Press Release

Banyamulenge refugees in Kenya face uncertainty

September 05th, 2008

According to our source in the region, a number of the Banyamulenge refugees are locked up in prison in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya for leaving their refugee camp in Kakuma, a 500 km from Nairobi. Close to 50 Banyamulenge refugees slipped into Kenya from the Democratic Republican of Congo in the past 4 years to escape genocide in Burundi where some of them were refugees and years of war at home. ‘We survived genocide in a refugee camp in Burundi in 2004 after an entire refugee camp was burned and over 160 massacred simply because they were Banyamulenge. Having seen that there was no protection in Burundi even in refugee camp, some of us decided to come to Kenya where they sent us in Kakuma refugee camp. Four years later, the same people who killed our relatives in Burundi, here I mean some congolese and hutu extremists have started once again threatening to kill us as they did in Burundi", says unnamed reufee in Kenya. As members of the Banyamulenge people, for whom the memory of the Gatumba genocide is still fresh in our minds, we cannot stand by as refugees from the genocide in Burundi are being tortured in Kenyan prisons for having fled for their safety.
John, one of the refugee group who escaped the Kenyan police, said "sneaking across the desert border from Kakuma into Nairobi was perilous, but worth it - despite that some of us are being sent to jail. Over there were threatened to be killed by the same people who have always killed our people".
"There are thousands of Hutu and Congolese extremists who hate Tutsis in that refugee camp. They were first afraid of expressing their aggressiveness towards us in the last coup of years although some individuals had always said that they will make sure we are all dead. But most of them were calm only with angry and hateful faces. We could have been killed at any time as that place is like a jungle," said John. The plight of the Banyamulenge refugees need to be looked at seriously and their safety should generate some kind of emergecy debate among all stakeholders including the UNHCR, Kenyan authorities, various western ambassies and refugee sponsors.
"On behalf of Banyamulenge diaspora in Canada, I urge all the above stakeholders to show solidarity with the Banyamulenge refugees in Kenya and Burundi and help find a solution to their safety",Human Rights Activist, Muhoza H. said. It is not acceptable that these people remain incarcerated and we urge UNHCR and western ambassies in the region to try as quickly as possible to find a way to have a speedy humanitarian solution.
It is clear to everybody that going back home is a problem for these Banyamulenge refugees. The conflict is not finished in their country. The Kenyan authority should know that the incarceration of refugees fleing for their safety is illegal and they should know that these people are survivors of genocide and should be treated as refugees.

Akim

Editor Journal Minembwe
www.mulenge.blogspot.com

IMPUZI ZABANYAMULENGE ZAFUNZWE MURI KENYA

Kuva ejo kuwa kane taliki 04.08.2008 twamenyeshejwe n .abantu batatu bari muri Kenya bamwe ndabazi abandi nabamenye banyibwiye nyine nkuko dusanzwe
Nkuko babivuga ngo bari mu mkabi y impunzi yitwa KAKUMA iri kuri 800Km de la Capitale Nairobi
Muri iyo Nkambi babana n`Ababembe, Abapfurero naho ngo Abashi bo bihinduye Abanyamulenge
Noneho Ababembe,Abapfurero bazamura itiku, kugeza aho bandikira HCR ko badashaka gukomeza kubana n`Abanyamulenge ngo banabatera ubwoba
Abanyamulenge baratakamba biranga, bigira Inama yo kujya kubivuga Nairobi bagezeyo HCR ntiyabakemurira ikibazo Ahubwo ngo ibateza Polisi irabafunga Ubu tubandikira aka kanya turavuga n`abatumenyesheje abantu bagifunze kuri Police iNairobi

Badusabye bakomeje ko twabamenyesha pour Secours Iya Masengesho inkunga Materiel, ndetse n`Inkunga Politique et Médiatique
Nubwo twavuganye hari ibyo ntashoboye kugera ho

-1 Nta No za Tel z`abakuriye Inkambi ya Kakuma, Ukuriye HCR mu Nkambi ndetse na Nairobi na Police
-2 Sinzi niba Ambassade ya Congo icyo ibivugaho
-3. Sinashoboye kumenya umuntu cyangwa Abntu bakeka nommement ko aribo ba Nyirabayazana
Ngaho inkuru, je pense ko ari Authentique ariko nyine Mugerageze abashoboye kugera surtout ku ababifite mo Autarité
Ndagira ngo ba Etienne na ba Past Mikebanyi ni batubwire ho bihagije
Bukuru Ntwari

