In a 24 June 1999 telephone interview, the president of the African Association for the Defense of Human Rights (Association africaine de défense des droits de l'homme, or ASADHO) provided the following information.

Relations between Congolese Tutsis of Rwandan origin (Banyamulenge and others) and other Congolese have not been good in general over the past three years. Indeed, other Congolese perceive Congolese Tutsis as being the instigators of two wars that took place in the Democratice Republic of Congo (République démocratique du Congo, or RDC) in the past three years: one in October 1996 that allowed Kabila to assume power in May 1997 and one that began on 2 August 1998. The residents of Kinshasa have also associated them with the Rwandan military who, after helping President Kabila seize power, remained in Kinshasa and are perceived by the population as [translation] "invaders". It should be noted as well that political speeches by the authorities against members of the Tutsi ethnic group have reinforced this anti-Tutsi climate.

However, ASADHO has neither observed nor been informed of any cases involving mistreatment of a member of the Tutsi ethnic group by his or her colleagues at work or by Congolese neighbours.

In an e-mail message sent to the Research Directorate, a professor at the Institute for Developmental Studies (Institut d'études du développement) at the Catholic University of Louvain (Université catholique de Louvain), who is also affiliated with the Centre for African Studies (Centre d'études africaines) and has written a book entitled Banyarwanda et Banyamulenge: violences ethniques et gestion de l'identitaire that was published by Cahiers africains in 1997, pointed out the following.

[Translation]

Since independence, there have been numerous marriages among the elite between Zairians (Congolese) and the sons and daughters of Tutsi Rwandan

(ex-)refugees in Congo-Zaire. There are no data on the frequency and number of these marriages. As for the Banyamulenge properly speaking, that is, the Congolese Tutsis living on the high plateaux of the Itombwe in Kivu, they were reputed to be "proud" and haughty and not to "mix" with other ethnic groups. Undoubtedly, the stereotypes about them were linked to the fact that they raised animals and roamed great distances, thus escaping any control by customary chieftains.

As for the Kasai Baluba, they spread to just about all the towns of Congo-Zaire and they are often mistrusted by other ethnic groups: In the colonial era, the Baluba were often considered to be "more intelligent" and "more advanced" than all the other ethnic groups. After independence, they were considered politically dangerous because they were more educated, more "tribalistic", etc. Since 1982, when Zaire relaxed its regulations governing diamond exploitation and trade, large numbers of them have "specialized" in the gathering and marketing of the alluvial diamonds found in abundance in East Kasai.

Under the Mobutu regime, there was only one political "party", the MPR;

Congolese Tutsis or those from Rwanda often occupied dominant positions in it Whether former refugees or clandestine "immigrants," they were legally considered to be Congolese. Beginning in 1981, the situation changed: They became politically more and more suspect because they were "not genuine Zairians," but under the protection of Mobutu, they continued in office and retained their privileges. More and more, they are no longer found in politics, but in big business and large enterprises.

As they are considered non-Zairians, they have been ostracized by the new political groups since the "liberalization" of 1990, and the parties they formed (e.g., the CEREA in Kivu) have been banned.

To my knowledge, no "special treatment" was meted out to Congolese Tutsis in the workplace. They are victims of persecution today due to Rwandan "aggression" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Many of them have fled Congo or are in camps. Officially, the authorities have placed them in these camps to "protect" them.

Regarding the sentiments of Kinshasans in general towards the Tutsis over the past few years, Info-Zaïre indicated that at the beginning of the October 1996 rebellion, [translation] "the anger of the Zairian population was primarily directed against Zairians of Tutsi origin" (26 Nov. 1996, 2). When the current rebellion broke out, Jeune Afrique reported that [translation] "Congolese who, since the AFDL seized power [on 17 May 1997], have demonstrated a thinly veiled xenophobia with respect to this 'occupation army', accused the president of selling out the country to the 'Tutsis'" (4-10 Aug. 1998, 15). The same source added that [translation] "it was with undisguised pleasure that the population in the capital [Kinshasa] watched the departure of the Rwandans, who for a year had been living a life of luxury..." (ibid.). Describing the genesis of the current conflict in the RDC, the same weekly reported in its issue of 1-7 September 1998 that [translation] "everything began on 28 July, when Commander James was dismissed by Laurent-Désiré Kabila, who was sensitive to the growing exasperation felt by Kinshasans in the face of the pervasive presence of 'Tutsi foreigners'" (16), and that [translation] "Kabila distanced himself without any compunction from his Tutsi 'friends', whom the population held in contempt" (ibid. 22-28 Sept. 1998, 10).

Referring to President Kabila's decision to send back the Rwandan soldiers who had assisted him in overthrowing the Mobutu regime, L'Autre Afrique noted that [translation] "this measure, aimed in particular at the Rwandan military, appeals to the population, and Kinshasa has become the scene of xenophobic acts directed at Rwandans and Banyamulenge who are considered Rwandans" (6 Aug.-2 Sept. 1998).

Regarding mixed marriages between Congolese Tutsis and other Congolese, the magazine Afrique contemporaine reports that members of other Congolese communities have always criticized the Banyarwanda (Congolese of Rwandan origin) for [translation] "their endogamy, to which the Tutsis in particular adhere" (Oct.-Dec. 1996, 25).

A journalist for the Belgian newspaper Le Soir and specialist in the African Great Lakes region corroborated this information in a telephone interview on 25 June 1999. According to the journalist, marriages between Congolese Tutsis and members of other ethnic groups are rather rare. Indeed, she added, members of other ethnic groups criticize Congolese Tutsis of Rwandan origin especially for not wanting to [translation] "integrate" with other ethnic groups; this criticism is based on the fact that the Congolese Tutsis of Rwandan origin marry almost exclusively among themselves. On this subject, please also refer to the information provided above that was taken from an e-mail message sent by a professor at the Catholic University in Louvain (Université catholique de Louvain).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Afrique contemporaine [Paris]. 4th quarter, 1996. Pourtier Roland. No. 180. "La guerre au Kivu: un conflit multidimensionnel."

Association africaine de défense des droits de l'homme (ASADHO). 24 June 1999. Telephone interview with the president.

L'Autre Afrique [Paris]. 6 August-2 September 1998. No. 57. "La guerre de l'Est: Kabila peut-il s'en sortir?"

Info-Zaire [Montréal]. 26 November 1996. "Guerre au Sud et au Nord Kivu: réactions au Zaïre."

Jeune Afrique [Paris]. 22-28 September 1998. No. 1967. Geslin, J. D. "RD Congo: l'État de non-droit."

_____. 1-7 September 1998. Soudan, F. No. 1964. "RD Congo: les dessous de la guerre."

_____. 4-10 September 1998. No. 1960. "RD Congo: Kabila remercie les Rwandais."

Professor, Institut d'études du développement de l'Université catholique de Louvain. 30 June 1999. Correspondence.

Le Soir [Brussels]. 25 June 1999. Telephone interview with a journalist specializing in the African Great Lakes region.

Additional Sources Consulted

Amnesty International. Annual reports. 1997-1999.

ASADHO [Kinshasa]. Reports and press releases. 1997 to the present.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) [New York]. 1997-1999.

Electronic sources: IRB databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, World News Connection (WNC), Internet.