Friday, November 11, 2016

MINEMBWE GENERAL HOSPITAL IS NOW A REALITY; WHAT IS THE ROLE OF RUHIMBIKA MULLER

Finally, our mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers have now access to health care in Minembwe! Now, not only will people get treated without having to travel for days to reach a hospital, but also our children will be born in hospitals, have birth certificate, and mother-child mortality will greatly be reduced in Minembwe. This is quite a dream coming true for most of us who care deeply about Mulenge development. It is sometimes unbelievable that we now have access to communication including internet in Mulenge and now we have a hospital! Why is that many people from Mulenge are silent about this milestone achievement? Who has played a key role in some of these development initiatives among Mulenge born sons? I will shade my thoughts on this in my last paragraph of this article.
 It has rightly been said that one can leave the village, but the village never leaves in you. Whether we admit it or not, all Banyamulenge who were born and raised in Mulenge, have been so greatly influenced by Mulenge’s cultural and spiritual backgrounds. One thing that always strikes me is how we all fantasise and idealize our past memories and experiences that we have lived in mulenge despite the fact that no one is willing to go back and live there now. While many people who grew up in villages and eventually left for urban areas, usually have negative feelings of village experience and lifestyle.
However, mulenge village lifestyle was strikingly very different from many other villages elsewhere in Africa for various reasons. It should be noted that contrary to many other villages in Africa, mulenge inhabitants had lived plentiful and rich lifestyle. This is a place where we had never or rarely experienced starvation like other places, destitution, and even poverty despite the fact that people had virtually less material possessions. People always had more than enough food, everyone was well dressed, particularly adults both men and women.  
It should be argued though those realities of Mulenge are no longer the mirror of our current Mulenge where crime, vandalisme, solitude and violence are rampant.  
Having said that, not every thing was rose. One of the main challenges was the big issue of absence of healthcare services and infrastructure which is an imperative prerequisite for human development and is an inseparable component for the overall well-being of mankind. This magnificent place had never have a health and appropriate place for women to give birth, where people could be treated efficiently and closer to home. It was a nightmare when one happened to suffer a grave or urgent disease. People had to carry the sick person on their backs and travel some times for days before they could reach a hospital in other centres way far from their homes.
Thank God, now this is no longer the case. Minembwe has now a general hospital! Minembwe bears the load of roughly 30% of the Mulenge population, that means it’s share of all diseases, and maternal conditions of Mulenge population.  We can never thank the Donors who have committed to provide the people of Minembwe with a hospital of their own. Everyone who has come from Mulenge and those who still live there are very much grateful to whoever contributed to that project in one way or another. I cannot in good faith forget to thank Minister Muller Ruhimbika who has visibly been present in almost every good development project coming to Minembwe, quite contrary to his colleagues who only enjoys empty honor and prestige in Kinshasa while completely disconnected to their base. Here I don’t need to cite names, especially that none of our so called politicians and officials never made it their responsibility to bring or contribute to the development of Mulenge. It’s a shame!
It is also important to mention the disappointment of the Congolese government in general which has never committed any public financing of healthcare or other sectors and budgeting schemes for a healthy rural Mulenge. 

Seeing what Muller has done in relatively a short period of time that he has been in the government, one wonders if not having the right people in office was the main factor for our isolation and exclusion from the DRC development agenda after all. For year all the sons of Mulenge who have been in the government including occupying the second highest office of the land, they could not even provide the smallest financing of healthcare services in Mulenge. What a shame!

I am not in any why saying that Muller has personally funded the building of Minembwe hospital. I am not definitely that naive. I know that a large part if not all of the financing came from non-governmental funds. Strangely, it is only during the time that Muller has been in the provincial government that we have seen Minembwe being in some measure at the agenda of rural development. He recently brought an Ambulance for the people of Minembwe, just few months later he returned to Minembwe with a delegation for an official opening of the Minembwe General Hospital. One wonders if that is just a coincidence? I am not one of them. I have seen Muller Ruhimbika devoting all his career on the development of Mulenge before, I have seen Muller taking a tough political stand for what he perceived as the political interest of Banyamulenge even at the highest cost, and he never compromised. The same cannot be said about his counterpart Banyamulenge so called politicians.


