Times Of Swaziland: TUTSI, HUTU CONFLICT IN DRC CONTINUES PART 1

TUTSI, HUTU CONFLICT IN DRC CONTINUES PART 1
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Sabelo Gabs Nxumalo on 04/02/2025 07:54:00


THE Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) conflict will continue until somehow the
Tutsi and the Hutu resolve a long-standing tribal impulse that has remained a
festering and gaping wound for decades. One needs to understand that the effect
of the discrimination between the Hutu and the Tutsi, including the creation of
the colonial borders on this part of the continent, was so negative that it has
cost millions of lives. Worth noting that Paul Kagame of Rwanda is Tutsi and
Jean-Baptiste Bagaza and Pierre Buyoya, Founding Presidents of Burundi were also
Tutsi. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda is also of Tutsi /Hima. The Tutsi and
the Hima of Uganda were ethnic cousins.
The fact that President Paul Kagame and Yoweri Museveni are supporting M23
should not surprise the world, as they have the same blood running through their
veins. What should be of interest to emaSwati is that these ethnic groups are
Bantu and speak Bantu languages. We originated from them, hence the similarities
in words, like goat pronounced imbuzi or imbuti
According to many scholars, Hutus first settled in the Great Lakes Region of
Central Africa between five hundred and one thousand B.C. Generally speaking,
Hutus were agricultural people who lived in large family groups.
The Tutsis, also known as Watutsis, were a nomadic people who began arriving in
the Great Lakes region from Ethiopia some four hundred years ago. Eventually,
the Tutsis settled among the Hutus – adopting their language, beliefs and
customs. But economic differences between the groups soon began to form. The
Tutsis as cattle-herders were often in a position of economic dominance to the
soil-tilling Hutus. That is not to say that all Tutsis were wealthy, and all
Hutus were poor, but in many areas, like Rwanda, the minority Tutsis ruled the
Hutus.
Tutsi had economic advantage
According to some historians, like Congolese Professor George Izangola, the only
differences between the two groups were economic, rather than ethnic. While
there are often perceived physical differences between Hutu and Tutsi people,
primarily with Tutsis being considered taller and slimmer on average, no
significant, readily identifiable physical distinction exists between the two
groups as they share similar genetic make-up and are essentially the same
ethnicity; these differences were largely socially constructed by colonial
powers based on factors like height and occupation, not inherent biology.
In a 1996 interview with Charlayne Hunter Gault, Professor Izangola explained:
“In Rwanda, the Tutsi and the Hutu are the same people. They are all
people–large grouping or communities which go from seven regions of Cameroon
to Uganda–all the way to South Africa, in the same culture,” Izangola said.
“People used to be Tutsi or Hutu, depending on the proximity to the king. If
you are close to the king, you owned wealth and owned a lot of cattle, you are a
Tutsi. If you are far away from the king, you are a cultivator and you don’t
own a lot of cattle, you are a Hutu.” Colonial rule, which began in the late
19th Century, did little to bring the groups together. The Belgians, who ruled
what would later become Rwanda and Burundi, forced Hutus and Tutsis to carry
ethnic identity cards. The colonial administrators further exacerbated divisions
by only allowed Tutsis to attain higher education and hold positions of power.
The modern conflict.
Following independence in 1962, Ruanda-Urundi split into two countries: Rwanda
and Burundi. In Rwanda, the Hutu majority lashed out at the minority Tutsis –
killing thousands and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee to neighbouring
Uganda. In Burundi, the minority Tutsis maintained their control of the military
and government through a campaign of violence against the Hutus. Although they
lost multi-party elections in 1993, two assassinations and a military coup have
allowed the Tutsis to remain in power.When Yoweri Museveni, a rebel leader of
Tutsi descent, seized power in Uganda in 1986, it was largely through the
assistance of Rwandan Tutsis. With a power base in Uganda, the Rwandan Tutsis
formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front and began attacks against the Hutu-led
government.
After the death of a the Hutu President , the Rwandan Government and Hutu
militia  launched a genocidal campaign against Tutsis living in Rwanda.
According to reports, over 800 000 people were slaughtered over a period of 100
days. Eventually, the tide turned against the Hutus and the Rwanda Patriotic
Front defeated the Rwandan Army, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee, mostly
to Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo formally Zaire. From
refugee camps in, Hutus continued the fighting by launching cross-border raids
on Tutsis and moderate Hutus living in Rwanda and Uganda.
When Zaire’s government, led by President Mobuto, was unable or unwilling to
assert control over his eastern frontier, the Tutsi governments of Uganda,
Rwanda and Burundi backed a rebellion that toppled the state. The rebel leader
they supported, Laurent Kabila, renamed Zaire the Democratic Republic of Congo.
When the Hutu raids continued, the Tutsi-led states encouraged a second
rebellion against Kabila. With Tutsi rebels continuing to fight in the former
Zaire and Hutus waging guerilla battles in Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, the
ethnic strife that sparked the slaughters in Rwanda continue to infect the
region.
ECOWAS back Kagami and Museveni
In part II we will look more closely at why ECOWAS is backing Kagami and
Museveni to the extent of being kicked out of DRC. We examine the involvement of
SADC the Southern African Development Community not as a mediator but on the
side of the Congolese Government. ECOWAS stands for Economic Community of West
African States.
It’s a regional bloc of 15 West African countries that was established in
1975. In 2024, the military governments of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali jointly
announced their withdrawal from the bloc, after having been suspended following
respective military takeovers in these countries. We have to answer the question
what can SADC do that ECOWAS has failed to do? After all, ECOWAS know the region
and the history better. Comment septembereswatini@gmail.com