LISTE DES REUSSITES ET VRAI RESULTATS DES ECOLE DE MULENGE

Chers lecteurs, le Journal Minembwe présente ses excuses concernant les prémieres resultats annoncés dernierement. Apres avoir fait notre recherche, nous avons trouvé que la liste qui nous était donné, était plutot des écoles ayant fait un réussit néant. C'est vraiment triste!!!!!
Notre source d'information était érronée, et nous vous demandons de nous pardonner, car on allait plutot vérifier la certitude de cette information avant de la publier.
Ainsi, voici la liste définitive des resultats des écoles de Mulenge inclus les noms des candidats ayant reussi l'EXETAT.


INSTITUT MADEGU
1 MURWANASHAKA KABABU KABABU 50
2 NGIRUMUVUGIZI RUTEKEREZA RUTEKEREZA M 50
INSTITUT ILUNDU
1 IRAKIZA CLAUDE CLAUDE M 51
2 MURAGWA INNOCENT INNOCENT M 52
INSTITUT TANGAZO
1 RUBIBI BUKURU AIMABLE M 50
2 RUSHIMIRWA BIGANGU BIGANGU M 50

INSTITUT MIKENGE
1 WILONDJA ETUMBULA ETUMBULA M 52

INSTITUT MAGUNDA
1 MAUWA SEFU SEFU F 50

INSTITUT NDEGU
1 MUYANGWA RUKARAGA RUKARAGA M 50
2 NGALONGA RUNANIKA RUNANIKA M 52
3 RWAKAJONGE KAYIRA KAYIRA M 51

INSTITUT MULENGE
1 PAUL LWABOSHI LWABOSHI M 50

INSTITUT LUGEZI
1 ALEMOYO SAHIRIZA SAHIRIZA M 50
2 BHIJA IMANI IMANI M 50
3 BIGALENGA MUSHOLO MUSHOLO M 50
4 BUGALE GWEGA GWEGA M 51
5 BYAMUNGU NALUKINDA NALUKINDA M 50
6 COSMAS MUSHOGA MUSHOGA M 50
7 FIDELE FUNGANJIYA FUNGANJIYA M 51
8 GATABISHWA SOMORA SOMORA M 50
9 GISORE SEBINTU SEBINTU M 50
10 KIMANUKA MAKEMA MAKEMA M 50
11 KONDA KALIZI KALIZI M 56

INSTITUT MUGORORE
1 REGINA MASOKA MASOKA M 51
INSTITUT MAHUNO
1 NTANGENZWA RUKEYA RUKEYA 51

INSTITUT MAKUTANO
1 KIGABO RUKAMBYA RUKAMBYA M 51
2 LUBWELA DAVID DAVID M 50

INSTITUT MUCHO
1 BISENGO FIDELE FIDELE M 51

INSTITUT KASHENYI
1 AZIZA KAHINDO KAHINDO M 51
2 MBITA MAKIMA MAKIMA M 50
3 MULANGALIRO BUTCHWAKASI BUTCHWAKASI M 59
4 ZIHALIRWA MUSA MUSA M 50
INSTITUT KIDOTE
1 MAHITAJI KWANGABA ALPHONSE M 50
2 MIRUGI MASHEMANGO BONAVENTURE M 51

