The Democratic Republic of Congo

The Duty Legacy has partnered with Delphin R. Ntanyoma a Visiting Researcher at the University of Leeds from the University of Leeds and across the world to highlight ongoing atrocities against the Bamaulenge people in the DRC.

The Duty Legacy will partner with human rights activist Dr Delphin Ntanyoma to help bring attention to and support the Bamaulenge people of eastern DRC, who have faced violence and discrimination for many years. The Duty Legacy will work to assisting with research, advocacy, and the framework of a commission of inquiry on the Bamaulenge.

The Banyamulenge are a minority ethnic group in South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In December 2022, the UN adviser on the prevention of genocide raised concerns about attacks against the community based on “ethnicity or perceived allegiance with neighbouring countries”. The Banyamulenge have long been viewed as not being Congolese. The government, however, has often dismissed claims that the community is facing targeted attacks as fiction. Delphin R Ntanyoma, who has extensively researched the Banyamulenge, explains why they are facing persecution.

Background:

- Most of the villages inhabited by the Bamaulenge people have been completely destroyed from 2017 to now, with estimates of 150-400 villages destroyed.

- They have been consistently targeted by military attacks and militia violence. 

- The destruction of their cattle has impacted their main source of livelihood and income.

- Many were displaced and now live in small displacement camps called "calluses", where they have difficulty leaving the small areas even to farm.

Most recently Delphin has written about the atrocities against the Bamaulenge in a piece for The Conversation which can be found here: