Humura Mulenge Survivors & Victims was founded in 2008, to serve the Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors, victims and their families, who survived genocide, massacre, war and violence at the hands of their originating countries and who are now living in the United States. To date, we served more than 2000 Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors and victims around the United States.
I want share with you the story of a few Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors. Fortunately, God protected them during the war and they are today alive in United States.
My Name is Nduhura Chantal, a 20 year old student refugee from the Congo I was just three inches a way from being killed.
It was the night of August 13, 2004 in Gatumba. On this night, many innocent women, children, and men were killed. When I was young, I narrowly escaped two massacres in Gatumba and Kalemie, which targeted the Banyamulenge people.
I could do nothing but pray to God to save me and my people. I just couldnt believe where my life had taken me. At that time, I thought, you just feel like youre waiting to die. This was the fourth time in recent years that a massacre happened to my people. Even today, there has been no justice. Even though this happened when I was young, I can still remember the terrible things that happened to my people: the massacres in Congo at Kalemie and Vyura, and at the Burundian refugee camp in Gatumba.
I pray daily for the grace to forgive those who killed my father, my uncle, family members, and all my people that I knew and loved. I leaned to trust in God, and asked Him to send me and my family to America. Then the greatest thing happened I arrived in America.
I started the school the first month that I arrived in the Bay Area in 2007. Four days after arriving, I began high school at Skyline High in Oakland. I was placed in the 10th grade (despite the fact that I was an 11th grader in Burundi!). I have made many friends at school and near our home. Some of them are American, and many others come from Africa like us. It was very difficult to adapt to life in America when I had a problem psychologically; I do not understand life in America, because I see everything is different from home, and everything was new to me. I was always thinking of my visions for the future and I also could not stop thinking of my past and the massacre in Congo and the Refugee Camp in Gatumba.
I felt very desperate and hopeless. 2007 was a very difficult year for me, trying to see how to get out and understand how to build my life. When I was in school, I felt very isolated and I was afraid to speak with my other colleagues, and even when at home, I was in my room with the door closed at all times, sometimes crying when I remembered all of my friends and my father, who were killed because of their Banyamulenge Tutsi membership. If I see children with their dad, I wonder why me? Why was my dad killed?
In 2008, HMSV helped me understand life in America and encouraged me to study in my school, and helped me understand that I am like other children.
HMSV also helped me find a tutor to help me in my studies.
I thank HMSV in helping me build my life when I was desperate when I came. I hope that I will have a good life and HMSV has contributed a great step in my life.
My name is Nasunika Dorcas and I am 45 years old. I am a mother of three children.
I resettled in the United States from the Republic of Burundi in Africa after my family and I survived two massacres in East Africa. The first massacre took place in our hometown in the region of Kalemie in Eastern Congo in 1998. The government had already broadcasted over the radio that anyone who looked like, spoke like, or had any Banyamulenge Tutsi in them must be killed.
On an evening in the fall of 1998, my family and I were at home, not realizing that extremists had spread propaganda throughout the town. Several hours after the violence began, my family was forced by soldiers into a truck and taken far outside of the town. The soldiers ordered us out of the truck, and proceeded to kill all the men and boys. They shot some with their rifles and savagely attacked others with machetes. Still others were buried alive and left to suffocate.
The women, over 100 of us, were placed in a jail and told that we would be killed soon. We were given neither food nor water for six weeks. Life in the jail was very difficult; we felt death was very close. We were hungry all the time. One of the women was taken by the military and she never came back to the jail we all feared the worst and that she had died. After the six weeks in jail, a force of Rwandan soldiers arrived by helicopter to rescue us.
After that, my family was fled to the Gatumba Refugee Camp in Burundi. Life was difficult and we often feared for our safety. On the night of August 13th 2004, the camp was attacked by a group of soldiers and civilians determined to exterminate the ethnic Banyamulenge Tutsi who were in the refugee camp. I was buried under the bodies of those killed. In all, 166 people were killed and hundreds more were severely wounded. I lost many family members, but fortunately my immediate family and I survived this massacre. During my stay at the camp, we would ask each other for forgiveness for any wrong we have ever done, because in my culture, it is taught that you must ask forgiveness from others and from God before you die.
