Minembwe | |
---|---|
Country | DR Congo |
Province | South Kivu |
Territory | Fizi |
Sector | Lulenge |
Grouping | Basimukuma Sud |
Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) |
Minembwe is a cluster of several villages located in the highlands of the Lulenge, within the Fizi Territory of South Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated at an altitude of about 2,500 meters above sea level, in a hilly and mountainous region covered with forests, which provides fertile land for agriculture. It is approximately 150 kilometers south of Bukavu, the capital city of South Kivu. The region is also home to various streams and rivers that flow into Lake Tanganyika, the second-deepest lake in the world. [1]
Minembwe was predominantly inhabited by the Bembe and Buyu people, [2] but the region boasts a rich ethnocultural diversity within the region, and it is also a point of confluence for many ethnic groups, including Bafuliiru, Banyindu, Bamushi, Baholoholo, Babwari, Bavira, Balega, Bahunde, Banyanga, Bashu, Baamba, Baswaga, and Banyamulenge. Although the Bembe people are considered the indigenous group in the area and constitute the majority, other ethnicities have a significant presence. Kibembe is the most commonly spoken language in Minembwe, followed by Swahili, which is prevalent in most of the sector centers. However, other minority populations speak their own vernacular languages. [3] [4] [5]
The area was conventionally inhabited by the Bembe and Buyu people. It served as a center for trade, commerce, and cultural exchange, with people from various ethnic groups converging in the region. [2] [5] [6] [7] Under Belgian colonial administration, the Bembe and Buyu communities were amalgamated within the Fizi Territory, which was subsequently divided into five regions: Itombwe, Lulenge, Mutambala, Ngandja, and Tangani'a. Nevertheless, following the end of colonization, the Itombwe sector was annexed closer to the Mwenga Territory to establish a more proximate administration for the local population. [8]
During the 1920s, many sections of these regions were deemed sparsely populated, prompting the Belgian colonial authorities to recruit labor from external areas to aid their development. [9] This led to the transportation of Banyarwanda to the highlands of Kivu from the late 1930s to the 1950s. The emigration of Banyarwanda had significant social and cultural repercussions in the area, notably in Minembwe. However, the integration process was not consistently concordant. Ethnic tensions flared up between the Banyarwanda and other ethnic communities in the vicinity, notably the Babembe, fueled by land disputes, competition for resources, and political power struggles. [10]
In the late 1950s, there was a significant influx of Banyarwanda immigrants into the Fizi Territory, particularly in the Lulenge sector. This migration was fueled by political instability in Rwanda and the search for better economic opportunities in neighboring areas. [11] Parenthetically, during the Rwandan Revolution of 1959–1961, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) settled Rwandan refugees in the sites of Lemera, Mulenge, and Katobo. Many of these refugees ended up dispersing throughout the Lulenge sector and settling in some of the most remote and inaccessible areas of the South and North Kivu regions. [12]
The Banyarwanda who established themselves in the Lulenge sector between the late 1950s and 1980s, alongside their counterparts who migrated to the eastern part of the Congo Free State in the nineteenth century, now commonly known as "Banyamulenge," harbored a collective ambition to forge their own self-governing territory like other ethnic groups. However, they were obligated to fulfill specific criteria set by the Belgian colonial administration and subsequently upheld by the Congolese state after gaining independence, in order to be officially recognized as a distinct tribal or ethnic group. These prerequisites encompassed possessing a native language that bestowed its name upon the tribe, a chieftainship to represent the tribe in relation to neighboring groups and the state, and a well-defined territory with acknowledged borders recognized by the neighboring tribes. Despite Kinyarwanda being the Banyarwanda's mother tongue, they lacked both a chieftainship and a clearly demarcated territory. [13] [14] [15] They were disqualified from being a Congolese tribe or acquiring land based on the three determining criteria. The designation "Banyamulenge" was not documented in colonial records. Throughout history, the Banyamulenge were predominantly recognized as "Banyarwanda," signifying their status as migrants with origins in Rwanda. It was not until the Republic of the Congo gained independence in 1960 that the Belgian colonists ceased classifying them exclusively as immigrants from Rwanda. [1] [16]
