Bwito Chiefdom

As of 2018, the Bwito Chiefdom is made up of 7 groupements:[12]

• Bambo
• Bishusha
• Bukombo
• Kanyabayonga
• Mutanda
• Tongo

Since the Masisi War of 1993 and the First and Second Congo Wars, the region has been plagued with security problems over the last three decades. These conflicts resulted in widespread violence, displacement of populations, and the proliferation of armed groups, creating a highly unstable and volatile security situation.[1][14][15]

A 70-year-old refugee from Bwito Chiefdom, January 2015

The initial inter-ethnic war in 1993 pitted the Hundes against the Hutus, with some young Nande fighters aligning with the Hundes after massacring or expelling the Hutus from Walikale Territory and Lubero Territory. The situation further escalated when the Ingilima fighters, a seasoned tribe between Walikale Territory and Bafwasende, entered Rutshuru Territory, specifically the Bwito Chiefdom, under the leadership of indigenous Hundes.[1][16] On May 12, 1993, during the reign of Desire Kamoli Bukavu Shekerabeti, the Ingilima combatants launched a brutal attack on Bwito Chiefdom. They massacred a significant number of Hutus in their path but spared the Tutsis, who had shown them consideration before the war.[1][17] The survivors from Masisi Territory had sought refuge in Bwito Chiefdom, settling in border localities such as Bindja, Katsiru, Chahemba, Bishusha, and Mubirubiru. In the final week of April, survivors from Walikale Territory also arrived in the region. Despite Bwito Chiefdom officials disclosed that the war concerned Walikale and Masisi territories, not Bwito Chiefdom, the Ingilima and their allies launched an attack on May 12, 1993, resulting in mass killings of Hutus in various villages along multiple routes.[1] The Hutus in the southern part of the chiefdom conducted expeditions armed with machetes, spears, bows, arrows, and bamboo sticks cut into points. They aimed to rescue their brethren hiding in the northern part of Bwito Chiefdom under the control of the Ingilima and their allies and obstruct their progress in the southern region. The expeditions led to fierce fighting and casualties in Nyanzale on May 16, 1993.[1] The situation worsened in 1994 when Governor Moto Mupenda disbanded the Regional Pacification Committee and local committees, and the DSP soldiers stationed in Rwindi, Kitchanga, and Pinga displayed ethnic biases.[1] They engaged in arbitrary arrests, looted domestic animals, and committed killings and arson, reigniting the war at the end of the year.[1]

In 1995, Kinshasa intervened by launching "Operation Kimya" to address the inter-ethnic conflicts in Bwito Chiefdom and Masisi Territory. The operation was conducted by DSP (Division Spéciale Présidentielle) soldiers and para-commandos from the 31st Division of Camp CETA, who had previously played a part in looting in Kinshasa in 1991 and 1993.[1] These troops deployed in Bwito Chiefdom took advantage of the situation to engage in further looting and violence. The civil war escalated again in Bwito Chiefdom in April 1996 when the "Mayi-Mayi Kifuafua" attacked DSP soldiers in Rwindi. The soldiers fled, leaving the civilian population at the mercy of antagonistic armed groups, including the Mayi-Mayi Kifuafua, pro-Hutu militias, Hunde, and Nande. This led to more massacres, looting, and destruction in the region.[1]

During the First Congo War, Bwito Chiefdom became a battleground for the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL) and the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA). The attacks on refugee camps along the Goma to Rutshuru road resulted in a high number of casualties, and the killings continued for months, leading to a devastating loss of life.[14]

