Situation of the Banyamulenge in Kinshasa

Several sources consulted by the Research Directorate indicated that the Banyamulenge, or Congolese Tutsis, do not have any particular problems in Kinshasa (Journalist 9 Mar. 2010; Le Phare 22 Feb. 2010; VSV 18 Feb. 2010).

During a 18 February 2010 telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative of Voice of the Voiceless for the Defence of Human Rights (La Voix des sans voix pour les droits de l'homme, VSV), a human rights non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to defending human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (VSV n.d.), stated that his organization has never been aware of [translation] “a case in which a person was mistreated by the authorities or the Kinshasa population in general” solely because that person was of Banyamulenge ethnic origin. Moreover, in correspondence sent to the Research Directorate on 22 February 2010, the manager of the Kinshasa newspaper Le Phare wrote the following:

[translation]

There are no problems where the Banyamulenge-or Tutsis-in Kinshasa are concerned. Admittedly, there were hostile demonstrations in 1996-1997 during the Rwandan attack on the DRC under the cover of Laurent Kabila’s AFDL [Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo]. The same reaction occurred in response to the second attack on 2 August 1998 and particularly to the Rwandan troops’ month-long occupation of the Inga dam, which deprived Kinshasa residents of water and electricity. But since the inter-Congolese dialogue and the DRC’s taking office, the situation has stabilized. Tustis make up the largest number of generals in the army. They sit in Parliament and manage government enterprises.

Situation of the Banyamulenge in North Kivu and in South Kivu

Two sources consulted by the Research Directorate indicated that the Banyamulenge do not have any problems in Kivu (Journalist 9 Mar. 2010; Hj 22 Feb. 2010). During a 9 March 2010 telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a journalist from the Brussels daily Le Soir, who specializes in matters related to the African Great Lakes, stated that, according to one of the chiefs of the Banyamulenge community whom she met during her stay in the DRC in February 2010, the Banyamulenge are not bothered in the eastern part of the country in general, or specifically in the two Kivu provinces. During a 22 February 2010 telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative of Heirs of Justice (Héritiers de la justice, Hj), a human rights NGO in the Great Lakes region (Hj 2 Jan. 2010), explained that, the Banyamulenge, who are concentrated mainly in the east of the DRC, particularly in the provinces of North and South Kivu, are not subject to any hostility or resentment in particular. According to the Hj Representative, some Banyamulenge occupy important positions, including those of provincial deputies and ministers, NGO directors and school principals; others are successful businesspeople (Hj 22 Feb. 2010). However, in correspondence sent to the Research Directorate on 22 February 2010, the manager of Le Phare stated that the Banyamulenge are bothered in the Kivu region by the presence of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, FDLR), a Rwandan Hutu rebel group (GlobalSecurity.org n.d.), that creates suspicion, particularly in South Kivu (Le Phare 22 Feb. 2010). Moreover, according to the Hj Representative, during sporadic attacks, Hutu rebels with the FDLR-who target mainly the Banyamulenge-commit [translation] “exactions, such as rape, massacres, theft and veritable manhunts, forcing civilians to flee their homes, which are subsequently burned” (Hj 22 Feb. 2010).

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 for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

GlobalSecurity.org. N.d. “Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) (Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda).” [Accessed 25 Mar. 2010]

Héritiers de la justice (Hj). 22 February 2010. Telephone interview with a representative.

_____. 2 January 2010. “Découvrez Hj.” [Accessed 17 Mar. 2010]

Journalist with the daily Le Soir [Brussels]. 9 March 2010. Telephone interview.

Le Phare [Kinshasa]. 22 February 2010. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate from the director.

La Voix des sans voix pour les droits de l'homme (VSV). 18 February 2010. Telephone interview with a representative.

_____. N.d. “Présentation de l'organisme.” [Accessed 17 Mar. 2010]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Attempts to contact a professor at the University of Antwerp in Belgium who specializes in matters relating to the region of the African Great Lakes, as well as respresentatives of the International Federation for Human Rights (Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme, FIDH) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were unsuccessful.

Internet sites, including: Afrik.com, Les Afriques, AllAfrica.com, Amnesty International (AI), Associated Press (AP), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Freedom House, Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group, Jeune Afrique, Minority Rights Group International (MRG), Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Organisation internationale de la francophonie (OIF), PANApress (PANA), Le Potentiel [Kinshasa], Radio France internationale (RFI), Syfia Grands Lacs, United Nations (UN) Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), United States (US) Bureau of African Affairs.