The Mahoro Peace Association (MPA-USA) has issued a powerful and urgent appeal to the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, warning of what it describes as an “unfolding genocide” against the Banyamulenge community in South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In an open letter dated October 22, 2025, MPA President Mr. Douglas G. Kabunda accused the Burundian National Defence Forces (FDNB), in coordination with DR Congo’s Armed Forces (FARDC) and several allied militias, of conducting coordinated attacks targeting the Banyamulenge population in the Minembwe Highlands. The letter warns that the international community’s silence could allow a repeat of the 2004 Gatumba massacre, in which 166 Banyamulenge refugees were brutally murdered in Burundi.
“History teaches us that inaction in the face of early warnings of mass atrocities can lead to unimaginable tragedy,” Kabunda wrote. “The international community must act now to prevent a repeat of the Gatumba massacre and the unfolding potential genocide in the Minembwe Highlands.”
A Renewed Wave of Attacks
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According to the Mahoro Peace Association, the situation in South Kivu has sharply deteriorated since the withdrawal of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in late 2023. The MPA alleges that, following the EACRF’s exit, Burundi covertly redeployed thousands of troops—estimated between 10,000 and 15,000 soldiers—into Congolese territory, operating jointly with FARDC and armed groups such as the FDLR and Wazalendo militias.
The association reports that these forces have established several bases across the Minembwe Highlands and surrounding areas, including Mukoko, Point Zero, Bilarmobiri, Mikenge, Kagegeregere, and Rugezi, conducting systematic attacks on Banyamulenge civilians. Local witnesses cited in the letter claim that more than 100 cows belonging to Banyamulenge families have been looted, homes have been destroyed, and entire villages have been displaced under heavy bombardment.
Blockades and Starvation as Weapons
The letter further describes a worsening humanitarian crisis caused by the alleged blockade of Banyamulenge communities. On October 18, 2025, Burundian soldiers reportedly erected roadblocks preventing Banyamulenge residents from traveling between Minembwe and nearby market areas such as Kundondo and Mikarti. The MPA says these restrictions have cut off access to essential supplies like salt, soap, and oil for months.
“Such measures go beyond security precautions,” the letter states. “They constitute economic suffocation and deliberate ethnic targeting, designed to isolate and starve the Banyamulenge into submission.”
MPA leaders argue that this siege-like situation mirrors early stages of recognized genocidal processes, where isolation, economic deprivation, and hate propaganda precede mass killings.
Calls for International Action
In its appeal, the Mahoro Peace Association urged the United Nations, the African Union, and other international bodies to take immediate and coordinated action to stop the violence. The organization outlined five urgent steps:
- Immediate withdrawal of Burundian troops from Congolese soil and cessation of attacks on civilians.
- Deployment of international observers and human rights experts to monitor the situation without delay.
- Delivery of humanitarian aid to besieged Banyamulenge communities and the lifting of imposed
- Launch of an independent investigation into ongoing ethnic cleansing and accountability for perpetrators.
- Legal action against the State of Burundi under international law for its alleged role in crimes against humanity.
A Plea to Global Leaders
The appeal was copied to key international policymakers and human rights advocates, including:
- Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
- E. Amb. Jürg Lauber, President of the UN Human Rights Council
- E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
- Jim Risch, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- E. Thérèse Blanchet, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union
Kabunda emphasized that the UN and African Union must not ignore the warning signs, citing lessons from past inaction in Rwanda (1994) and Burundi (2004).
“To date, justice has not been served for Gatumba,” Kabunda wrote. “Those responsible continue to enjoy protection. The world cannot afford another failure to prevent genocide.”
A Region on the Brink
The Banyamulenge, a Tutsi-speaking community indigenous to South Kivu, have faced decades of persecution, displacement, and attacks from both Congolese and regional armed groups. Human rights organizations have long warned that the group’s isolation in the Minembwe Highlands leaves them vulnerable to state-backed violence.
As tensions escalate, the Mahoro Peace Association says the risk of a massacre even greater than Gatumba is imminent, calling for urgent diplomatic pressure on both the Burundian and Congolese governments to protect civilians and restore peace.