In 1972, Barthélémy Bisengimana Rwema, a Tutsi cabinet director of Mobutu Sese Seko during his second republic, initiated a presidential "Ordinance № 69-096." This ordinance collectively granted Zairian (Congolese) nationality to all Banyarwanda. [17] However, the law placed both the Banyarwanda populations who had long settled in the eastern region of the Republic of Zaire, hence entitled to Congolese citizenship by virtue, and those coming from more recent migratory flows in the same predicament, generating bewilderment among the affected communities. The widespread acquisition of Congolese nationality, coupled with the perverse ramifications of the land legislation enacted under the framework of "Zairianisation," prompted businessmen, politicians, and influential Tutsi individuals to seize opportunities and acquire land, particularly former colonial plantations that had been redistributed by the state. These land acquisitions effectively legalized the land settlements of the Tutsi peasantry in the Kivu region, endowing them with a recognized status. [17] The impossibility of applying the "1972 Ordinance", not respecting the basic criteria, aggravated the tension and engendered conflicts in the region due to resistance from other Congolese tribes who considered themselves expropriated for the second time (the first time by the Belgian colonists) from part of their territory by Tutsis who remained from elsewhere in the collective unconscious. [17] [18] These ethnic tensions threatened the national integrity and led the Congolese political authorities to repeal and annul the "1972 Ordinance" by passing Law no. 81/002 of June 29, 1981, and, thus, to correct the mistake that was made to the law regarding the recognition of ethnic communities. [17] In the same year, Banyarwanda changed their eponym from "Banyarwanda" to "Banyamulenge" to be distinguished from those coming directly from Rwanda. [19] However, the identity crisis between Banyamulenge and other Congolese tribes was conspicuous at the time as civil status offices continued to be torched to destroy the administrative documents necessary for any granting of nationality or land for Banyamulenge.
Between 1991 and 1993, ethnic tensions resurfaced violently, during the representation of Kivu at the National Sovereign Conference (Conférence Nationale Souveraine) organized in Kinshasa to establish a democratic regime in Zaire. This resulted in the formation of youth militias initiating attacks and murders in Kivu, [20] but were subsequently halted following the intervention of the Special Presidential Division (Division Présidentielle Spéciale) to restore some semblance of order. [21]
At the onset of the Second Congo War, the Banyamulenge united with Rwandan Tutsi refugees, scattered throughout the vast expanse of the Kivu region [22] to fight against discriminatory nationality and land laws. The Banyamulenge fighters aligned themselves with the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and later forged alliances with the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL) and the Rally for Congolese Democracy (Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie). [23] [24] [22] Following Mobutu's ousting from power, the Rally for Congolese Democracy, a rebel faction backed by the Rwandan government and led by Azarias Ruberwa at the time, established Minembwe as an independent region in 1999 alongside Bunyakiri in Kalehe Territory. [25] [24] [26]
The recognition of these two territorial entities became a source of ethnic tension between the various components of the Transitional Government at the beginning of 2006. [27] [28] The Banyamulenge, having supported the AFDL and RCD forces during the Second Congo War, were accused of launching attacks on refugee camps and densely populated villages, perpetrating civilian executions, and carrying out acts of terrorism against Zairian civilians in different regions of South and North Kivu, including Bwegera, Luberizi, Luvungi, Katala, Rubenga, Lubarika, Kakumbukumbu, Mutarule, Kagunga, Kiliba, Ndunda, Biriba, Sange, Rwenena, Kahororo, Kamanyola, Lemera, Kidote, Makobola, Kasika, Kilungutwe, Kilungutwe River and Katogota. Consequently, many Congolese perceived the Banyamulenge as invaders encroaching upon their habitats. [29] [30] [24] Conversely, those on the Banyamulenge side argue that they were not given adequate space within the Fizi Territory and are therefore fighting for self-defense. This conflict has led to a displacement of approximately 140,000 individuals who were forced to leave their homes due to fighting between armed groups in Minembwe in May 2019, according to humanitarian organizations. [31] [32]