The massacre was carefully planed and executed with the goal of killing everybody in the camp. Some of the attackers surrounded the camp while others entered, indiscriminately killing women, children and men. Four groups of extremist Hutu rebels, the FNL (Force National of Liberal), Palipe Hutu, Mai -Mai, and FAC (Force Arm of Congolese), claimed responsibility for the attack. My family was lucky to be selected among the small group that got resettled here in the USA. Several families that survived the Gatumba massacre are still in Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi.
My name is Norbert Rwambaza and I'm 38 years old
I was born in the Congo, specifically in south-Kivu. I am a father of five children and currently reside in the United States of America in Maine. I arrived in United States in 2000 after surviving a massacre in a province called Lumbubashi of Congo in 1998, during which I lost many friends and family members. I will never forget this incident or all those people I lost.
Before the war beginning, I had a good life with my family. It's very emotional to narrate the story, but I testify thank God for keeping me alive and helping me to survive. I am trying to talk briefly about what I saw and survived during my month in a restroom with over 40 people. I recognize that God has given me my life for the second time.
There were 40 of us in the bathroom - naked, standing, no food or drinks, and people could not move. There were two people who died from hunger and their corpses stayed among us during this time in the restroom.
I prayed to God that if my family is not alive, please let me die, for life without my family would be nothing During the period in the restroom, everyone was singing and confessing to each other all of their wrongdoings in preparation for death, because the military was telling us everyday that we would be killed the next day.
Later in February 2000, the IOM (International Organization for Migration) visited the jail and requested to the government of Congo the release and resettlement of all the captive Banyamulenge Tutsis in the United States. All the survivors and victims were taking to a Benin refugee camp, which had more than 700 refugees.
I was relocated to the U.S. specifically in the province of Minnesota. After a few months I moved to Maine. All the while, however, I was still thinking of my family because I do not know if my family was still alive or not.
One later year I got news that my family is alive and living in the Rwanda refugee camps. I was very happy to hear this good news. Within a few years, my family joined me here in Maine. I was very happy that my family was with me after years of separation.
Today I am a citizen and I have a beautiful life with my family. When Humura Mulenge Survivors and Victims (HMSV) was created in 2008, they helped connect me to different organizations and also taught me a lot about this country and how we can in turn help the new survivors who came to the U.S.
Every year the new survivors arrive and they have a problem adapting to American culture. Many people in the U.S do not know the history of Banyamulenge Tutsi in Congo because these Banyamulenge Tutsi is minorities in Congo.
I appreciate the effort of HMSV in spreading this knowledge and helping survivors like myself in the United States.
Help us to share their history.
Humura Mulenge Survivors &Victims was founded in 2008, to serve the Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors, victims and their families, who survived genocide, massacre, war and violence at the hands of their originating countries and who are now living in the United States. To date, we served more than 2000 Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors and victims around the United States
•To support survivors ,victims and their families in building a life in America by referring survivors, victims and their families to the appropriate agencies and non-profit organizations to receive legal, medical, and social services.
•Encourage survivors, victims and their families to attend school so that they can develop their skills, build a career and make a difference to building a better future for tomorrow.
•To building bridges of friendship and understanding among survivors, victim and others.
•To spread awareness through media projects, activism campaigns, and other cultural programs in order to inform the general public about Banyamulenge Tutsi history and to get the public to assist and aid new Banyamulenge Tutsi around America
•Bring justice to the perpetuators for their human rights abuses towards Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors and victims.
•Provide moral support to survivors, victims and their families
•To provide these same services to all people who have survived genocide, war, massacre, violence and torture in their countries
The conflict in Congo gave rise to a generation of orphans with injured bodies and minds. Many are handicapped by the trauma that they saw, heard about, and endured during a string of massacres visited on the Banyamulenge people, starting during in 1964 during the reign of the Mulele. More children were lost in a massacre at a refugee camp in Gatumba, Burundi in 2004, when the camp was attacked and there was no one to protect them.
