The Balm to heal Amavuta Yomora

The Source of All the Problems

The aftermath of colonialism left a division among the citizens of Rwanda, and some of us reaped evil from that seed. Those groups have different histories, and by the time I was born, the differences were deeply entrenched. No one gave much thought to how or why we were divided. We thought it was just the way things were.

The roots of the division were so deep, but to be fair, part of it was our own doing. It is accurate to say that colonialism facilitated hatred in our part of the world, but what about our contribution to the problem? Why does it continue in some parts of the Great Lakes region after so many years?

War is still taking place in the eastern part of Congo, which borders Rwanda to the west. This affects Uganda as well, which borders Rwanda to the north. Tanzania, which borders Rwanda to the southeast, is currently involved in this war as part of The Southern African Development Community (SADC) organization. SADC is comprised of sixteen member countries and those who are in Congo are part of a joint effort with the UN mandate called MONUSCO, which has been trying to bring peace to that part of the world for more than twenty years. There is also Burundi, which borders Rwanda to the south, and their army is also in Congo.

Due to similarities in culture and history Burundi and Rwanda share, Burundi’s involvement in this conflict can have a more disastrous effect and very detrimental compared to how this may affect DRC, Uganda or Tanzania. That is because Rwanda and Burundi share numerous similarities in culture, language and history than those other countries. In fact, Burundi used to be referred to as another Rwanda during colonial times as Rwanda-Urundi. If the world does nothing, genocide or something worse could result. For what reason? Power? Resources?

Some say all those wars have erupted in response to the presence of underground minerals, such as gold and diamonds, and political power, but other countries have been blessed with similar riches and the people are not involved in killing one another.

One would think that things would have changed after thirty or more years, and that we would have learned from history, but that is not the case. This time, the worry is not only for Rwandans and the Tutsi; the entire region is being affected. Thousands of civilians have been killed, thousands of women have been raped, and thousands of families are stuck in refugee camps with little or nothing to eat and little or no medical attention. A majority of them have been born in refugee camps, gotten married in refugee camps, and had kids and grandkids in refugee camps. Young people have been forced to join the fight. Some received minimal army training, but others were handed guns and sent to fight—or be killed. There are also trained soldiers on the front lines, but there are also many soldiers and mercenaries from other nations and continents. It is like a world war is taking place in a small region with minimal media attention.

If the past has taught us anything, it’s that what affects a group of people on one side of the world can impact those who are nowhere nearby. Right now, it looks like a problem for the people who are in Congo, but in a few years, we will hear how it is a problem for the world. We are one family of global citizens, and all hands should be on deck to do something about it. This applies to Congo and to wherever else something like this is happening, regardless of race, color, religion or place of origin.

Thirty years ago, the entire world closed its eyes and allowed a genocide to take place against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The UN had soldiers protecting people who were targeted and placed them in schools, churches, and even the soccer stadium, that was the headquarters for the peacekeepers. Eventually the peacekeepers left the country, and things escalated. Religious workers from abroad and diplomats from different embassies were evacuated and left the local people to be decimated. Maybe the circumstances were different then. Some tried their best to save people, but most of them failed. Maybe it was impossible then, but what about now?