Editing Tutsi (section)

== Tutsi in the Congo ==
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Scholars have long recognized{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} that the Tutsi presence in the modern [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] (DRC) is best understood by distinguishing between two principal groups, whose histories have been significantly shaped—and often distorted—by colonial policies and later political struggles.

=== The Banyamulenge ===
{{npov|date=March 2025}}<!--The section essentially presents casuistic arguments to advance the position that the presence of the Banyamulenge in the DRC is somehow illegitimate and that they hence deserve no rights in the DRC, which would obviously be considered an extremist position from an international human rights perspective.-->
The Banyamulenge are a Tutsi group that primarily resides in parts of South Kivu, specifically in the Uvira region of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They trace their origins mainly to Rwandan laborers and refugees who began migrating into the region during the colonial period, starting as early as 1916. This migration was a direct result of World War I, when Rwandans were brought into the area to work in the mines, agricultural fields, and other labor-intensive sectors. The Banyamulenge do not have indigenous Congolese roots, but instead, their presence in the region is the result of external migration and colonial labor practices.

The Mulenge region, which the Banyamulenge inhabit, was originally home to the Bafulero (Bafuliru) people, who were the first inhabitants of the area.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} Mulenge, a mountain and region located in Uvira, South Kivu, was named by the Bafulero people, long before the arrival of the Tutsi groups. 
The term "Mulenge" referred to their mountain, their region, and their cultural heritage. 
However, when Rwandan Tutsi groups, including the Banyamulenge, began to settle in the area, they began to adopt and later popularize the name for their own identification with the land. This adoption of the name was partly to help them define a territory that, originally, was not theirs. It was a way of self-identification in a place that was still home to the Bafulero, and later to many other ethnic groups.

Historical research and scholarly work{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} show that the Banyamulenge are the descendants of Rwandan Tutsi refugees and migrants who arrived in the DRC after the Berlin Conference (1884–1885), which reshaped borders in Central Africa. While the Tutsi people have a long history in Rwanda, their arrival in the Congo occurred after the colonial period, not before. This significant point highlights that the Banyamulenge, while culturally related to Rwandan Tutsi, are not indigenous to Congo, as they began to migrate during the colonial era, in a time when the borders of modern African states were already being drawn and redefined. Their presence in the DRC was the result of migration rather than indigenous settlement, and their claim to the land must be understood in this context.

The Rwandan Tutsi immigrants initially began settling in the eastern DRC in the early 20th century,{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} bringing with them cultural and social practices from Rwanda. However, they were not necessarily accepted by the indigenous Congolese communities. Their presence, however, was consolidated as the Rwandan refugee crisis evolved in the region, especially after the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, when large numbers of refugees fled to Congo. The Banyamulenge, as part of the Tutsi population, increasingly became a key player in the evolving ethnic and political dynamics of the region.

Although the Banyamulenge have sought to define themselves as a distinct group with ties to both the Tutsi ethnic identity and the land of South Kivu, their efforts have been met with significant tension from other Congolese groups who view their claims to land and political power with skepticism.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} Many view the Banyamulenge as foreigners rather than part of the indigenous population of the DRC. This conflict over identity and land ownership has led to persistent tension and violence in the region, contributing to the instability in the Kivu provinces and further complicated by regional politics, particularly the involvement of Rwanda in the ongoing conflict.

In summary, the Banyamulenge's origins are deeply tied to Rwandan migration into Congo during the colonial period. They are the descendants of Rwandan laborers and refugees who were brought into the region after World War I, and their presence in the region has caused significant conflict over territoriality and identity.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} 
The Bafulero people, the original inhabitants of Mulenge, have consistently disputed the claim that the Banyamulenge are entitled to the land. The historical context of the Banyamulenge’s presence in the DRC highlights the complexity of the conflict and the ongoing struggles over land, power, and identity that continue to shape the region today.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

=== Banyarwanda in North Kivu and South Kivu ===
A second Tutsi presence is found among the broader [[Banyarwanda]] community in parts of [[North Kivu]] and the Kalehe region of South Kivu. This community, which includes both Tutsi and Hutu, is largely the result of multiple migratory waves from neighboring [[Rwanda]], occurring over the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-genocide periods. In particular, the mass exodus during and after the [[Rwandan Genocide]] of 1994 is well documented and has significantly reshaped the ethnic landscape in eastern Congo.<ref>Uvin, Peter. "The Congo and the Rwandan Tragedy: Politics, Ideology and the Struggle for Power." ''Journal of Eastern African Studies'', vol. 1, no. 2, 2007, pp. 281–300.</ref><ref>Reyntjens, Filip. ''Political Awakening in the Belgian Congo: The Early Phase, 1908–1945''. Cambridge University Press, 2019.</ref> The academic consensus holds that these migratory processes, far from being a single exogenous event, have complex historical antecedents that continue to influence regional politics.

=== Conflict and Contemporary Issues ===
The eastern DRC has been a hotspot of conflict for decades, involving numerous armed groups. Some of these, notably those evolving from the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) into what became known as the [[March 23 Movement|M23]], have been led by individuals of Tutsi background. However, the portrayal of these groups solely through an ethnic lens oversimplifies the situation. Academic studies agree that the roots of the conflict lie in a mixture of colonial legacies, competition over valuable resources such as [[cobalt]], and deep-seated political and social grievances.<ref>Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges. ''The Congo: From Leopold to Kabila: A People's History''. Zed Books, 2002.</ref> Reports from international organizations have documented serious human rights abuses—including the recruitment of child soldiers and illegal exploitation of mineral wealth—but these are best understood within the broader framework of state fragility and international economic pressures rather than as a straightforward ethnic conflict.<ref>Human Rights Watch. "Breakdown of the State in the Democratic Republic of the Congo." Human Rights Watch Reports, 2010.</ref>