GOMA, DR CONGO — Senior figures from the Allied Forces of the Congo (AFC), the M23 movement and the Twirwaneho Network gathered in Goma on 13 August 2025 to pay tribute to the Banyamulenge killed in the 2004 Gatumba massacre. Among those leading today’s ceremony were Moïse Nyarugabo, Christian Nangaa and Bertrand Bisimwa, who spoke of unity, remembrance and the urgent need for justice.
- A candlelight vigil at Goma’s central square drew dozens of families, civil society representatives and displaced Banyamulenge community members, who carried placards reading “Justice for Gatumba” and “We Remember the Innocents.”
- Each leader: Moise Nyarugabo, Corneille Nangaa and Bertrand Bisimwa laid wreaths at a memorial plaque listing the names of the victims.
- Speeches emphasized reconciliation among the Great Lakes communities and renewed calls for accountability for those responsible for the 2004 attack.
“Seventeen years on, our wounds remain unhealed until we see truth and justice,” said Moïse Nyarugabo, urging international courts to pursue the case of Agathon Rwasa, alleged mastermind of the massacre.
Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo added, “Commemorating together shows that solidarity transcends politics—and that we will not forget the 150 souls lost in Gatumba.” Bosco Bisimwa concluded, “This ceremony is our pledge: the Banyamulenge will persist in their pursuit of justice.”
- On the night of 13 August 2004, armed assailants attacked a UNHCR-run refugee camp in Gatumba, western Burundi, killing more than 150 Congolese refugees—mostly Banyamulenge Tutsi—who had fled conflict in South Kivu Province.
- The massacre is widely regarded as a crime against humanity, yet no senior perpetrators have been convicted, fueling decades of calls for international intervention and reparations.
Commemorations marking the 21st anniversary of the Gatumba massacre have unfolded across the region:
- In Bukavu, local Banyamulenge leaders held a memorial service themed “Honoring Victims, Seeking Justice,” joined by representatives from Rwanda, Belgium, Canada and the United States.
- At the Mahama refugee camp in Rwanda, survivors and their families marched in silence and denounced ongoing impunity for crimes against the Banyamulenge community.
Organizers in Goma have announced plans to turn remembrance into action, including:
- A joint petition to the International Criminal Court demanding investigations into the 2004 attacks.
- A community-driven oral history project to record survivor testimonies and preserve the memory of those lost.
- Workshops on conflict prevention and reconciliation, bringing together Congolese, Burundian and Rwandan youth.
As the Great Lakes region reflects on Gatumba’s legacy, Goma’s ceremony stands as a testament to resilience and a clarion call for justice that still echoes, nineteen years later.