It is sad when men, women, and children are forced to abandon their lives, their fortunes, and their loved ones to go live in a foreign land because they are no longer wanted by their countrymen.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (i.e. former Zaire) is an agglomeration of 450 ethnic groups. All of them are minorities in the sense that no group is numerically dominant, when compared to the sum of the rest. That is to say that, in Congo, each ethnic group is a minority. From this standpoint, Congolese are all minorities. And as such, they must all be protected indiscriminately.
The Grand-Kivu (i.e. North-Kivu, South-Kivu) is itself an agglomeration of at least 30 ethnic groups. Each of them is a minority, when compared to the sum of the rest, the Banyamulenge being one of them.
For several decades, most of Congos ethnic groups live not only in peace; but also, in perfect harmony with each other. The Banyamulengue in the Grand-Kivu" is an exception.
The Banyamulenge are Congolese who speak the same Rwandese language and are found in various provinces in Congo. They have resided mostly, for many centuries, in the regions of South Kivu; they are ethnic Tutsi.
The Banyamulenge know exclusion and persecution, both police and social, as well as cyclic massacres which continue even today.
This massacre in particular originates from the Mulelist . Using the same ideology that identified people during the Muleist period from 1964 until the refugee camps in Burundi in 2004, the Banyamulenge people experienced years of misery due to bad political situations.
Presentation By Jean claude Musore T. on the Banyamulenge Tutsi Survivors from Congo and Refugee camps.
August 13th , 2009 Marks the sad anniversary of the genocide of Banyamulenge Tutsi in a Burundi refugee camp :166 people were massacred and another 117 people were wounded.
Many still suffir trauma as well as physical injuries ta day.
Jean claude is a christian man feels called to share the history of the Banyamulenge Tutsi as well as show his faith has kept him from despairing.
WHEN: Sunday,August 2nd,2009
10:30Am-12:30Pm
WHO:Humura Mulenge survivors and Victims
WHERE: Ressuraction Lutheran Church
397 Euclid Avenue
Oakland CA,94610
SATURDAY
August 8th, 2009
3:30pm-5:30pm
ADDRESS: Oakland Main Library
West Auditorium
125 - 14th Street
Oakland, CA 94612
Co-sponsored by Survivors International and the African Advocacy Network.
•Apply pressure to politicians and international organizations (i.e., UN) in order to achieve justice for the Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors and victims. All may show support by signing the petition or sending a letter supporting the petition to: jmusore_hmsv.org.
http://criminaljustice.change.org/petitions/view/petition_for_justice_on_behalf_of_the_victims_of_the_banyamulenge_tutsi_massacre
•Invite Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors and victims to speak to your organization and share their stories of life and oppression in Congo and refugee camps. To contact our Banyamulenge survivors and victims around the United States and Canada, simply send an email to:jmusore_hmsv.org
•Work with us to spread awareness through media project in order to explain the plight of Banyamulenge victims and survivor refugees
•Help save the life of survivors like Mporina, who was raped by five men in a massacre in Bukavu, Congo and remains bedridden in a Rwandan refugee camp six years after the attack because of her grievous injuries and medical complications. Any support you can provide will help Mporina and victims like her, including her 12-year-old daughter and granddaughters. Please contact: jmusore_hmsv.org if you are willing and able to donate your money or if you are just interested in learning more about Mporina and others like her. Read more about her story here.
Our greatest wish is to ask the public to advocate on behalf of Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors and their families.
The Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors still need your assistance. Their struggles remain unknown and their cries for help still go unheard. You can help change that today.
Please donate today through a secure online donation service. Click on the link below.
The following videos contain scenes of massacre and violence. Videos may not be suitable for those under the age of 18.
Scenes showing first the massacre and then the aftermath as people survey the damage and mourn losses.
