The 1994 Rwandan genocide sent psychological shockwaves throughout the Great Lakes region . The murder of 800,000 people on the basis of ethnicity served to make people even more aware of their tribal and linguistic affiliations . The subsequent influx of Hutu refugees into the region , which led to the First Congo War , served as further emphasis . However , it was not until the Second Congo War , which began in 1998 , that the situation between the Hema and Lendu reached the level of regional conflict . Much of the northern DRC , including Orientale Province ( of which Ituri is a part ) , was occupied by the invading Uganda People 's Defense Force ( UPDF ) and the Ugandan-backed Kisangani faction of the rebel Rally for Congolese Democracy ( RCD-K ) under the leadership of Ernest Wamba dia Wamba . The widespread conflict was accompanied by an influx of assault rifles and other firearms
Rwandan genocide
Rwandan genocide
Ituri conflict