IBUKA denounces acts of brutality against Tutsis in Congo amid calls for genocide

As the situation resembles the events leading up to the Rwandan tragedy more than thirty years ago, the IBUKA association of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi has denounced violence against Kinyarwanda-speaking communities, particularly the Tutsi and Banyamulenge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and called for immediate action.

In order to address the justifiable concerns of M23 rebels and other marginalized populations, IBUKA also called on the Congolese government to hold substantive talks with them.

The systematic marginalization and persecution of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, especially the Tutsi, gave rise to the M23 rebel group, which recently took control of Goma city in North Kivu Province and South Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

In addition to demanding protection, political inclusion, and an end to state-sponsored violence and discrimination, the movement has consistently advocated for the recognition of their rights as Congolese citizens.

IBUKA said in a statement on Tuesday, March 4, “In recent months, inflammatory rhetoric from high-ranking Congolese leaders has reinforced discriminatory narratives, inciting violence against Kinyarwanda-speaking communities, especially the Tutsi and Banyamulenge.”

“The language used in Rwanda prior to and during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, where state-sponsored media dehumanized Tutsi populations as ‘invaders’ and ‘cockroaches’ to justify their extermination, is particularly dangerous because it reflects the language used in Rwanda.”

A serious human rights crisis that requires immediate attention from the international community is represented by the recent increase in violence, state-sponsored hate speech, and open cooperation between the Congolese government and the FDLR, a UN-sanctioned militia made up of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Evidence, such as the recent capture of FDLR Brigadier General Ezechiel Gakwerere, disproves assertions that the [FDLR] is ineffective or nonexistent. The FDLR regularly participates in cross-border attacks and destabilizes Rwanda in cooperation with the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC). “This collaboration, which was made possible by MONUSCO’s presence, raises serious concerns about regional security and the inaction of international actors,” IBUKA stated.

The association demanded that the FDLR be destroyed immediately, that the Congolese government be held responsible for its support of the terrorist organization, and that MONUSCO’s mandate be either expanded or replaced with a more capable intervention force.

IBUKA pointed out that the FARDC, which is meant to protect civilians, has been directly linked to mass murders, especially in places like Minemowe, Uvira, North Kivu, and other regions of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to reports, FARDC troops have actively assisted in the persecution of Tutsi and other Kinyarwanda-speaking communities by providing weaponry to extreme militias that continue to carry out mass crimes, such as the FDLR and Wazalendo.

The stability and security of Rwanda are directly threatened by the FDLR elements’ ongoing presence close to the country’s borders. 

Additionally, the group cited reports from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that link the Wazalendo militants, who are baxked in Kinshasa, to atrocities against Tutsi people, such as mass murder, cannibalism, and the destruction of livelihoods and houses.

Ibuka stated, “The continued existence of such threats suggests a revival of the ideology that resulted in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.”

Additionally, it claimed that the UN mission in DR Congo had failed to stop killings on several occasions, even after stationing thousands of troops there for decades.

Instead, despite being aware of the mass murders and extremist activities committed by local armed factions, they have frequently been charged with inaction and even collaboration. The concern that justice may once again be postponed or denied is further heightened by the inaction of international organizations that are well aware of every aspect of the issue. It said, “The world must not ignore the crisis that is developing in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

A painful memory of the atrocities that occurred in 1994

Ibuka claims that the FDLR’s comeback and its cooperation with the FARDC serve as a painful reminder of the atrocities of 1994 for survivors of genocide.

The situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo serves as a horrifying reminder of the circumstances that preceded the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi for Rwandan genocide survivors. It is quite concerning to note the obvious parallels between the murderous dictatorship in Rwanda before to 1994 and the present hate speech campaigns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to the report, survivors have had acute anxiety, nightmares, recurrent worries, and trauma relapses as a result of witnessing the same acts of murder and genocidal speech against their fellow Tutsis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“The resurgence of genocidal ideology in the region has not only triggered profound psychological distress among survivors but has also raised fears that the same international indifference that enabled the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi may once again allow mass atrocities to unfold unchecked,” IBUKA stated.

“The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo must take responsibility for the continuation of hate speech and acts of violence against people who speak Kinyarwanda, particularly the Tutsi. The government leaders who encourage these acts of genocide and refuse to remain silent in the face of genocidal crimes are the first to be held accountable by the world community, the statement said.