In September 2020, Minembwe was declared a rural commune in the Lulenge sector in the Fizi Territory, despite objections from other ethnic groups in the region who claimed that the proper legal and administrative procedures had not been followed. The installation of Minembwe as a rural commune, and the appointment of Gad Mukiza, a Tutsi, as its mayor on September 28, 2020, has generated a great deal of controversy and opposition from other Congolese tribes who assert their ownership of the land. [33] [34] [35] [36] The controversy surrounding Minembwe has been fueled by the history of conflict between Banyamulenge and other ethnic groups in the region. Many Congolese see the declaration of Minembwe as a rural commune as a way for Banyamulenge to gain greater control over the region and consolidate their power. Some critics argue that the move was made in response to pressure from neighboring countries, particularly Rwanda, which has long been accused of supporting the Banyamulenge. [1]
On October 8, 2020, the process of creating Minembwe as a rural commune was canceled following a declaration by the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi. His decision came after widespread protests and violence erupted in the region due to the declaration. The decision was made to ease tensions in the area and prevent further violence. However, Tshisekedi's government cited irregularities in how the declaration was made and concerns over the legality of the move. There were also allegations that the declaration was made to benefit a particular ethnic group, the Banyamulenge, who are seen as outsiders by other ethnic groups in the area. Nevertheless, the cancelation was welcomed by many groups, including opposition parties and civil society organizations. [37] [38] [1]
Félix Tshisekedi stated:
"For me, the salvation of the people is the supreme law. I cannot leave my people in danger. I have decided to cancel what has been done so far for Minembwe". [39]
The cancellation of the commune was met with mixed reactions from the Banyamulenge community, who saw it as a violation of their rights and a reversal of the gains they had made in their struggle for recognition and self-determination. Some Banyamulenge leaders and activists accused the government of caving in to pressure from other ethnic groups and abandoning its promises to protect their interests and promote their development. [40] [33]
The situation in Minembwe has remained tense, with reports of violence and displacement continuing to emerge. In October 2020, the United Nations reported that at least 15 people had been killed and dozens more injured in clashes between Banyamulenge and other groups in the area. The UN also estimated that over 50,000 people had been displaced by the violence. The situation in Minembwe remains a contentious issue in the DRC. [41] [42]
On July 20, 2021, Twiganeho militiamen and its allies attacked the Musika village, located in the southern Basimunyaka Groupement, Lulenge sector. [43] According to several testimonies, fifteen homes of civilians were scorched, forcing civilian members of the local community to move to Runundu and Ilundu villages. Other members of the local communities were also affected and moved toward the villages of Lumanya and Kwamulima. [43] Two elderly men were burned in the house, the children were separated from their parents and a hundred cows were abducted, according to witnesses in the area.
In May 2022, clashes between Ngumino and Mai-Mai Biloze Bishambuke and their allies killed nearly five people in Irumba and Ngandura, villages situated 15 kilometers from Minembwe. [44]
In July 2022, 4 civilians were killed in Minembwe by Twiganeho, an insurgent group led by an army deserter Colonel Michel Rukunda, after refusing to join the forced recruitment. [45]
In August 2022, dozens of civilians and police officers were taken hostage by Twiganeho in the highlands of Minembwe, South Kivu. [45]
On January 4, 2023, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) in charge of operations, General-Major Chico Tshitambwe, called on the population of Minembwe to dissociate themselves from armed groups. [46] Chico Tshitambwe also invited the militias to lay down their arms and join the PDDRC-S program.
Being an area built on hills and without subsurface wealth, Minembwe does not present strong development possibilities except for its location as a riparian region which gives it agriculture and fishing development. [47] [48] Lake Tanganyika, situated in the eastern part of the region, offers tremendous fishing potential for Minembwe. Despite strong agricultural and fisheries development, Minembwe has suffered from a lack of improvements in health, access to clean water, lack of roads, and basic civic services. [49]
South Kivu is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Its capital is Bukavu.
