By Eric Tataw – Washington DC, USA, Saturday, November 28, 2020.
Congo Today, a non-governmental organization based in the Washington DC Area, USA and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) told National Telegraph, Saturday November 28, 2020, it was disturbed by the current political landscape in the DRC after President Felix Tshisekedi concluded his consultations with the political and social personnel of Kinshasa and other areas of the country, Wednesday November 25, 2020.
Ruhosha Jean Paul, Chairperson of the Congo Today described the situation as full of uncertainties, adding that the deteriorating political situation affects all in DRC and especially the Banyamulenge/Tutsi populace that is vulnerable, defenseless, and helpless.
“Doubts arose after this that the agreement that was between the two major coalition parties of DR Congo, CACH- the coalition ruling the country led by H.E. President Felix Tshisekedi on one hand and the FCC- the coalition party that support former President, H.E. Joseph Kabila on the other hand is likely heading to disruption,” Ruhosha said.
Congo Today according to information provided to National Telegraph, strives to create a conflict-free environment, encourage peace and reconciliation among the people of DRC, as pathways to economic development and a sustainable solution to Eastern Congo’s recurring crises.
Since 2nd November 2020, President Felix Tshisekedi has initiated consultations that he called ‘sacred union’ for the nation which might end up breaking his alliance with the former President Joseph Kabila’s platform. The fragmentation might spark violence across the country between supporters of the two platforms, on one side Tshisekedi and Kabila, on the other, Congo Today said.
The organ also said the socio-political climate is ambiguous for many Congolese, hinting on a possible of huge effects on some social and ethnic groups, citing Banyamulenge and other Tutsi groups.
“The experience of the last decades have shown that violence across the Congo and particularly rebellions have led to the selective and indiscriminate killing of the Banyamulenge and other Tutsi groups in Congo,” the statement said.
In 1996, 1998, 2004, Banyamulenge civilians and soldiers were targeted, tortured, killed, and massacred from different places within the country while in service, National Telegraph has learned.
The Tutsi groups and many others were allegedly accused of siding with rebels, resulting in thousands of indiscriminate killings after undergoing torture by their fellow members of military camps following public announcements of key influential figures.
In 2015 during intense demonstrations against the maneuvers to change the Congolese constitution towards the third term of Kabila, Banyamulenge and Tutsi were specifically threatened by political speeches and manipulations that intended to portray them as Kabila’s allies.
“Speeches and social media have been calling for neutralizing the force behind Kabila which meant to target military soldiers and politicians who belong to the Banyamulenge community,” Congo Today also said.
Since September 2020, a dread move evolved due to the creation and installation of the Minembwe’s Mayor, a fiefdom of the Banyamulenge community though inhabited by many other ethnic groups.
Congo Today furthered that the creation of a rural municipality in Minembwe has been interpreted as an initial step to dismember the Congo and laments that other entities created as rural municipalities did not cause any problem but Minembwe has sparked anger across the DRC and much more among the people in the diaspora.
“Politicians and activists have been referring to how some of the Banyamulenge politicians are member of the FCC coalition to portray the whole ethnic group as enemy of the government of DR Congo in place,” said Congo Today.
There have been mounting hate speeches against the Banyamulenge Ethnicity while in their homeland of the Hauts Plateau, members of this community are facing a huge threat of extermination orchestrated by several armed forces namely the “ Mai Mai” coalescing with Burundian rebels, Red Tabara now present in DR Congo, National Telegraph has confirmed.
Banyamulenge in Minembwe, Bijombo, Mibunda and Mikenke have been besieged, starved, and impoverished for roughly two years now, Ruhosha said, adding that Mai Mai forces are armed group from different ethnicities of the region other than the Banyamulenge and all coalesce to attack and vanish one ethnic group, the Banyamulenge.
Congo Today also said it was extremely worried of the security of the Banyamulenge people and Tutsi ethnic group across the country if Kinshasa’s political climate deteriorates, citing “terrifying atrocities experience in recent years.
“We would like to anticipate and warn over such possible scenario that needs preventive measures. Our anticipative warning regards civilians but also soldiers deployed in different region across the country as will doubtlessly affect their live as it did happen in previous years mentioned above,” the Washington DC-based not-for-profit organization said.
It also urged bilateral and regional efforts will help to solve the FCC-CACH crisis, stating that it fears the worsening of the situation will affect the Banyamulenge people in particular and the Tutsi ethnicity in general who are considered to be “invaders”.
Different Banyamulenge personnel, including in the armed forces live across the country, specifically in cities like Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Kalemie, Bukavu among others but the creation of the Municipality of Minembwe caused political figures, parliamentary members, religious leaders among others to contest this administrative entity.
Congo Today laments that the creation of Minembwe is considered the genesis of the “Balkanization”; the unpredicted fragmentation plan of the DR Congo, describing it as something that no one can prove nor demonstrate.
Congo Today says it baffles many why the world is looking away while DRC brews new nests for a possible worst African conflict, a thing that will further destabilize the entire continent, especially key state-to-state partnerships and economic communities to which DRC is a member, including the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).
