The AFC/M23 movement has criticised the Congolese government’s use of the term ‘Genocost’ to describe the violence in DR Congo, saying the concept has become a “political instrument” that diverts attention from the root causes of the country’s decades-long conflict. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 vows to defend civilians against ‘Kinshasa’s terror’ This was said on Wednesday, August 4, by AFC/M23 deputy coordinator Bertrand Bisimwa in reaction to the 'Genocost commemoration' event held in Kinshasa on August 2 under the patronage of President Félix Tshisekedi. The term “Genocost” was introduced by the Congolese government in 2022 to commemorate what it describes as the genocide of Congolese linked to the exploitation of the country’s natural resources and the human cost of nearly three decades of armed conflict. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 condemns continued attacks on Banyamulenge in South Kivu While expressing sympathy for all victims of conflict, Bisimwa argued that the government’s description of all forms of the violence as “genocide” risks weakening internationally recognised legal definitions by grouping different crimes under a single narrative. “By indiscriminately assimilating all Congolese tragedies to a genocide, the Kinshasa regime fosters confusion between different categories of international crimes,” Bisimwa said. “Such an approach risks weakening the legal qualifications recognised by international law, obscuring responsibilities, and transforming memory into a political instrument.” Movement says ‘Genocost’ diverts attention from root causes According to the AFC/M23, the concept is also being used to divert attention from the underlying causes of the conflict. The movement has consistently maintained that the crisis in eastern DR Congo is as a result of ethnic discrimination against Congolese Tutsi and other Kinyarwanda-speaking communities, the collapse of state institutions, poor governance marked by corruption and weakened public institutions, and what it observes as the lack of political legitimacy of President Tshisekedi’s government. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa states four reasons why his movement is fighting Tshisekedi govt “As currently promoted by the Kinshasa regime, the concept of ‘Genocost’ responds more to a political logic than to a genuine demand for justice,” Bisimwa said. “It even tends to divert public debate away from the root causes of the Congolese crisis toward a memorial narrative presented as a tool of political propaganda,” He added that DR Congo needs a state governed by law, credible institutions, responsible governance, and “a national project founded on equality of all citizens before the law, without distinction of tribe, ethnicity, province, or religion.” Congolese Tutsi victims are overlooked The rebel leader further noted that the government’s “Genocost” narrative overlooks the suffering of certain communities in eastern DR Congo, particularly the Banyamulenge of South Kivu, the Tutsi in North Kivu and the Hema in Ituri. ALSO READ: Nearly three decades later, Congolese Tutsi appeal for persecution to end The Congolese Tutsi communities, particularly the Banyamulenge, have for decades been persecuted, displaced and forced into exile at the expense of genocidal ideology, perpetrated mostly by the Kinshasa-backed FDLR militia, a group formed by the remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. “In reality, ‘Genocost’ serves as a cover for a true genocide perpetrated in DR Congo by the very promoters of the “Genocost” against the Tutsi populations of North Kivu, the Banyamulenge of South Kivu, the Hema of Ituri, and other ethnic groups,” Bisimwa said. He also warned that the promotion of the “Genocost” concept could deepen divisions by encouraging the stigmatisation of some Congolese communities. “The way this concept is exploited in public debate risks fuelling national divisions by encouraging amalgams and discourses likely to stigmatise certain Congolese because of their origin, language or appearance,” he said. “The AFC/M23 regrets a selective reading of national history that excludes an important part of the Congolese people in favour of a political narrative with segregationist overtones.” ALSO READ: Persecution and cannibalism of Tutsi are 'commonplace' in Congo, says Rwandan minister Equal justice for all victims Despite its criticism of the Genocost concept, the AFC/M23 leader said every victim of the country’s conflicts deserves equal recognition and justice. “Our organisation pays tribute to all victims of the conflicts that have afflicted DR Congo, regardless of their community origin, language, religion or province,” Bisimwa said. “The Congolese who have died, been displaced, mutilated, raped or deprived of their livelihoods are entitled to truth, justice, reparation and guarantees that such tragedies will never be repeated.” ALSO READ: Banyamulenge protest in US, Kenya amid rising calls for action on Minembwe crisis The movement said accountability should be pursued through independent investigations rather than political narratives. “Only independent investigations, the opening of archives, impartial prosecution of perpetrators, protection of witnesses, and strengthening of judicial institutions constitute the royal road to establishing responsibilities,” Bisimwa said. ALSO READ: South Kivu: AFC/M23 warns of “imminent genocide” against Banyamulenge civilians He observed that lasting peace in DR Congo cannot be built on competing memory narratives but through establishing facts, individual accountability and equal justice for all victims. “The memory of victims cannot be reduced to political slogans but must be built through truth, justice, responsibility, and respect for the dignity of every citizen,” he said.