The question is given that the DRC is one of the third world nations which are still stuck to out-of-pocket payments to access fundamental health services and regrettably, a universal access healthcare is a mysterious dream. So, what can you and I do to ensure that the Hospital in Minembwe keeps giving quality services including universal healthcare to its population.

Thank you to whoever contributed to Minembwe Hospital. More needs to be done

AK

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

DONALD TRUMP BECOMES AMERICAN PRESIDENT, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

Trump Banner

It is unbelievable but true. Donald Trump has won the American presidential election. White "uneducated women" have done it! They chose a sexist, and a womenizer guy instead of one of the most qualified white woman in America!
As much as it is a choc to the world, it is nonetheless true; the global community is waking up to the most bizarre, frustrating and depressing news coming out of the so called world's civilized and developed nation: the United States of America.
It is amazingly disappointing for the people of the world who hoped and wrongly assumed that finally the historically racist country known for enslaving humanity for centuries had been enlightened when they voted for a black president. When Obama won the election, people gave big respect to Americans, especially white Americans.  Little did people think that the majority of white American regretted for electing a non white person in the white house.
To vote for Trump after all the insults to almost all immigrants, and women, ignoring his lack of political experience, but only on the basis of his racism, bigotry and a clear expression of anger against the fact that America has opened up its door to non white people and allowed them to advance and change their lives for better, is a clear indication that white Americans have not after been as progressive and civilized as people thought about them.

The fact is Donald Trump has been solely elected by the white Americans who understandably make 0ver 70% of the population. It was always unclear to me why American journalist always said that African American and minorities were the key factor in electing a president when white people constitutes 70 %. I guess the assumption was that whites do not choose by block, which is totally not true. White Americans are once again going back to racism and discrimination which has characterized them for centuries. People world over had started giving them more credit for progressiveness, but it seems that it is actually a total hypocrisy.

Here you have a candidate who clearly campaigned for building walls against immigrants, closing the boarders and deporting refugees.  It is always amazing how white Americans hypocritically pretend not to be long time immigrants in America at some points. The fact is America is a country of immigrants period. The fact that some came long time ago does not make them less immigrants than those who came after them. But because they control the world's resources, media, and have big guns(power) they dictate what is accepted and acceptable.
Now the world can only hold the breath and hope for the best.
What does the Trump America mean for the third world countries? Well, much is unknown. But this can be almost rightly be expected: oppressive regimes are going to flourish once again, Dictators will surely be supported and encouraged as long as they are willing to let their countries exploited by American interest. Aid is going to strongly be diminished. Refugees and immigrants and blacks can only pray and wish that God will intervene in the Trump administration.
The world is once again in for insecurity and less safer than it was. May God bless Trump and make him change his ideology.
America, you once again surprise the world, but this time hopefully not for the worst!!!!
Let me finish this article by being open minded and tell my deeper conviction about Donald Trump. One, I choose to give him the benefit of doubt. This could be a total surprising president not for the worst but for the best. I believe Donald Trump will not do even half of what he campaign for. I believe he only wanted to get the presidency and cares less about all those issues that he rightly detected among many white racists who are nostalgic of the old America where white has always been might and right. America where so called "colored" people had no space and deserve no honor and respect. But Trump saw it as a strategy and a channel through which he would get to the highest office, and then do whatever the American presidential system has always done.

I also have to say that I appreciate the fact that Trump is against the promotion of homosexuality and abortion. Those are the values that I, too care very much about, despite the fact that I consider myself to be a liberal and progressive person. God is always right on any social or moral issue!

Ak


Friday, September 16, 2016

Col. Elias Byinshi, Une mort Injuste



Le Col. Elias Byinshi. Tu seras toujours dans nos coeurs!