INSTITUT KIGWENA
1 BUSHAMBALE BUGOGO BUGOGO M 50

Published by
Akim
Editor in Chief
Source: http://www.eduquepsp.org/

BANYAMULENGE VILLAGES ATTACKED AGAIN BY GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED MILITIA

Minembwe Sept 08, 2008

Another Congolese rebel group, a wing of Mai Mai group from the Banyindu tribe is apparently determined to carry out the attack against the defenceless Banyamulenge population living in Rugezi area in the denied territory of Minembwe.
Our source indicate that this armed group, have shot several civilians in the last week. Banyamulenge people continue to be the most targeted civilian population in the Eastern Kivu, and in the entire country for that matter. One might wonder for how long this atrocious attacks on civilians are going to go on.
The report from this most fought-over areas of the countryside and interviews with peasants and army officers there indicated that the killings are part of an increasingly bitter government politics against the Banyamulenge people by the Congolese government.
Every time the Banyamulenge refugees in the bordering countries appear to be trying to return to their country in significant numbers, the army or government supported militia such as Mayi Mayi increase their hostilities and deploy their troops in areas once controlled by the Banyamulenge rebel group, whose main purpose was to safeguard the local population against evaders.
It is important to state that the popularity of the government soldiers in Minembwe has been waning due to the fact that these soldiers are grossly violating the human rights of the entire population including but not limited to women violence, lootings and stealing.
Both the rebels and the government army now appear once again determined to incite another violence and conflict by attacking the Banyamulenge civilians.
It has been six months since the civilians and some individual government soldiers gave warnings that another wave of war against Banyamulenge is being prepared by both the Mayi Mayi and the government soldiers. This is the dawn of the final stage in the execution of the dangerous government orchestrated plan to massacre Banyamulenge.
In the recent cases of provacation, a number of government soldier summarily raped women, and shot six innocent civilians near the attacked villages, while the MONUC, the so called UN peace keepers watch in indifference as usual. When the perpetrators of those atrocious crimes were forcefully brought to justice by the families of the victims, the so called government’s justice system refused any effort to hold a trial or even give a warning to its numerous perpetrators of sexual violence.
The sexual violence and killings of innocent civilians appear to be among the most severe human rights violations by the members of government army and supported groups in the war against Banyamulenge people. The victims included many women, all of whom had been raped, assassinated civilians and the entire population that continues to live under a yoke of fear and oppression.

Akim

WWW.mulenge.blogspot.com
BANYAMULENGE VILLAGES ATTACKED AGAIN BY GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED MILITIA

LES RESULTATS DES EXAMENS D'ETAT DES ECOLES DE MULENGE

LES RESULTATS DES EXAMENS D'ETAT DES ECOLES DE MULENGE
Minembwe, Aug. 25th, 2008

Il nous faut plaisir d’annoncer une nouvelle encouragéante des écoles des hauts-plateaux d’Itombwe, participants a` l’Examen d’Etat année scolaire 2007-2008 qui ont marquées quand meme une grande difference comparativement d’autres écoles traditionellements privilegiée de la region.
Les hauts plateaux d’Itombwe dans le territoire de Minembwe/ Mulenge était représenté aux examens d’Etat par les écoles ci-aprés:
Institut de Minembwe, Institut Furaha de Kabara, Institut Bijombo, Institute Wanainchi de Kagogo, Institut de Rurambo, Institut Bikuba, Institut Nyamibungu (Milemba?)
Voici les resultats de chaque institute:

1. INSTITUT WANAINCHI 17
2. INSTITUT MINEMBWE 16
3. INSTITUT FURAHA KABARA 12
4. INSTITUT RURAMBO 10
5. INSTITUT BIKUBA 9
6. INSTITUT NYAMIBUNGU 6
7. INSTITUT BIJOMBO 6

Quand on compare les instituts de Minembwe, de Kagogo, Kabara, Rurambo qui ont tous plus de dix resussites aux instituts tels que DU LAC MBOKO 9, MWENGA 2 LUBERIZI 5 ou AMANI de Fizi 2, on se rend compte que nos écoles ont plus de potentialités.

Au nom du journal Minembwe, je lance un appel a` toute la communauté Banyamulenge en exile et au diaspora d’aider nos enfants qui étudient encore dans nos villages afin de mettre en avant certaines préocupations communes à tous. Nous pouvons tous ensemble intervenir dans la facon suivante:
- Réconforcement des infrastructure scolaire: Ceci demande le rôle de la communauté dans le système éducatif dont elle est la clé de voute. Les écoles de Mulenge ne reussiront pas sans un appui inconditionnel de nous tous, comme acteurs de développement de Mulenge. La participation de la communauté est un prérequis à la réalisation de cet
objectif.
- Le Développement d’un curriculum local flexible et adaptaptable à la
réalité de l’école et de sa region: Non seulement nos écoles manquent des matériaux pédagogiques de base tels que les livres et autres documents éducatifs, le curriculum dont on utilise est dépassé et a besoin d’etre mis en page. Un nouveau curriculum va aussi réconcilier les parents avec le système éducatif et aller dans le sens d’une école toujours plus inclusive.
- Renforcer l’état financiel et academic de l’enseignant: Je crois que nous connaissons tous l’ensemble des attentes qui pèsent sur l’enseignant Congolais sans pour autant que des moyens suffisants soient mis à sa disposition. Toute tenative de réformes, toute volonté de changement dans le domaine de l’éducation nécéssitent un personnel enseignant motivé, bien formé et conscient de l’importance de son rôle. Or, l’enseigant de Mulenge et du Congo en general manque souvent de moyens financiers ( travailler sans payment, carence au niveau de la formation, manque de matériel pédagogique, classes surchargées, etc.) et les responsabilités qui lui sont confiés sont au-delà du domaine du possible. Notre minimum contribution pourra s’agir comme prime.
Félicitation aux jeunes nouveaux diplomés de Mulenge!!!!

