The same divisionism and ideology introduced by colonial powers, particularly Belgium, which laid the foundation for ethnic hatred in Rwanda, continues to spread across the region, particularly in DR Congo and Burundi, where Tutsi communities are being killed and forced into exile, said Vincent Karega, the Ambassador at Large in the Great Lakes Region.
Karega said this during a joint commemoration event hosted by Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) and the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), on April 9, marking the 31st anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Amb Karega noted that Belgium itself was divided, with French-speaking Walloons and German-speaking Flemish unable to form a unified government.
As a result, they appointed a king to unify them, yet they went on to impose similar divisions in Rwanda before withdrawing and leaving behind chaos.
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He continued, "Many people claim that the genocide ideology was carried by FDLR (a DR Congo-backed terrorist group formed by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide) in the region, but I argue that the Belgians introduced it in Rwanda, and it did not end there.”
The Belgians, Germans, and the English, when negotiating borders for their own economic benefit, drew them without considering the clans or relationships between groups, he explained.
He added: "Congo became Congo (DR Congo), but in regions like Masisi, Rutshuru, and Minembwe in South Kivu, before colonisation, the culture that identified these areas was Rwandan. The people there were following the culture of the Kingdom of Rwanda. These people are Rwandans, but for survival, they identify according to their geographical location.
"These people did not steal their nationality; it was the borders that were imposed upon them. Why don’t people accept them for who they are?”
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Karega emphasised that media narratives can influence people to take sides, either against or in support of the Tutsi.
"This is why we must fight not just those who are violent with machetes, but also those who spread genocide ideology through their words, as this is where the courage to kill comes from,” he added.
Karega said commemorating is important to reflect on how genocide ideology began, how it led to mass killings, and to recognise that the same dangerous mindset still exists in some neighbouring countries.
He urged continued action against genocide ideology, saying, "Genocide ideology is very broad, and it is international. But the fact that it came from Rwanda, and we fought it means we should also be the ones to take on the heroism of eradicating it.
"Our children and grandchildren must inherit a strong legacy that will prevent them from ever going back to the horrors our ancestors endured. If it happened in Rwanda, then it is possible for it to happen in the region and the entire world.”