  Le Col. Elias Byinshi,
 Le Col. Elias Byinshi, comme le Major Kagigi, meurt aussi une mort quasi injuste et mysterieuse. Comment et quand aurons-nous vraiment une justice reelle dans ce pays qui nous a tant trahi malgres des nombreuses sacrifices dont nous jeunes, hommes, femmes font pour ce pays? Col. Elias rentrait chez lui apres un long un bonne journee. Mais, personne ne pouvait s'imagine que Elias qui a survi toutes les guerres notamment dans le temps de FPR, AFDL, RCD la` ou nombreux de ses camarades ont perdus leurs vies en guerre! Mais, lui il vieut d'etre abattu juste devant sa maison entouré par ses gardes de corps! Pour quoi et qui a vraiment comploté et tué notre cher fils et officier digne de son nom le Col. Byinshi Elias? Peut etre on ne saura jamais comme on ne sait presque pas qui a assassiné notre frere Major Kagigi quelques années il ya toujours a` Bukavu. Est ce que c'est la jalousie? c'est le reglement de compte? c'est qulqu'un qui ne voulait pas que la vérité dont disposée le coloneur ne soit connue? Ou c'est quelqu'un(s) qui veulent tout simplement endeuiller encore la sous-region en provoquant des causes d'une autre guerre ethnique? Tout est possible. Mais sachons tres bien que les sangs des innocents crient toujours pour vengeance et justice.
 Un argument régulièrement avancé pour repousser l’idée d’une eventualité d’une autre inieme guerre civile en Republique Democratique du Congo est que “cela ne plus possible, car on a une presence massive de casques blue dont le seul mandate est de protéger le pays et les occidentaux veulent voir la region et surtout la RDC securisé”.
Cet argument n’a pourtant aucun sens. La prevention de guerre en Afrique par les occidentaux et surtout les casques bleus n’est jamais une priorité ni soucis des occidentaux (ici on parle biensur des puissances non pas des simple citoyens occidentaux). Il suffit de voir le Liban, qui avant de se déchirer en 1975 dans un conflit qui dure depuis des décennies était l’un des pays les plus développés de la region et surtout le seul pays peut etre au monde sans aucune dette. Mais personne n’écoute les cris qu’on ne cesse d’émettre pour que les conflits ethniques ne se repetent pas encore dans le grand et ingouvernable Congo.
La question que certaines persones se demandent est celle-ci: est ce que vraiment cette guerre civile au Congo surtout au Kivu, que surement nous ne voulons pas, mais que d’autres veulent peut etre évitée? Cela la vrai question; et la reponse est effectivement cachée dans la certitude de la question meme. Cette guerre, bien que nous, nous ne la voulons pas, il y a sans doute les autres qui en veulent et ils sont non seulement nombreux, mais aussi suffisament capable de la commencer, bien qu’ils ne savent jamais comment la finir.

Pour ceux qui suivent des pret et s’interessent a` la securité de la region et du Congo en particulier, vous comprenez qu’ici je ne veux pas necessairement dire des jeunes gens promoteurs des haines et sensibilisateurs des la carnages ethniques comme un certain Dominick Songolo, du tribue Bembe qui vit actuellement aux Etats-Unis d’Amerique precisement au Texas qui s’est investi corps et amis a` produire des videos sur Whats’up et les envoyer a` tous les jeunes de la region du grand lacs les incitant a` tuer, soit par assassination ou autres genres de carnages les hommes politiques et militaires Banyamulenge. Ici je parle d’autres soit disant politiciens et officiers militaires Congolais qui se sont investis a` organiser des tuerries siblés et calculés les hommes militaires et politique Banyamulenge.

L’assassinat du feu Col. Byinshi Elias est l’un des cas tres recent. Tout le monde sait qu’il ya une main invisible contre l’assassinat du Col Elias qui est perçue dans l’angle des règlements de compte. Il n’est secret a` personne que le Colonel Elias a été victime d’une haine ethnique justifié pour une représailles de la part de la communauté Bafuliro. Ici il faut bien preciser que la cohabitation politisée régnant entre les communautés sud kivutien est un desastre potential pour la region. La politisation de la cohabitation ainsi que l’absence d’Etat ont toujours fait que ces communautés  vivent dans une suspicion mutuelle.
A suivre

