The War of Extermination and Displacement Against the Banyamulenge: A History of Decades-Long Attacks in the Highlands of Minembwe (Mulenge)

For many years, particularly in the highlands of Minembwe and across large parts of the territories of Fizi, Uvira, and Mwenga in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, insecurity has continued to escalate, severely affecting the Banyamulenge community.

Various analysts, human rights activists, and local residents argue that these attacks were not merely ordinary conflicts over cattle or land disputes, but gradually took on political and ethnic dimensions, with what they describe as a broader agenda of marginalization and displacement targeting communities that have lived in the region for generations.

Historical accounts indicate that attacks against the Banyamulenge did not begin only in 2017, but trace back many decades, leaving behind a legacy of killings, displacement, destruction, and cattle looting.

In 1964, during Pierre Mulele’s rebellion, the Mai-Mulele militia launched major attacks against the Banyamulenge and their cattle in the highlands of Minembwe and surrounding areas.

During that period, many civilians were killed, cattle were looted, villages were burned, and large numbers of residents fled to different areas, including Baraka and Uvira.

Among those killed was Chief Mushishi Karori, along with many children, men, and elderly people murdered in various localities.

Historical records indicate that:

• dozens of people were killed in Gatongo;
• hundreds of civilians were massacred in Kwirumba;
• many others were killed in Kabera and Bibogobogo during the wars of 1996.

Those years left the Banyamulenge community with painful memories of displacement and fear, as many lost their property while others were killed solely because of their identity and origin.

Although insecurity persisted for many years, 2017 marked a major turning point when violence escalated dramatically.

That year, Mai-Mai militias coordinated large-scale attacks targeting several Banyamulenge-inhabited areas, including:

• Minembwe;
• Mibunda;
• Ndondo;
• Rurambo;
• Cyohagati;
• Bibogobogo;
• Rugezi;
• Gitumba, and other surrounding areas.

Residents say the attacks were aimed at burning villages, killing civilians, and forcibly displacing communities from their land.

Among the victims were children, women, and elderly people. Figures cited by residents and various organizations claim that thousands of people were killed, while many others disappeared and have never been found since.

Numerous villages were destroyed, schools and health centers were looted, and many civilians fled into the mountains or sought refuge in neighboring countries.

Cattle herding has historically been the backbone of the Banyamulenge economy and way of life. However, the prolonged conflict severely devastated their economic foundations.

In an interview with Minembwe Capital News, a well-known cattle breeder named Byicyaza Muruburi stated that more than 500,000 cattle have been looted over the years of conflict.

He explained that most of the cattle were stolen in areas including:

• Matanganika;
• Ngandji;
• Kirisi;
• Mirimba;
• Minembwe;
• Mibunda;
• Ndondo;
• Rurambo, and other localities.

Analysts argue that cattle looting became a strategy aimed at destroying the economic capacity of the Banyamulenge community in order to weaken their ability to remain in those areas.

Historical accounts also show that the Banyamulenge once lived across many parts of the South Kivu highlands.

Areas heavily inhabited by the community included:

• Minembwe;
• Ndondo;
• Rurambo;
• Mibunda;
• Bibogobogo;
• Rugezi;
• Gitumba;
• Cyohagati.

They also lived for generations in places such as Mirimba, Ngandji, and Byura.

However, the wars of 1996 and subsequent conflicts forced many to flee those regions, with some relocating to Minembwe while others sought refuge abroad.

Today, reports from the region indicate that many Banyamulenge are now concentrated mainly in Minembwe after being displaced from several of their former settlements.

Before the escalation of attacks in 2017, Mai-Mai militias frequently used hostile rhetoric against the Banyamulenge, labeling them as “Rwandans” and declaring intentions to remove them from Congolese territory.

Such statements were repeatedly condemned by analysts who argued that they fueled ethnic hatred and discrimination based on identity and origin.

The Banyamulenge maintain that they have been Congolese citizens for generations and argue that being persistently labeled as foreigners is one of the factors that contributed to the violence and persecution they faced.

Some analysts argue that the conflict became a means of:

• driving them off their land;
• destroying their economy;
• and weakening them as a community within South Kivu.

As attacks continued, the Banyamulenge established an armed group known as Twirwaneho, which they say was created for self-defense and the protection of civilians.

The group initially focused on repelling attacks from Mai-Mai militias and other armed groups that had targeted Banyamulenge civilians for years.

Since then, the conflict has intensified further, with each side accusing the other of fueling instability in the region.

Various reports from the area indicate that although the conflict initially mainly involved Mai-Mai militias and Banyamulenge fighters, the situation evolved significantly after 2019.

Some observers claim that certain politicians in Kinshasa supported actions against the Banyamulenge for political and security-related reasons.

Following Félix Tshisekedi’s rise to power, residents of Minembwe and surrounding areas continued to allege that:

• FARDC;
• FDLR;
• Wazalendo militias;
• and other armed groups

began operating together in attacks targeting Banyamulenge-populated areas.

The Congolese government has consistently denied these allegations, stating that military operations were aimed at combating all armed groups operating in eastern Congo. However, reports from the region continue to mention alleged cooperation in attacks against Banyamulenge communities and in the looting of their cattle.

In 2022, reports also emerged alleging that Burundian troops became involved in military operations in eastern Congo, with residents claiming they participated in attacks carried out in Banyamulenge-inhabited villages.

By late 2023, the conflict entered a new phase with the reported use of unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones.

Residents say the drones:

• destroyed homes;
• killed civilians;
• killed livestock;
• and damaged civilian infrastructure.

These developments further deepened fears among populations that had already spent many years living under displacement and continuous conflict.

Many residents of Minembwe express frustration with what they perceive as the international community’s silence regarding what they describe as serious abuses committed against civilians.

Some accuse the United Nations and international organizations of failing to exert sufficient pressure to protect civilians or secure a lasting political solution.

On the other hand, international organizations continue to call on all parties involved in the conflict to respect human rights and halt attacks against civilians.

The issue of war and insecurity in Banyamulenge-inhabited areas remains one of the longest-running and most complex crises in eastern Congo.

The history of these attacks reflects a combination of political tensions, ethnic divisions, land disputes, citizenship controversies, and the activities of armed groups, all of which have continued to fuel instability in the region.

As civilians continue demanding the right to live safely on their ancestral land, serious questions remain regarding the role of the Congolese government, armed groups, regional countries, and the international community in finding a lasting solution to a conflict that has claimed lives for many years.