Shoni Kalala was 14 in 2004, when he fled Kimanga, Uvira, in South Kivu, with his parents and three brothers as violence targeting Banyamulenge and other Tutsi communities intensified. The family crossed into neighbouring Burundi, where they hoped to find safety until the violence in eastern DR Congo subsided and they could return home. They found themselves in a refugee camp in Gatumba, where they would face another attack two months later. On August 13, 2004, armed attackers stormed the UNHCR transit camp, killing 166 Banyamulenge refugees, mostly women and children, and injuring 108 others. ALSO READ: What hope remains for Banyamulenge pursuing justice for Gatumba victims? The refugees had fled violence and persecution in South Kivu in search of protection. “We were among the last groups to flee because other families had already left Uvira. We thought we could find refuge somewhere in Burundi and return later,” Kalala recalled as he spoke in Kigali on Thursday, August 13, during the 22nd commemoration of the Gatumba massacre. For days, they felt safe. Burundian government soldiers from a nearby military camp came at night to protect the refugees before leaving in the morning. “At least three to five soldiers came every day to protect us. We felt safe as we waited for peace to return so that we could go back home,” Kalala said. ALSO READ: Survivors of Gatumba massacre demand justice 21 years on That sense of safety ended on the night of August 13. It was just another usual Friday, after spending the day playing football with other children, Kalala returned home as darkness fell. Around the settlement, he noticed more armed men than usual. “There were more soldiers than usual that evening, dressed in civilian clothes and carrying weapons. They were a little far away, so I could not hear what they were saying, but they looked like they were having a meeting,” he recalled. He was not immediately alarmed because soldiers guarding the camp sometimes wore civilian clothes. Later, after people had settled down, Kalala went to toilet and again noticed a group of armed men in the bush. They were unfamiliar faces, but he was still unbothered. ALSO READ: PLO Lumumba condemns impunity for 2004 Gatumba massacre At around 11pm, gunshots rang out. Kalala got up to see what was happening and found one of his younger brothers had been shot in the head, with the blood covering the area. As he searched for his other siblings, he heard his father’s voice. His father had returned from the neighborhood where he was chatting with fellows before heading to sleep, he returned after the shooting began and had also been shot. His mother pleaded with the attackers, who spoke Kinyarwanda, Swahili and Kirundi, to spare her. “As I continued to check around, I heard my father fighting for his last breath. My mother pleaded to be spared, but they killed her with a machete,” he said. Kalala ran as the attackers chased him, shooting. ALSO READ: Banyamulenge make fresh call for justice over Gatumba massacre The shooting continued until around 2am. By morning, Kalala had learnt that he was the only survivor from his family of six along with one younger brother, whom he found later. “We have spent years pleading for justice, but the killings against Banyamulenge continue. We are not asking for anything else but justice and an end to the killing of Banyamulenge,” he said, referring to killings in eastern DR Congo. ALSO READ: Gatumba massacre is a grim reminder of DR Congo's unending crisis The Gatumba massacre was investigated by the United Nations security mission in DR Congo (MONUC), United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The joint investigation concluded that the attack was “unequivocally directed against members of the Banyamulenge community” and motivated by ethnic hatred and political calculation. Yet 22 years later no one has been tried for the killings. ‘It is still happening, and they do it publicly’ Alexis Mutware, who heads the Banyamulenge community in Rwanda, said the community would continue to pursue accountability for the perpetrators. “Those who killed the 166 people must be brought to justice. They are known, and some have publicly admitted their involvement,” Mutware said. Cases were filed in Burundi and DR Congo, while the matter was also brought before the International Criminal Court. “Until today, justice has not been achieved. Nothing has been done,” he said. Mutware said the demand for accountability now extends to what Banyamulenge communities are experiencing in eastern DR Congo. “Beyond Gatumba massacre, we want accountability, not only for those responsible for the crimes in Gatumba, but also for what is happening in DR Congo. It is still happening, and they do it publicly,” he said. He also questioned the presence of Burundian troops on DR Congo’s High Plateaus today. “We have nothing against Burundi or the Burundian government, but we wonder why they are bringing 10,000 soldiers to the High Plateau,” he said. “What we want is for them to go back to their country,” he said. The commemorative event was under the theme “Remember, Seek Justice, and Condemn Genocide Ideology in the DRC.” It brought together survivors, relatives and community members to remember the victims, renew calls for justice and reflect on what they say is the continued persecution of Banyamulenge in eastern DR Congo. Other speakers also reflected on the history and spread of genocide ideology in the Great Lakes region. Veteran politician Tito Rutaremara traced its development through the region, including its entrenchment in eastern DR Congo and the role of the FDLR, which was formed by remnants of those responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The discussions also focused on the role of young Banyamulenge in preserving the memory of the Gatumba victims and shaping the community’s future, particularly as hundreds of thousands of Congolese refugees remain in camps in the countries in the region. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa states four reasons why his movement is fighting Tshisekedi govt The Gatumba Refugee Survivors’ Foundation (GRSF), in a statement issued to mark the 22nd anniversary, said the violence facing Banyamulenge today shows that the ideology behind the Gatumba killings has not disappeared. The organisation said Banyamulenge communities in Fizi, Mwenga and Uvira continue to face killings, destruction of property, cattle looting, displacement and sexual violence. “These ongoing atrocities demonstrate the persistent and dangerous nature of an ideology that targets Banyamulenge and other Tutsi-identifying communities,” it said. The GRSF said the persecution also predates the Gatumba massacre, pointing to earlier killings of Banyamulenge civilians in different parts of DR Congo between 1996 and 1998. For the foundation, the lack of accountability for the Gatumba massacre has added to concerns over continued violence. “Despite strong condemnation by the African Union, the European Union, and the United Nations, no trial has ever been held for the Gatumba Genocide. The perpetrators are known, yet impunity persists,” it said. The GRSF called on the international community to fulfil its responsibility to deliver justice for the victims and urged the United Nations to use available mechanisms to bring Agathon Rwasa, Pasteur Habimana and their accomplices to justice. It also called on the UN, EU, AU and regional organisations to condemn the enabling of genocidal ideology by the Burundian and Congolese governments, and to demand protection and rehabilitation for victims. The foundation also urged the Congolese government to end targeted attacks against Banyamulenge and restore security to allow displaced people and refugees to return home safely and with dignity. ALSO READ: Belgian lawyer on why genocide ideology doesn’t dissolve three decades after dispersion of genocidaires Burundi bars commemoration It also raised concerns over the commemoration of the victims in Burundi. It said the Burundian government did not allow this year’s commemoration, preventing the survivors, their families and friends living in Burundi to visit the Gatumba memorial site. The organisation said the denial prevents survivors from mourning and remembering their relatives and ndermines healing and justice.