Thursday, August 11, 2016

PRESS RELEASE: COMMEMORATING THE 12TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GENOCIDE AGAINST BANYAMULENGE IN GATUMBA, BURUNDI

PRESS RELEASE

Edmonton, August 13, 2016
  
 This Saturday August 13 marks the 12th anniversary of the genocide perpetrated against the Banyamulenge refugees in Gatumba (Burundi) in 2004. To mark the event, over 300 banyamulenge, Tutsi Congolese will gather together to remember their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and children who were mercilessly massacred in the middle of the night while they were sleeping in their refugee camp in Burundi sixteen years ago.  
The Banyamulenge communities across the country and around the world in partnership with its partners are massively holding commemorative events marking the 12th anniversary of the Gatumba genocide against Banyamulenge which took place on August 13th, 2004 in Burundi.
In Edmonton the Banyamulenge community condemns in the strongest possible terms the vicious attack that took place on the night of August 13, 2016 when Banyamulenge refugees were peacefully sleeping in their tents only to suddenly find themselves being surrounded by killers with machetes, grenades, being burned alive, and shot at by an armed group from the National Liberation Front of the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People, which is an extremist terrorist group based in the great lake region, led by Agatho Rwasa; in collaboration with some elements from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s army launched an attack on vulnerable and defenseless refugees many of whom were children and women for only being Tutsis.  “The Saturday event is expected to be the biggest commemoration event of the Gatumba genocide in Edmonton to date; as it is bringing together many young people and all community members to not only commemorate the lives of their brothers and sisters, but also to call for justice against Agatho Rwasa who publicly claimed the slaughter of innocent refugees by members of his political party as well as others who participated in the killing of over 162 innocent women, men and children” stated Mr. Muhoza, one of the event organizers. Some of the witnesses of this horrible massacre living in Edmonton will also give their testimonies during the event.
It is important to state that until this day the Banyamulenge people in the DRCongo and Burundi continue to face daily acts of violence, persecution and dehumanization for simply being who God created them to be__Tutsis.  “The Banyamulenge community across Canada is urging the Canadian government to use its influence by demanding the Burundian government to handle over those responsible for this vicious massacre of innocent refugees, specifically Agatho Rwasa who is now one of country's political leaders, so that he can face justice” argued Ndamiyimfura, one of community leaders. 
For more information on the event please call 587-778-2592; or 780-802-4047

PRESS RELEASE: COMMEMORATING THE 12th ANNIVERSARY OF THE GENOCIDE AGAINST BANYAMULENGE IN GATUMBA, BURUNDI

PRESS RELEASE

Edmonton, August 13, 2016
  
 This Saturday August 13 marks the 12th anniversary of the genocide perpetrated against the Banyamulenge refugees in Gatumba (Burundi) in 2004. To mark the event, over 300 banyamulenge, Tutsi Congolese will gather together to remember their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and children who were mercilessly massacred in the middle of the night while they were sleeping in their refugee camp in Burundi sixteen years ago.  
The Banyamulenge communities across the country and around the world in partnership with its partners are massively holding commemorative events marking the 12th anniversary of the Gatumba genocide against Banyamulenge which took place on August 13th, 2004 in Burundi.
In Edmonton the Banyamulenge community condemns in the strongest possible terms the vicious attack that took place on the night of August 13, 2016 when Banyamulenge refugees were peacefully sleeping in their tents only to suddenly find themselves being surrounded by killers with machetes, grenades, being burned alive, and shot at by an armed group from the National Liberation Front of the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People, which is an extremist terrorist group based in the great lake region, led by Agatho Rwasa; in collaboration with some elements from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s army launched an attack on vulnerable and defenseless refugees many of whom were children and women for only being Tutsis.  “The Saturday event is expected to be the biggest commemoration event of the Gatumba genocide in Edmonton to date; as it is bringing together many young people and all community members to not only commemorate the lives of their brothers and sisters, but also to call for justice against Agatho Rwasa who publicly claimed the slaughter of innocent refugees by members of his political party as well as others who participated in the killing of over 162 innocent women, men and children” stated Mr. Muhoza, one of the event organizers. Some of the witnesses of this horrible massacre living in Edmonton will also give their testimonies during the event.
It is important to state that until this day the Banyamulenge people in the DRCongo and Burundi continue to face daily acts of violence, persecution and dehumanization for simply being who God created them to be__Tutsis.  “The Banyamulenge community across Canada is urging the Canadian government to use its influence by demanding the Burundian government to handle over those responsible for this vicious massacre of innocent refugees, specifically Agatho Rwasa who is now one of country's political leaders, so that he can face justice” argued Ndamiyimfura, one of community leaders. 
For more information on the event please call 587-778-2592; or 780-802-4047


