September 2025 (UTC)
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| approx. 1.86 million (Joshua Project, 2025 estimate) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ituri Province); small minority in  Uganda | |
| Languages | |
| Lendu language | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (majority), traditional beliefs | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Hema people, Logo people, Avukaya people, Lugbara people, Alur people, Madi people |
The Lendu (also called Balendru) are an ethnic group living primarily in the Ituri Province of the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They are traditionally agriculturalists and speak the Lendu language, a Central Sudanic language of the Nilo-Saharan family.[1]
According to the Joshua Project, there are approximately 1,864,000 Lendu in the DRC and around 19,000 in Uganda, bringing the global population to roughly 1.88 million as of 2025.[2][3]
The Lendu are immediate neighbours of the Hema people and are linguistically and culturally related to other Central Sudanic groups, including the Logo people and Avukaya people. They also share distant affinities with the Lugbara people, Madi people, and Alur people in Uganda and South Sudan.[4]
Etymology
[edit]The name “Lendu” (and the endonym Balendru) refers to both the people and their language. Local naming variations occur depending on dialect and neighbouring groups.[5]
Distribution and demographics
[edit]The Lendu inhabit mainly Djugu Territory and surrounding areas of Ituri Province, west of Lake Albert. The majority are rural subsistence farmers. Joshua Project estimates around 1.86 million Lendu in the DRC and about 19,000 in Uganda.[2][3]
Language
[edit]The Lendu language (ISO 639-3: led) is classified as a Central Sudanic language within the Nilo-Saharan family. It is one of the more widely spoken languages of its branch and functions as a local lingua franca. Dialectal variation exists, and some neighbouring groups—including the Hema and Alur—speak it as a second language.[1][6][7]
History
[edit]Pre-colonial and colonial era
[edit]Lendu oral traditions hold that they have long inhabited the western Ituri highlands. During Belgian colonial rule, land and administrative policies often privileged the cattle-raising Hema, creating economic and political imbalances with the farming Lendu.[8]
Ituri conflict (1999–2003)
[edit]From 1999 to 2003, relations with the Hema deteriorated into the Ituri conflict, involving Lendu and Hema militias, Congolese rebel groups, and foreign armies. The war killed tens of thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands. International observers documented massacres and systematic violence by all parties.[9]
Post-2003 developments
[edit]Although peace accords were signed in 2003, armed conflict has continued sporadically. The Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO), widely associated with Lendu communities, has been accused of attacks on civilians, mining operations, and humanitarian convoys.[10]
Society and culture
[edit]Economy
[edit]The Lendu are subsistence farmers, growing cassava, maize, plantains, and beans as staple crops. Agriculture has historically defined their livelihoods, while trade with neighbours complements their economy.[11]
Religion and beliefs
[edit]Christianity, introduced by Catholic and Protestant missions in the colonial era, is dominant among the Lendu. Traditional beliefs and rituals, including ancestor veneration, remain influential in rural communities.[12]
Related peoples
[edit]The Lendu are part of the Central Sudanic cluster of northeastern Congo and adjacent regions. Related peoples include:
Their closest neighbours are the Hema people, with whom they have long-standing but often conflictual interactions.[4]
Contemporary issues
[edit]Ongoing violence and militia activity in Ituri have repeatedly displaced Lendu communities. Humanitarian groups such as the UNHCR and the ICRC report ongoing crises and call for the protection of civilians.[13][14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Lendu". SIL International / Ethnologue. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ a b "Lendu, Baledha in Congo, Democratic Republic of". Joshua Project. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ a b "Lendu in Uganda people group profile". Joshua Project. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ a b "Sudanic People Cluster". Joshua Project. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Meiser, Gunter (1999). Peoples of the Great Lakes. Brill. p. 122.
- ^ "Lendu language profile". Joshua Project. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Bender, M. Lionel (1997). Nilo-Saharan Language Studies. African Studies Center.
- ^ "Background to Hema–Lendu Conflict". Human Rights Watch. 2003. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Smith, David (9 June 2003). "DR Congo: Ethnic violence devastates Ituri". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "DR Congo militia attack kills dozens in Ituri". Reuters. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges (2002). The Congo: From Leopold to Kabila. Zed Books.
- ^ Young, Crawford (1965). Politics in the Congo. Princeton University Press.
- ^ "UNHCR warns of displacement in Ituri Province". UNHCR. 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "DR Congo: ICRC calls for protection of civilians in Ituri". ICRC. 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2025.