
DRC: Indigenous peoples must not be forgotten in conflict
Minority Rights Group is gravely concerned by the impact of the developing situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo on its indigenous Batwa and Bambuti communities. The security situation is deteriorating daily with the presence of the M23 rebel group in Kalehe territory since last Saturday.
MRG urges all parties to the conflict to respect and to ensure respect for international humanitarian and human rights law, halt their violations and ensure the protection of all civilians affected by the conflict. According to credible reports received by MRG, indigenous communities living in affected areas find themselves in a situation of particular vulnerability. This is due to repeated and protracted displacements and to the destruction of their shelters, forcing them to be on the move in a conflict zone. They are facing heightened risk if they try to return to their ancestral territory as it is occupied by rebel groups. They also face unique challenges in terms of access to humanitarian aid.
As the security and human rights crises are unfolding, impunity is not an option. Violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed by all parties must be duly investigated, and perpetrators must be held to account. The international community has a role to play in that regard, and MRG calls on the UN Human Rights Council to urgently establish an independent investigative mechanism with a robust mandate to investigate violations committed since the resurgence of the M23 in late 2021, identify perpetrators, establish facts and preserve evidence to pave the way for justice, truth and reparations for victims, survivors and their families.
Special efforts must be made to ensure equal and inclusive access to humanitarian aid. MRG calls on all parties to the conflict to allow unhindered humanitarian access to the affected region.
The situation is having a very serious impact on the lives of the indigenous Batwa people, especially those living in and around their ancestral lands within the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, already marginalized by a long history of human rights violations against them.
It is foreseeable that the presence of minerals and other raw materials including gold and cobalt in the areas around the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, could soon increase the violence faced by this Batwa community as armed groups seek to profit from these valuable commodities. The clashes between the various armed groups vying for these mining areas seem to be more focused in Batwa villages, particularly: Tchimoto, Katasomwa, Batanga and Bakubanagana.
Indigenous Bambuti communities in the region are affected in North Kivu and part of Ituri. It should be noted that the persistence of armed conflict in North Kivu is causing the further deterioration of living conditions of these indigenous people, particularly individuals from Rutsuru and Masisi, which are currently occupied by the M23 rebels. These persons have now been displaced to informal camps around the town of Goma, cut off from access to humanitarian assistance.
The situation in these camps is very insecure, leaving many Bambuti with no option but to return to their ancestral land, where they are better able to meet their needs. This puts them at risk of being caught in the crossfire between the Congolese army and the rebels occupying the forest areas and further increases their vulnerability, in addition to the precarious humanitarian situation they are facing. Community leaders also describe how the biometric registration system recommended by several humanitarian agencies for registering internally displaced people excludes indigenous peoples from receiving support because of their low level of literacy and the constraints imposed by the technology. As a result, many internally displaced Bambuti do not have the same access to humanitarian assistance as other populations.
Photo: A Bambuti elder weaves a basket out of grass at Upende village, Beni, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: Tommy Trenchard / Panos Pictures.