Belgium ambassador to Rwanda
Rwandans living in Belgium have petitioned Belgian authorities over growing violent attacks on Rwandan citizens by Congolese nationals living there.
A statement received by The New Times from the DRB-Rugari, an organisation of Rwandans living in Belgium, says several cases of assault resulting in serious injuries and hospitalisation have been reported in recent months.
It cites a July 28 incident in which a 22-year old Rwandan was attacked in the subway station Merode and was admitted with a fractured jaw.
“For the Rwandan Diaspora this was the last straw. Such violence is committed in broad daylight, in public places (in the streets or in subways) by organised gangs of Congolese calling themselves “combatants” who are claiming to seek a solution to the war raging in eastern Congo,” reads part of the statement.
The attacks came in the wake of eruption of fighting in eastern Congo between government troops and the M23 rebels, who mutinied in April following the collapse of a 2009 peace deal under which they had been integrated into the army.
Kinshasa has accused Kigali of backing the rebels but the latter has denied the allegations.
“DRB-Rugari is appealing to the Belgian authorities and the Belgian public to address the seriousness of these barbaric acts which constitute a flagrant violation of human rights, compounded by racist and xenophobic verbal aggressions”.
The committee observed that the ongoing attacks were creating a climate of fear and mistrust that “undermines the social cohesion which the Belgian government and multiple social welfare associations should not tolerate”.
The group appealed to the Belgian authorities to take all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of its members.
The New Times understands that the Rwandan community in Belgium plans a peaceful protest on August 18 at Place de la Monnaie (1000 BXL) from 2p.m to 4 p.m, local time.
The group has also invited the Congolese community in Belgium for a constructive dialogue in order to improve the relations between the two communities in Belgium.
“DRB-Rugari has appealed to the members of the Congolese community involved in the violence and hope they will understand that Rwandans, much less those living in Belgium, are not the cause of the conflict in eastern Congo and they are, in no way, related to the stakes of this war. Attacking them will bring no solution”.
“We hope it will be possible before one more victim suffers as a result of these tensions,” DRB-Rugari said.
Oria K. Vande Weghe, the Communication Officer at the Rwandan Embassy in Belgium, told The New Times that the embassy has “filed several complaints with Brussels about the attacks, but so far, none of the complaints have been successful.”
“We are still discussing with the Belgian authorities on these issues,” she added.
The Belgian envoy to Kigali, Amb. Marc Pecsteen de Buyrswerve, on Wednesday, told this paper that he was aware of the attacks and DRB-Rugari’s planned protest, but pointed out that there have been no recent outbreaks of violence as the police are containing the situation.
“There was only one recent case of a young man who, I think, also holds Belgian nationality, and I hope this situation does not continue. Yes, there were indeed incidents in the past, but the Belgian police were able to react and we hope that now, the situation is calm”.
The diplomat added: The police are very much aware of the violence and the situation of tension and we hope no other such incidents occur again. The police are vigilant”.
Hate speech
Elsewhere, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Vincent Karega, said despite some incidents in the past, Rwandans in South Africa have nothing to worry about.
Karega said in the past, messages came in from a section of Congolese calling themselves combatants, about a planned demonstration at the High Commission, but South African authorities “after assessing the nature of the march, suspended their previously obtained permission to march against Rwandan and French Embassies”.
“One of their activists calling himself Bishop Elisee has circulated hate messages on YouTube calling upon Congolese to kill the Tutsi wherever they see them,” Karega said.
“On the streets and all public places where Congolese are present and Rwandans circulate, no single bad action or talk has happened so far.
“The many educated working class of Congolese here are not associated with hate speeches and actions as they try to assess and balance their judgment,” Karega told The New Times.
He added, “We are in touch with security organs here on the matter. We have engaged some Congolese individuals and groups to debate on the risks of those unreasonable plans and shall continue to track the xenophobic ones. In general, we do not foresee any danger or physical threat by some negative Congolese here,” Karega said.
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