Regional
DRC: Why has Tshisekedi excluded Congolese Tutsi from voting?
On
November 16, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi was interviewed by RFI’s
Christophe Boisbouvier, and France 24’s Marc Perelman.
The
French journalists engaged the president on the security situation in his
country ahead of the December 20 elections. Tshisekedi was asked if he thinks
that elections will go on in Masisi and Rutshuru, in North Kivu, where the M23
rebels have strongholds, and the president affirmed that elections would not
happen in those territories.
“Unfortunately
no, for Rutshuru and Masisi, I do not think that it will happen (elections),
but we will try to continue to liberate those localities and bring back the displaced
people. In the meantime, in other parts of the country, elections will go on,”
said Tshisekedi.
The
territories of Masisi and Rutshuru, in North Kivu, are home to hundreds of
thousands of the Tutsi community who are being stripped off their right to
vote.
Since
the 1980s, different laws on nationality were passed to strip Rwandophones of
Congolese nationality. This included the right to voting. Today, history is
repeating itself as Tshisekedi is using the pretext of insecurity to stop the
community from voting.
Related: Understanding
the plight of Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese in DRC
Tshisekedi
failed to protect the Congolese Tutsi. He knows they will not vote for him,
hence excluding them from elections.
Tshisekedi’s
evil plot to exclude Congolese Tutsi from elections started in March 2023, when
Congolese Tutsi complained about a violent campaign to stop them from voting.
Several Congolese Tutsi were harassed, and beaten while on their way to
register at voting centers.
The Congolese
leader has allowed hate speech against Congolese Tutsi communities to spread
nationwide. It is spread by Congolese defense, security or political figures,
civil society actors, and members of the Congolese diaspora.
Related:
DRC: Genocide perpetrated as international community watches
Tshisekedi
has openly integrated the FDLR, a militia group mainly made up of people
responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, into the
Congolese military. With their help, these genocide perpetrators continued
their genocidal agenda, targeting Congolese Tutsi.
The UN
special adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, in
January 2023, gave a stern warning that if no action is taken to stop these
multiple attacks targeting civilians along ethnic lines, sexual violence, as
well as Congolese authorities who don’t fulfill their duties to prevent
violence, the region is risking to experience mass atrocities as it happened in
Rwanda in 1994.
Tshisekedi’s
irresponsibility and refusal to protect his own citizens, is reason enough to
lose all votes in Masisi and Rutshuru. He knows it. His only option is to
exclude the potential voters from elections.