Tito Rutaremara, a senior adviser to Rwanda’s National Council of Elders, has called on Banyamulenge youth to take a more active role in addressing insecurity and political instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including through armed struggle.
Rutaremara made the remarks in Kigali on August 13, 2026, during a commemoration marking the 22nd anniversary of the Gatumba massacre in Burundi, in which 166 Banyamulenge refugees were reportedly killed.
Addressing the gathering, he urged Banyamulenge youth to look beyond the defence of their communities in eastern DRC and contribute to what he described as the liberation of the entire country.
“I used to hear people ask, ‘What will the youth do?’ Stand up and go liberate your country. There is a country over there where people are fighting. Take up arms and help liberate Congo. Congo is yours,” Rutaremara said.
He said Banyamulenge should not consider Mulenge alone as their homeland, arguing that they should regard the entire DRC as their country and contribute to establishing peace and good governance.
Rutaremara further argued that political change in DRC would create an opportunity for crimes committed against Banyamulenge to receive greater attention and for those responsible to face justice.
He referred to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, arguing that the prosecution of perpetrators became possible after the Rwandan Patriotic Front took power.
“When Congo is liberated, the Gatumba genocide will become known. Why is the one here punished? It is because we won. If we had lost, it would not be discussed,” he said.
He also urged Banyamulenge youth to think beyond eastern DRC and work towards stability across the country.
“Do not think it will be enough to take Kivu and other places. Take Katanga, Mbuji-Mayi and Kinshasa, let peace come and build a peaceful country,” he said.
Calls for justice and civilian protection
Rutaremara’s remarks came during a commemoration where participants raised concerns over violence affecting Banyamulenge and other Kinyarwanda-speaking communities in eastern DRC.
The Gatumba massacre took place on August 13, 2004, when an armed group attacked a refugee camp in western Burundi, near the DRC border. Banyamulenge representatives say 166 people were killed.
Participants at the Kigali event called for stronger international efforts to protect civilians and ensure accountability for those responsible for serious abuses.
Eastern DRC remains affected by armed conflict involving the M23 movement, government forces and other armed groups, contributing to continued displacement and insecurity.
Banyamulenge armed groups, including Twirwaneho, have also been involved in the conflict in South Kivu.
Rutaremara said the Banyamulenge community should not limit its response to self-defence, but should also seek a broader political and security solution for the DRC.