Banyamulenge, also referred to as Nyamurenge and Banyamurenge, is a community from the Democratic Republic of the Congo's South Kivu province. The Banyamulenge are culturally and socially distinct from the Tutsi of North Kivu, with most speaking Kinyamulenge, a mix of Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Ha language, and Swahili. Banyamulenge are often discriminated against in the DRC due to their Tutsi phenotype, similar to that of people living in the Horn of Africa, their insubordination towards colonial rule, their role in Mobutu's war against and victory over the Simba Rebellion, which was supported by the majority of other tribes in South Kivu, their role during the First Congo War and subsequent regional conflicts (Rally for Congolese Democracy–Goma, Movement for the Liberation of the Congo, National Congress for the Defence of the People, and more importantly for the fact that two of the most influential presidents of their country declared them as enemy of the State both in 1996 and 1998.
Uvira is the capital city of the Uvira Territory in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated between Lake Tanganyika and the Mitumba Mountains and covers an area of approximately 16km.
Azarias Ruberwa Manywa is a Congolese politician, lawyer, and public figure. During the Second Congo War he was Secretary-General of the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie (RCD-G) rebel group. Following the war he was one of the vice-presidents in the transitional government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 2003-2006. He has also been the leader and president of RCD-G's political party since 2003. He is a member of the Banyamulenge community of South Kivu who belong to the Tutsi ethnic group.
Masisi Territory is a territory which is located within the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its political headquarters are located in the town of Masisi.
The Congolese Rally for Democracy, also known as the Rally for Congolese Democracy, is a political party and a former rebel group that operated in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It was supported by the government of Rwanda, and was a major armed faction in the Second Congo War (1998-2003). It became a social liberal political party in 2003.
The Fuliiru people are a Bantu ethnic group predominantly inhabiting the east-central highlands of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They reside in the South Kivu Province, situated south of Lake Kivu and to the north and northwest of Uvira Territory, along the Ruzizi Plain near the border with Rwanda and Burundi, where a contingent of Fuliiru also resides. According to the 2009 census, their population estimate exceeded 250,000, while a 1999 estimate of Kifuliiru-language speakers placed the number at 300,000. The Fuliiru are renowned for their skilled craftsmanship, particularly in the production of pottery and basketry. Their handcrafted baskets are highly coveted for their intricate designs and exceptional quality, and are frequently employed for storage, decoration, and even as musical instruments.
Uvira Territory is a territory in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is bordered by Walungu Territory to the north, Mwenga Territory to the west, Fizi Territory to the south, and Burundi and Lake Tanganyika to the east. Its capital is Uvira.
The National Coalition of the People for the Sovereignty of Congo, and also known as the Alliance of Article 64, is an armed rebel coalition in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The group is a coalition of around 12 different Mai-Mai groups in and around South Kivu province. It was formed on 30 June 2017, symbolically Congolese Independence Day.
The Kipupu massacre occurred on 16 July 2020 in the South Kivu village of Kipupu in the Mwenga Territory in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Gunmen belonging to the Ngumino and Twiganeho militias of the Banyamulenge community attacked the village and reportedly killed 220 people according to provincial lawmakers, while independent analysts state only 18 people were killed.
The Kishishe massacre occurred from November 29 to December 1, 2022, in the North Kivu village of Kishishe in the Rutshuru Territory in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The March 23 Movement, a predominantly Tutsi armed group, summarily killed at least 131 civilians in Kishishe following clashes with local militias, according to a preliminary United Nations investigation. At the same time, the Kinshasa authorities had previously reported approximately 300 fatalities. The attack also resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people who were forced to flee to other locations such as Kanyabayonga, Kibirizi, Kashala, Kirima, Nyanzale, Kashalira, Bambu, and Kitchanga. Some victims also sought refuge in neighboring countries due to the ongoing violence and instability in the region.
