Byishimo Patrick explained how FARDC, FDLR, and Burundian soldiers are committing genocide against the Banyamulenge.
Byishimo Patrick, who is in the hills of Mulenge, explained that the Congolese army (FARDC), the Burundian army, the FDLR militia, and the Wazalendo group are exterminating the Banyamulenge by using tactics such as blocking the roads that connect them to other areas where they trade.
This was part of a written message he shared, where he said:
“Civilians who have nothing to do with the war are only affected when they are attacked, and yet they are suffering simply because they are Banyamulenge (Tutsi). This results from the plan of the Congolese and Burundian armies. This is genocide.”
He continued:
“The Banyamulenge in Minembwe have been under embargo since February this year until today.”
He said that since then, they have had no access to medicine, food, salt, sugar, oil, and other essentials.
He raised this question:
“How can thousands and thousands of people live without medicine and still survive?”
He explained that this is a strategy by the Kinshasa government and the Burundian government, in collaboration with armed groups, to exterminate the Banyamulenge.
He said that there are international conventions signed in Geneva regarding war, which state that civilians must be protected by all warring parties. This means every side involved in fighting must safeguard civilians.
Byishimo also mentioned that, according to these conventions, if a fighter is wounded or captured by the opposing side, he immediately becomes a civilian and must be protected.
He explained that MRDP-Twirwaneho, when it captured Mai-Mai (Wazalendo) fighters, Burundian soldiers, or FARDC soldiers in battle, would release them. But on the government side, no one captured has ever been released.
He said:
“We have never heard of anyone captured by the government side being released, or at least detained somewhere. They are immediately killed. But all those captured by Twirwaneho were released. This is widely known.”
Byishimo went on to say that the government’s decision to starve and expose civilians to disease simply because they are Tutsi constitutes genocide.
He expressed surprise at the silence of the international community, and also at the fact that there are Banyamulenge within the government who treat this situation as normal.
He said:
“I am surprised by the silence of the international community, while the Kinshasa government imposed an embargo on the Banyamulenge in order to wipe them out by blocking market routes. I am also surprised that there are Banyamulenge within this government who continue to serve it. Where will they go? What will they do when their own people are exterminated?”
The blocked road referred to is the Mulima route, which connects Minembwe to Baraka, Fizi territory, Uvira, and other regions.
It was closed after the MRDP-Twirwaneho group captured Minembwe on February 21, 2025. From that time, government-aligned forces immediately blocked all the supply routes to Minembwe and its surrounding areas.