Veuillez svp nous faire parvenir vos idées sur cet initiative.

Akim

Marking the Forth anniversary of the Gatumba massacre,

Banyamulenge people (Congolese Tutsis) around the world have just marked the forth anniversary of the Gatumba massacre, in which more than 160 Congolese "Banyamulenge" Tutsis were killed by FNL Burundian Hutus extremists, at a refugee camp only few miles from Bujumbura Capital city of Burundi while under the protection of the UNHCR.
Those living in North America, the commemoration was held in Houston, Texas. The Keynote speaker was Mr. Kadege, the former Vice President of Burundi who was the VP in 2004 when Banyamulenge were ruthlessly massacred on Burundian soil.
In Europe, the Commemoration was held in United Kingdom (UK),whereas other commemoration meetings were held in various places in Rwanda and Burundi. The common denominator them was urging message to bring those responsible for the genocide to justice.
"On this forth anniversary of this unspeakable atrocity, are must keep saying what we said previously that we have the moral obligation to not only honour the memory of our people who were killed for being what God created them to be-Tutsis, but also to demand justice for the perpetrators of this crime against humanity", said Akim Muhoza, editor in Chief of the Minembwe Journal.

Just a note of reminder: It was the night of 13th August 2004 when a group of Hutus and Congolese extremists entered the camp of Gatumba and started slaughtering defenseless women, children, elderly and refugee men, living 163 dead. Shortly after this massacre, the extremists burundian Hutu- rebel from Palipehutu-FNL (FNL) claimed responsibility, saying that they had no fear of being held to account because they had become "untouchable". Massacring Tutsis in that region has become a hobby for all Hutus extremists including some Congolese tribalists. They all aspire for this evil deed and pride themselves for continuing to kill more Tutsis without being held accountable.

What is even sad is the fact that those responsible for the massacre are still free and some of them are even among government officials in Burundi and Congo three years after having openly claimed responsibility. This is another clear evidence of UN's unnwillingness to render justice to Tutsi victims of these continous ethnic cleansing.

For the last 3 days all Banyamulenge people around the world, including survivors have been attending memorial service some publicly others privately.

Let us remember that what happened on August 13 was a genocide, a continued genocide of Tutsis, another phase of Hutu extremists preying on lives of Tutsis enjoying the impunity by the international community. As though that was not enough, more killings of Banyamulenge are being carried out by DRCongolese army even as we commemorate the third anniversary of Gatumba genocide.
It is totally unacceptable to see that three years after the massacre nothing has been done, and that the same ethen cleansing is still being carried out while the world is once again silent about it.

Make no mistake, Agathon Rwasa and Pasteur Habimana both Hutu extremists leaders of FNL will one day be arrested for this crime that they themselves claimed responsibility.

We will continue demanding that justice be done, and one day nature will sooner or later bring that so much needed justice. Until then, we have to keep pressing for it.

Long live Banyamulenge
Akim

ABANYAKABERA

Kuva kuri uyu wa kane taliki 14.08.2008 kugeza Dimanche 17.082008 kuri Paroisse y"ADEPR Gitarama ho mu karere ka Muhanga Province du Sud ,harabera UMUKUTANO mu nini uhuje abantu bahoze bakorera ABELA -Fizi ndetse n"ababafashaga
Nkuko umwe wadushakishije uri mu barikuyitegura, ngo Intego nyamukuru ni ukwibuka Imirimo y"Imana yakorewe ABELA no gukora ibishoboka umurimo ugakomeza
Haje abantu benshi baturutse Kongo barimo ababembe n"abanyamuLenge
Ikintu uwatumenyesheje iyo nkuru asanga ari gishyashya ,ni uko Abantu bose bo mu Madini yose batumiwe ntawe uhejwe
Ikindi ngo abakozi b"Imana bose baguye Kongo muri izi ntambara babazirikana kimwe
Bukuru Ntwari