In the age of instant news and global diplomacy, narratives shape reality. They influence who is protected, who is vilified, and, tragically, who lives or dies. The plight of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese communities, including the Banyamulenge in eastern DR Congo, reveals the deadly consequences of dominant narratives that are selectively framed, politically convenient, and left unchallenged.
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Narratives are not mere stories; they shape policy, justify action, and influence global conscience. In eastern DR Congo, a prevailing narrative promoted by certain political and media actors portrays Kinyarwanda-speaking communities as "foreign infiltrators" or a "poison Rwandais," echoing decades of xenophobia. Repeated in national discourse and amplified internationally, this framing defines who is seen as legitimate and who is labelled a threat. A recent example, among others, is former FARDC spokesperson General Sylvain Ekenge's public warning against marrying a Tutsi woman, implicitly casting them as spies.
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Over the years, UN experts, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum documented systematic abuses. Kinyarwanda-speaking civilians have faced killings, sexual violence, forced displacement, and destruction of their homes. Hate speech urging them to "go back to Rwanda" is widespread. Violence has come not only from rebel groups but also from elements of the Congolese army (FARDC), allied militias such as Wazalendo, and extremist groups like the Kinshasa-backed FDLR.
Although the M23 rebel group is frequently highlighted for abuses and alleged Rwandan backing, this focus often overshadows violations by local militias and Congolese forces, whose actions are downplayed or rationalized as collateral damage. This selective amplification reflects a structural feature of modern politics. Sovereign governments like in DR Congo hold significant power to control narratives about legitimacy and security, while vulnerable minorities lack strong advocates.
When xenophobic narratives prevail, civilians suffer first. Human rights abuses become normalized or dismissed, and impunity takes root as perpetrators are shielded by political power.
Efforts to protect targeted populations are often distorted. Those attempting to safeguard communities can be portrayed as aggressors, fuelling suspicion and backlash that further endangers civilians. This cycle of misrepresentation and violence repeats across generations. Communities caught between nationalist rhetoric and regional politics bear the consequences, their safety subordinated to political convenience.
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Eastern DR Congo illustrates this paradox: Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese face attacks from local forces and militias, while their perceived protectors are delegitimized internationally.
A call to correct narratives before disaster
International organizations, media, and policymakers must go beyond surface reporting. They have a duty to challenge narratives that dehumanize or marginalize communities. For Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, this responsibility is urgent. They must be explicitly recognized as Congolese citizens with fully protected rights, regardless of perceived ties to Rwanda.
Accountability must be comprehensive. All perpetrators of violence must be documented and held responsible. Justice cannot be selective.
Minority voices must also be amplified internationally. The lived experiences of Kinyarwanda-speaking communities should not be drowned out by state-centered narratives prioritizing sovereignty over human rights. Humanitarian protection must be separated from geopolitical calculations and guided by civilian safety.
Failing to correct harmful narratives is not neutral; it enables long-term suffering and potential cycles of mass violence. The story of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese is a warning: when wrong narratives dominate, they do not merely misinform--they endanger lives.
Jean-Felix Muhire is a communication and media studies university student.