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Pasteur Adoni Makombe arakangurira Abanyamurenge iterambere ry'imulenge

Umwe mubantu barajwe ishinga nikibazo cy'iterambere ry'imulenge ni Pasteur Adoni Makombe, utuye muri America.

Reka twibutse abasomyi ba Journal Minembwe ko niterambere ry'imulenge rikomeje kuba kimwe mubiganiro abanyamurenge benshi bahurizaho. Ariko nkuko yabivuze neza, bwana Adoni Makombe, impuguke mubyiterambere kugira ngo iterambere nyaryo together imulenge abantu bagomba kubanza guhindura imyumvire. Muyandi magomba, intambwe yambere nukubanziriza guhindura nokuvanaho imbogamizi ziri mumitwe ndetse nomu mitima yabantu. Kuko umwanzi mukuru witerambere nubujiji.

Mubyukuri impamvu imulenge hataraba iterambere nuko abokarizanye nubujiji.

Ahantu hose kwisi abantu bakiri injiji, harangwa nuko hatari iterambere. Nkuko Shari iterambere hose byagenzweho kubera abantu bavuye mubujiji.

Isuka yambere rero irangira ikivi cy'iterambere ihingwa mubitekerezo. Iyo niyosuka Adoni yakoresheje mukiganiro yagiriye kuri yimurenge.com.

Kurikirana icyokiganiro:



Aremezako iterambere iwacu rishoboka.

Saturday, June 4, 2016

A HEROIC REFUGEE YOUTH: NDENGEYE FIGHTS AND SURVIVED THE ATTACK OF THUGS OF NAIROBI



A Heroic act of a young Refugee man, Ndengeye Lumumba



Due to violence and civil war in
the Democratic Republic of Congo since 1996 when the then government of late
president Mobutu passed a decree to deported Congolese Tutsi population from
southern Kivu known as Banyamulenge, thousands of Banyamulenge had been granted
refuge in neighboring countries, and some have been killed in refugee camps,
and other suffered greatly as a result. One recent case is a young man named
Ndengeye Lumumba who was recently attacked by a group of thugs in his residence
in Nairobi Kenya where he was enjoying company with his brother in law in 2
sisters. All of the sudden, Ndengeye noticed a group of 4 men entering the house
with two guns pointed at them. Ndengeye stood the ground and fearlessly fought
against these four guys by first jumping at the guy with the gun and taking it
from him. As he was struggling to get it out of his hands the other 3 pounded
on him with whatever they had in their hands and hit him on the head ( see the
picture).
Fortunately, he was able to scare them as he held the gun and
they quickly fled and took off. By the time the police came it was too late.
However, one could wonder why the Kenyan neighbors did not
intervene? This is another indication of refugee victimization.
The Banyamulenge refugee community in Nairobi has
now became a target for the attacks by some Kenyan bandits. This
incident is just one of many in Nairobi where Banyamulenge families have been struck
by these thugs searching for money and other household stuff. 
Refugees in Kenya or elsewhere for that matter, should not have to be subjected to such kind of violence and cruelty more than they suffered in their home country.

Being a refugee is a terrible thing enough, being targeted
for violence in countries of asylum is even gloomier. One wonders what will be
the fate of the Banyamulenge people! Discriminated against in their own
country; targeted in refugee camps, and wherever they find themselves looking
for green pasture, but their only hope is in their belief in God whom they are
known to strongly have faith in.
Take courage mister Ndengeye, you have been quite a hero! Go Ndengeye go! We salute your courage and thank God for protecting you.

By 
Mak. fils