Lulenge is one of the four sectors of Fizi Territory of the South Kivu Province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated near the Kiloba and Makena villages, at an altitude of 943 meters. Its capital is Kilembwe. Lulenge is bordered to the north by the Itombwe sector and Mwenga Territory. In the east, it is bordered by Lake Tanganyika and the Mutambala sector. In the south, it is bordered by the N’gangya sector, and in the west by Shabunda Territory.
Katogota is a village located in the Itara-Luvungi grouping within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom in Uvira Territory of the South Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Situated approximately 60 km south of Bukavu, Katogota is in close proximity to the Kamonyi and Rusagara villages, near the border regions of Rwanda and Burundi.
Mutambala is a sector that constitutes one of the four sectors in the Fizi Territory of the South Kivu Province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mutambala is situated near Lake Tanganyika, in the west by the Lulenge sector, in the north by the Tangani'a sector, and in the south by the Ngandja sector. It has a surface area of 777 km 2. The sector consists of five groupings (groupements), including the Basimukindja groupings, the Batombwe groupings, and the Babwari groupings.
The Ruzizi Plain is a valley situated between the Mitumba mountain chain and the Ruzizi River. It serves as a natural border, separating the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from Burundi and Rwanda on the other side. The Ruzizi Plain is an integral part of the larger Western Rift Valley, which stretches across several African countries. It is traversed by the Ruzizi River, which flows from Lake Kivu through the plain and into Lake Tanganyika. It covers an area of 175,000 hectares divided between Burundi, Rwanda and the DRC. In Burundi, the plain extends to the northern sector of Imbo. It is bounded by parallels 2°36′ and 3°26′ south latitude and by meridians 29°00′ and 29°26 east longitude—an area of 1025 km2. The Congolese side is bounded to the north by the plain of Bugarama (Rwanda), to the east by the plain of Imbo (Burundi), to the West by the chain of Mitumba and to the South by Lake Tanganyika. The region covers thus about 80,000 hectares with 80 kilometers in length.
Bibogobogo, also known as Bibokoboko in Kibembe, is a village in the middle plateaus of the Mutambala Sector in the Fizi Territory in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated in the forested mountains and middle plateaus, overlooking Baraka in the south-west, near Kisombe and Bibokoboko II villages. Bibogobogo shares the borders with Uvira Territory in the North, the Mwenga Territory and Shabunda Territory in the West, the Kalemie Territory in the South, and Lake Tanganyika in the East. The regional soil is composed of metals, including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, aluminium and mercury, making it suitable for gold plating, mercury pollution, pollution index and agriculture. Despite being rich in forest biodiversity, the region is in a state of poverty and insecurity which hampers any attempt at sustainable development. The ongoing ethnic conflict in the region continues to affect communities identified as Babembe, Bafuliiru, Babwari, Babuyu, Banyindu, Balega (Warega), Bamushi, and Banyamulenge.
The Makobola massacre occurred from December 30, 1998, to January 2, 1999, in the small village of Makobola, located approximately 15 kilometers south of Uvira, on the border between Fizi Territory and Uvira Territory in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Rally for Congolese Democracy, a predominantly Tutsi Rwandan-backed armed group led by Ernest Wamba dia Wamba, killed over 800 civilians, largely belonging to the Babembe community.
Kitchanga, also known as Kitshanga, is a town and a camp for Congolese Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the Rutshuru Territory of North Kivu Province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Kitchanga is located 119 kilometers north of Goma and 10 kilometers north of Burungu. It also lies near Kizimba and Budey villages.
Modern relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have origins that date back to the colonial era. Sharing a border that is 221 km in length, the two countries were both colonial possessions of Belgium between 1919 and 1960, and were impacted by the two world wars. Both Rwanda and the Congo experienced violent upheavals during their first years of independence, with the Congo being left with a weak central authority, and Rwanda dealing with periodic raids and incursions from expelled Tutsi rebels in the east of the Congo.
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