Domitien Ndayizeye, Ex- president Burundi, Azarias Ruberwa, Ex -Congolese Vice-president, Caroly Ma Askie, Special Representative of the United Nations in Burundi, and different human rights organization promise international prosecution of perpetrators of the Gatumba massacre.
Orphans are still crying
Widows are suffering
Why no justice for Banyamulenge Tutsis?
Millions of Banyamulenge Tutsis suffering in different camps in Africa.
Jean Claude is deeply indebted to many individuals and organizations who helped him get where he is today. Without their valuable, laborious, selfless and gracious assistance, none of the many accomplishments of HMSV.org to date would have occurred and its future potential would be greatly diminished. Their support was, and is, crucial to Jean Claudes successful advocacy on behalf of Banyamulenge Tutsi victims and survivors.
Additionally, Jean Claude would like to register special thanks to Joe at the African Advocacy Network, whose support was critical in allowing Jean Claude to travel throughout the U.S. to collect testimony from geographically scattered survivors and victims.
Jean Claude would also like to express his appreciation to Carl, with Refugee Transitions, whose editing and conversation have helped Jean Claude to improve his project.
Most all, Jean Claude wishes to express his profound appreciation and gratitude to every survivor and victim who participated in this story by agreeing to provide testimony. Thank you for your energy, your bravery, your grace and kindness, in sharing your stories so others may learn of the Banyamulenge Tutsi survivors and victims of ethnic violence.
To all of his supporters, Jean Claude says the following: You are truly the best and I hope to grow up to be like you one day.
Joe and Adoubou at Africa Advocacy Network (AAN) www.africanadvocacynetwork.org
Katie, Dr.Uwe, Cecilia, Dimple and Annika at Survivors International (SI)
www.survivorsintl.org
Natasha and Kathy at the Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA)
www.cja.org
Lauren, Rasika and Carl at Refugee Transitions (RT)
www.reftrans.org
Gloria at Up Church (Global Connections)
www.gloriaupchurch.com
Jessica at 50 Women Project
www.50womenproject.org
Matthew at Pacific institution
My Brother Mugorotse prosper in Rwanda
Amnesty International
www.airgroup30.org
David Banoge in Burundi
Ruhimbika miller in France
And a very special thank you to Chantal, Dorcas and Norbert for giving HMSV their testimony, which has touched many people throughout the world who now understand the effects of ethnic violence and the need for support for victims and survivors.
"Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a serve unto the nations.
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD"
Jean Claude grew up in eastern Congo and graduated from high school with degrees in the social science and communication.
After leaving Congo during his countrys civil war in 2004, Jean Claude worked with two non-governmental organizations, the Norwegian Refugee Council and the Dutch organization, Health net-TPO. These organizations assisted Jean Claude in a wide variety of ways, among them improving his English and helping him in his campaign to educate the Mwaro, Burundi refugee camps population about HIV/AIDS through theater and poetry. He lived in many refugee camps over several years and this experience gave him both the motivation and knowledge to begin his advocacy work on behalf of other refugees, specifically the Banyamulenge Tutsi. For his innocent efforts on behalf of disempowered people, Jean Claude was apprehended by local authorities and interrogated and tortured before being released.
In 2007 he was granted permission to relocate to the United States as a refugee. He presently resides in Californias Bay Area.
Jean Claude began to devote himself to advocacy for the Banyamulenge Tutsi in 2008. He has dedicated himself to assisting his people in their efforts to rebuild their lives in the U.S. after suffering in their home countries.
Jean Claude has also written a booklet titled,GOD HAS NEVER FAILED TO PROVIDE.
In 2010 he founded Ministries International in California, to proclaim the Kingdom of God to all mankind (Matthew, 9) in order to help the many local Swahili speaking families who long for the familiar and important comfort of worship and social services in their tongue.
Jean Claude also volunteers with the African Advocacy Network, the Dolores Street Community Services and San Francisco Immigration Legal and Education Network.
Jean Claude is fluent in French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Kinyamulenge, Kirundi and Lingala.
p:(510)533-3430 jmusore_hmsv.org www.hmsv.org |www.banyamulengesurvivors.blogspot.com
