SUMMARY

One of RCD's (The Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie, Congolese Rally for Democracy) and Rwanda's main claims when justifying their war against the Kabila government in 1998 was that they intervened to defend the Banyamulenge Congolese, whose ancestors had come from Rwanda, against other Congolese. In the two Kivu regions of DR Congo a conflict between 'foreigners' and the autochthonous tribes had led to a weakened position of the Rwandan descendants. Many Banyamulenge therefore joined the RCD ranks and fought the Congolese government together with Rwanda.

In January 1999 some Banyamulenge in RCD expressed their skepticism towards Rwanda´s real goals, questioning their intentions; accusing Rwanda of trying to legalize a permanent occupation of Kivu. Rwandan soldiers deployed in Uvira felt insulted and clashed with some Banyamulenge connected to the RCD Commander Masunzu. From that point in time the RCD commander Patrick Masunzu was seen as one of the main Banyamulenge leaders.

In January 2002 a new mutiny broke out in Uvira as Masunzu had been writing to leaders RCD-Goma to plea for a peaceful resolution of the conflict between the Banyamulenge and RCD, and to warn for the extermination of the Banyamulenge in the DR Congo. The RCD leadership however, heavily dependent on Rwanda and its views, responded by calling Masunzu a traitor and deserter.

On 17 February the RCD launched an offensive against Masunzu, who had large support from the Banyamulenge community, politically organized in FRF (Forces Républicaines et Fédéralistes, Federal Republican Forces). When the Mayi Mayi militias in Uvira (the Fizi Mayi Mayi from the Babembe and Bafulero ethnic groups) understood that the Banyamulenge forces of Masunzu fought the Rwandans; Masunzu gained their backing as well. Mayi Mayi usually opposed Banyamulenge in Kivu. The Banyamulenge and the Mayi Mayi seem to have fought together from 21 February 2002.

On 20 March the FRF forces of Masunzu managed to take control over the only airstrip in the high plateau region. Fighting continued between RCD and the FRF forces of Masunzu on the High Plateau around Uvira and on 4 April Masunzu was surrounded at Gasinda but heavy fighting continued and the RCD failed to defeat him. Then Rwanda sent in 4000 soldiers in support of RCD and they nearly defeated FRF forces of Masunzu in June before he recruited a new batch of Banyamulenge fighters.

In September and October 2002 Rwanda withdrew their soldiers from the DR Congo under the terms of an agreement signed on 30 July with the Congolese government. After the withdrawal of Rwandan government troops, RCD forces lost control of important parts of South Kivu. A coalition of Patrick Masunzu´s faction and another Banyamulenge group led by a commander called Aron Nyamusheba together with Mayi Mayi defeated the RCD in the port of Uvira on 13 October. On 19 October RCD-Goma retook the town. Fighting continued in January of 2003.

At the end of 2003 Patrick Masunzu and Aaron Nyamushebwa agreed to join the Government of DR Congo and integrate their forces into a new national army. Masunzu became a commander of the 112th Brigade operating in Minembwe. He continued to clash with forces loyal to Rwanda but then as part of the Government of DR Congo.

The non-state conflict between RCD and the FRF forces of Masunzu is first included in UCDP data in 2002. In April of that year an RCD offensive against the FRF forces of Masunzu led to more than 25 battle-related deaths.