In the Second Congo War, the region once again became embroiled in conflict when Laurent-Désiré Kabila attempted to assert his independence from former allies. This move was allegedly due to ethnic tensions and suspicions that Tutsis were aligned with Rwanda's interests rather than those of the DRC. Laurent-Désiré Kabila viewed the Tutsis as a potential threat to his regime, leading to heightened animosity.[1][18][19] In response, the Tutsis, supported by RPA, rapidly mobilized and formed the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) to compel Laurent-Désiré Kabila to step down. On August 2, 1998, at 4 p.m., Commander Sylvain Buki, on behalf of the 10th Brigade of the FAC (Force Aérienne Congolaise), read a press release on the airwaves of the Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) station in Goma, announcing the deposition of the President of the Republic.[1] This message was echoed by the 12th Brigade stationed in Bukavu, signaling a significant escalation in hostilities.[1] Subsequently, violence resumed in Bwito Chiefdom, and clashes between government troops and the forces of the RCD and their allies intensified. The chiefdom experienced numerous massacres, particularly in the Rutshuru-Kanyabayonga region, which became perilous for travelers, including the area known as Mayi ya moto. Several people lost their lives, and vehicles were looted.[1][14] In the villages of Bwito, terror reigned for an extended period as the RDC and RPA forces subjected the locals to looting, burning of houses, and raping women and girls.[1] Entire villages were left in ruins, and their communities were shattered by the brutality of the conflict. Amidst the chaos, centers under the control of RCD soldiers and the RPA saw an opportunity to expand their influence. These centers became refuge points for displaced people fleeing from the destruction of their villages, such as Nyanzale and Kitchanga. Some of the displaced people sought shelter in the Virunga National Park to escape violence. During this period, attacks on vehicles became commonplace, with both sides engaging in looting and resorting to violence against passengers. The rebels killed passengers or used them as carriers for transporting looted goods.[1]

A CNDP rebel soldier in Kiwanja, Rutshuru Territory, near the city of Goma, November 2008

Following the end of the Second Congo War in 2003, the region fell into a state of turmoil as remnants of RCD rebels occupied the area. Among them was General Laurent Nkunda, a Tutsi from Mirangi village in Mutanda groupement, who had been a senior officer in the RCD rebel military group since 1998.[1][18][20] In 2003, Nkunda established his armed movement, the Congrès national pour la défense du peuple (CNDP), settling in Bwiza, a locality straddling the Rutshuru and Masisi territories.[1][21] Nkunda's return from the war in Bukavu, where he fought alongside Colonel Jules Mutebutsi, another Tutsi who rebelled against the FARDC (Forces armées de la république démocratique du Congo) in 2004. In Bwiza, Nkunda actively recruited men and raised awareness for his CNDP movement, which he chaired himself. He also led attacks on the FARDC forces based in Bwito Chiefdom and Masisi Territory after the 2006 elections.[1][21] These attacks resulted in the division of Bwito Chiefdom into two parts. One part remained under the control of the central government, including the groupements of Kanyabayonga, Kihondo, Bambo, and Mutanda. The other part came under the management of the CNDP and included the groupements of Bishusha, Tongo, and Bukombo.[1] In response to the situation, the FARDC launched offensives on both axes to regain control of the groupements under CNDP management. The 9th Integrated Brigade concentrated on the Kalengera-Tongo axis, while the 2nd, 7th, and 15th Integrated Brigades targeted the Nyanzale-Katsiru axis. Nonetheless, these offensives were later suspended, adopting a different approach at the beginning of 2007.[1] During this period of conflict, the chiefdom suffered immensely. According to human rights organizations, many lives were lost, economic structures were destroyed, and villages were reduced to ruins. The crisis forced many people to flee their homes, leading to the establishment of displaced camps in various locations, including Katsiru, Kasoko, Kihondo, Bambo, Singa, Nyanzale, Luve, Mutwangano, and nearby areas.[1][21][22]

In 2019, the former interim chief of Bwito Chiefdom, Désiré Bukavu Shekerabeti, was killed near Kikuku.[23]

Civilians marching in Kibirizi village, Mutanda groupement, in the Bwito Chiefdom, September 2016

During the Kishishe massacre, which occurred from November 29 to December 1, 2022, the March 23 Movement attacked the chiefdom, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians in Bambo, Tongo, and Bishusha groupements. The United Nations conducted a preliminary investigation that confirmed 131 deaths, while Kinshasa authorities reported an alarming death toll of approximately 300.[24][25] According to human rights organizations and local sources, the massacre began in the Tongo groupement, where the insurgents executed more than 64 people in the villages of Muhindo, Rusekera, and Bugina. The armed rebels then moved into the Bambo groupement, carrying out a second wave of attacks, targeting the villages of Kishishe, Kirumba, and Kapopi, where innocent civilians were caught in the crossfire.[26][27][28] Deaths were also reported in Bishusha groupement.[26] The rebels indiscriminately killed men, women, and children, and they also pillaged medical centers in the area, depriving the community of essential care and comfort. The very institutions that provided care and comfort to the community fell victim to the brutal aggression.[29][30]