Luvungi, also known as Itara-Luvungi, is one of the groupements (groupings) within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom in the Uvira Territory of the South Kivu Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Situated on the Ruzizi Plain, it lies at the borders of Uvira Territory and Walungu Territory, in close proximity to the frontiers of Rwanda and Burundi. Luvungi is home to a population of approximately 85,000 individuals, predominantly consisting of Fuliru agriculturalists who play a vital role in the local community. There's also has a small population of Vira, Bembe, Lega, Shi, Burundians and Banyamulenge. Its economy is founded mainly on subsistence agriculture and the artisanal mining of cassiterite, an ore of tin.

The precise meaning or origin of the name "Luvungi" is not explicitly specified in the colonial records. According to a report conducted by SERACOB for Uvira Territory, the name "Luvungi" could potentially be a regional adaptation or modification of another name. The name might have derived from the river "Luvubu," while the local farmers referred to it as "Iyombe." The historical and cultural importance of the name likely stems from the indigenous customs and heritage of the Fuliru community.

Until 1904, the Itara-Luvungi groupement was under the administration of Uvira, which was governed by the Congo Free State. In the 1910s, the region served as a major battleground for various European powers vying for control. On September 29, 1913, the Germans initiated an attack against the Belgians. Following a fierce conflict enduring fourteen hours, the fighting remained inconclusive, leading the Germans to retreat. The aftermath of the battle left behind abandoned equipment and the loss of over 60 lives. In the midst of World War I, specifically on January 12, 1915, Luvungi experienced a raid by German forces originating from Ruanda-Urundi in present-day Burundi. The incursion occurred within the broader context of the East African Campaign. Despite being a relatively small-scale operation, the raid resulted in German defeat, and their commander, Karl Schimmer, was killed.

In 1920, a post station was officially established under the leadership of J. Cunds. Thereupon, negotiations took place between Chief Kabwika and the territorial authorities to address the administrative challenges encountered in Luvungi. The newly established post witnessed rapid stability and progress. Infrastructure development, including road construction, attracted settlers from the middle and high plateaus to the Ruzizi Plain.

Prior to the arrival of the Belgians, the Bafuliiru Chiefdom was under the reign of Mwami Kalingishi, a member of the Bahamba clan of Fulliru people. As the king, Kalingishi held significant authority, and all power was concentrated within the ruling family. This consolidation of power extended to the various groups known as "Baluzi". During the colonial period, the Belgian administration established chiefdoms as a part of their governance system. Luvungi became a part of the Bafuliru Chiefdom, which was created in 1921. The chiefdoms served as local administrative units representing the central government.

Luvungi lies within the Ruzizi Plain, a vast low-lying area extending between the Mitumba mountain chain and the Ruzizi River. The plain is renowned for its fertile soils, making it an agriculturally productive region. The village is crossed by the Ruvubu River, which flows into the larger Ruzizi River. The Ruvubu River serves as a key waterway, contributing to the agricultural and economic activities of the area. Additionally, the Munyovwe River, a tributary of the Ruvubu, traverses through Luvungi, providing a water source for the local inhabitants.

Luvungi, similar to many areas in the South Kivu Province, encounters a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons all year round. The rainy season spans for about nine months, starting from September and stretching until May, with frequent rainfall. Conversely, Luvungi experiences a three-month dry season from June to August, significantly reducing the precipitation levels. The region receives an average annual rainfall of approximately 940 millimeters (Pmm), which contributes to its fertile soil and agricultural productivity.

Luvungi is an area with a diverse range of soil types, including sandy, gravelly, black alluvial, and clayey soils, each with unique characteristics that impact agricultural practices and land use. Notably, the area is home to various water bodies, including the Ruvubu River that flows into the Ruzizi River, which contributes to the formation of alluvial deposits along their banks and influences the landscape. This diversity allows for the cultivation of a wide range of crops, including maize, bush beans, cowpea, cassava, cabbage, potatoes, paddy rice, carrots, soybeans, amaranth, onions, bananas, and spring onions, rendering Luvungi and its environs renowned as one of the country's best-stocked granaries.

The Luvungi groupement (grouping) is subdivided into several smaller units commonly known as villages within the groupement. Each village is led by its own local leadership or representatives who work collaboratively with the overall administration of the Bafuliiru Chiefdom.

Luvungi groupement is subdivided into 10 villages:

The Luvungi groupement, like many other regions in the Ruzizi Plain, has been confronted with various conflicts and security challenges. It has been significantly affected by the presence of various armed groups, encompassing both local militias and foreign factions. On October 20, 1996, during the First Congo War, Luvungi experienced a massacre when the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL), Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), and Forces Armées Burundaises (FAB) units targeted the refugee camps in Bafuliiru Chiefdom. Approximately 100 Burundian and Rwandan Hutu refugees were killed in Luvungi refugee camps. On the same day, the AFDL/APR/FAB units also killed an unknown number of refugees, including around twenty in the camp's hospital in Kanganiro camp in Bafuliiru Chiefdom. Additionally, they targeted and killed an unknown number of refugees who sought shelter in the homes of Zairian civilians in Luvingi.

Moving forward to October 21, 1996, the AFDL/RPA/FAB units resumed their violence, killing an unknown number of Rwandan and Burundian refugees, as well as Zairian civilians who were attempting to flee the village after the departure of the Zairian Armed Forces (FAZ) in Lubarika village, located in the Luvungi groupement of Bafuliiru Chiefdom. The soldiers forced local residents to bury the bodies in four large mass graves. Incidentally, on the same day, around 370 refugees were killed in Luberizi and Mutarule by the AFDL/RPA/FAB units. The victims' bodies were disposed of in pit latrines, while others were discovered in houses in the two towns.

In the Second Congo War, with the emergence of the Rally for Congolese Democracy (Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie; RCD), conflicts in the Ruzizi Plain escalated following the power shift and the coalition formed by the Banyamulenge and Barundi against the Bafuliiru, particularly in Luvungi and Sange. The RCD forces took control of certain provincial mineral resources, leading to a swift military operation to plagued regions in the Ruzizi Plain as well as in Walungu Territory, Kabare Territory, Kalehe Territory, and Shabunda Territory. Luvungi and its surrounding areas experienced numerous casualties, displacement of locals, and a large-scale exodus of people seeking refuge in the middle plateaus of the Itara-Luvungi groupement.

During times of conflict and insecurity in various parts of the DRC, sexual violence has been wielded as a weapon to instill fear, exert control, and inflict deep trauma upon individuals and communities. Women, girls, and occasionally even men have endured sexual assault, rape, and other manifestations of gender-based violence. In 2010, approximately 200 women were reportedly victims of mass rape within the Luvungi groupement of the Bafuliiru Chiefdom, despite the presence of United Nations peacekeepers nearby. Margot Wallstrom, addressing the United Nations Security Council, expressed her shock and condemnation, deeming these acts as "unimaginable and unacceptable" upon discovering the possible involvement of Congolese government soldiers as perpetrators.

• Our Experience in Luvungi at Foreign Policy (magazine)

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