A report by Bojana Coulibaly*
As part of a book project on the Mechanisms of Genocide Ideology in North Kivu, my research partner and I went to investigate the infamous attack on the village of Nturo which took place in October 2023.
After conducting interviews with Nturo residents, we found that Nturo had about 300 homes owned by Congolese Tutsi. They were attacked by FDLR on October 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 2023. This was 6 months after the M23 withdrew from 80% of their previously controlled territory in the Rutshuru and Masisi areas, and one month before the withdrawal of the EAC forces.
During the main attack, the area was under control of the Burundian EAC contingent.
We found out that after the M23 withdrew in March 2023, the 300 Nturo families were systematically targeted by FDLR-Nyatura-Wazalendo. The residents were persecuted and had to pay monthly taxes for cattle and land ownership to the FDLR. People were killed when they could not pay the taxes.
The FDLR attacked Nturo several times after M23 withdrew, on the watch of the Burundian EAC forces. All the Nturo residents we interviewed agree that the Burundian EAC soldiers gave a green light to the FDLR-Nyatura-Wazalendo on the day of the main attack. This was confirmed in a video by one of the assailants. The complicity of the Burundian EAC forces with FDLR may be explained by their endorsement of anti-Tutsi genocide ideology.
On October 2nd, the big attack began. Two Nturo residents got killed during the attack. On October 3rd, FDLR, Nyatura and their families came and looted all the homes, loading trucks with the belongings of Nturo residents. Most residents had fled on October 2nd and 3rd. On October 4th, the assailants came with yellow canisters full of gasoline. They deliberately sprayed all the houses and set fire, which led to the total annihilation of the village of Nturo.
As we can see in the video footage, FDLR-Nyatura-Wazalendo clearly acknowledged that they were wiping of the map a “Tutsi village”.
During the attack, the majority of Nturo residents fled to the Bwiza IDP camp where 17,000 IDPs had gathered from several parts of eastern DRC, after facing persecution by FDLR & Nyatura for decades.
Since November 2023, Nturo residents have began to return to Nturo to rebuild their homes. Those who came in November 2023 witnessed attacks carried out by a FARDC Sukhoi. Indeed, according to the residents, seven bombs were dropped on Nturo.
When we visit Nturo today, we can see that all the houses have recently been rebuilt.
What happened in Nturo is illustrative of the politics of divisionism used by the Government of Kinshasa in its conflict against #M23, particularly through its collaboration with the genocidal force #FDLR. It is also representative of the impact of genocide ideology in DR Congo.
While the attack is slightly mentioned in the December 2023 UN Group of Experts report, it is certainly inadequate as no statement was done by MONUSCO and no investigation was ever carried out. In fact, around the time of the withdrawal of the EAC forces in November 2023, the Burundian army joined the DRC government coalition comprising FARDC, MONUSCO, FDLR, Wazalendo and European Mercenaries, to fight against M23.
The total annihilation of Nturo is proof that there is ongoing ethnic cleansing of the Congolese Tutsi in eastern DRC. It shows the impact of genocide ideology in the region, as systematic attacks on Congolese Tutsi in Kitchanga and Bwiza by FDLR also took place.
This tragedy similarly highlights that Nturo residents were feeling safe under the presence of M23. However, when M23 withdrew in March 2023, letting EAC take over, the security of Nturo residents drastically decreased. This particular element seems to legitimize the existence of M23.
In view of these observations, could we conclude that M23 is the solution to insecurity in Eastern DRC? (End).
* Bojana Coulibaly, PhD, is a researcher on peace and security in the Great Lakes region of Africa.