Hate speech against Tutsi communities in DR Congo is an ongoing, serious issue described as reaching alarming levels - particularly in the country's east - and is recognized as a precursor to potential genocide.
Also read: AFC/M23 slams Kinshasa's incitement to ethnic violence
The hate speech is often amplified by political figures who label them as "foreigners," "infiltrators," or "enemies." How were they classified as a distinct and historically targeted group in the land of their forefathers?
Also read: Outcry as DR Congo army spokesman spreads anti-Tutsi tropes
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While Oscar Baumann was the first European to enter the Kingdom of Rwanda in 1892, the first European to arrive in the Kivu region of DR Congo was Adolf von Götzen. He travelled through Rwanda, met King Kigeli IV Rwabugiri at his Royal Palace in Kageyo in 1893, and from Rwanda decided to continue his journey to Kivu territory in 1894, becoming the first European to set foot on the soil of eastern DR Congo.
Now, we have a fundamental question: Who were the leaders of the chiefdoms in Kivu territory prior to Götzen's arrival? Many colonial scholars and some Congolese writers wrote that the majority of Tutsi immigrated there during the colonial era. Some of them spread the falsehood that there had never been a Tutsi chiefdom in the territory of present-day DR Congo before colonization.
Dr. Gaston Nganguzi Rwasamanzi, author of the book Masisi et les Banyarwanda, wrote: "The Congolese Tutsi are the only ethnic group who, at independence in 1960, were without a traditional chiefdom in a country where belonging to a traditional chiefdom was used to define who is an authentic Congolese." But the truth is that prior to Götzen's arrival in Kivu territory, many chiefdoms belonged to the Tutsi ethnic group.
One of them, the chiefdom of Byahi, was confiscated by the Belgians and given to the Bakumu people. We have no intention of denying the Bakumu their Congolese citizenship, as there is no question about it, but rather seek to correct a history that was distorted by Belgium and rendered the Tutsi foreigners on the soil of their ancestors.
The chiefdom of Byahi covered the former territory of Goma, which was then called Ngoma (meaning "drum" in Kinyarwanda). The chiefdom of Byahi had neighbouring territories of Rutshuru to the north, Masisi to the west, and Bugoyi, present-day Rubavu, to the east. Its capital city was Munigi.
Prior to Götzen's arrival in Kivu territory in 1894, Byahi was administered by the family of Abagunga, from the clan of Abanyiginya. It is this family that gave the name to the locality of Mugunga, which became famous following the establishment of the largest refugee camp after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. The chief of Byahi chiefdom was Karera.
In 1916, the chiefdom of Byahi was still under the leadership of Chief Karera. The Belgian administration accused him of supporting the Germans and deposed him. A man from the Bakumu ethnic group was then given his chiefdom by the Belgians.
According to the history written by colonial scholars, the Chiefdom of Bukumu is a traditional monarchy that has existed since at least the 15th century. This distortion of history claims that they are the first inhabitants of Nyiragongo territory.
But the true history reveals that the Bukumu chiefdom did not exist until the Belgians created it in 1916. When the Land Decree of 1893, which separated urban land (governed by colonial law) from rural land (governed by customary law), was enacted, there was no Bukumu chiefdom in Nyiragongo, there was the chiefdom of Byahi instead.
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According to Dr. Rwasamanzi, when the Belgians took the chiefdom of Byahi from Karera, they gave it to a man called Mukunja, son of Nugunda.
Dr. Rwasamanzi revealed that Mukunja was an elephant hunter who had the chance to meet the Belgians and became one of their servants. Mukunja hailed from the Bakumu ethnicity, originally from Lubutu, far away on the border of Maniema.
Mukunja was given the name Gahembe (meaning "horn" in Kinyarwanda), referring to a small horn he carried over his shoulder in which he kept various small personal items. After his appointment as Paul Kabungunda Kahembe, he was given Byahi, renamed Bukumu in reference to his ethnic group, to erase the Tutsi leadership in the area and, hence, their authenticity as Congolese citizens.
That is how today, the native Congolese Tutsi of Nyiragongo were made foreigners, and their sons and daughters are fighting for recognition in the land of their forefathers.
