The truth lies not in today's borders or politics, but in the brutal legacy of colonialism that divided a continent without consent.
'They call them Rwandans, but history tells a different story.'_ Björn Sundeby
The colonial roots of a crisis
In 1885, the Berlin Conference convened European powers to divide the African continent among themselves. No African leaders were present. The result was a map designed for exploitation, not cohesion- drawn with straight lines that ignored cultures, kingdoms, and communities. Rwanda, Burundi, and parts of what is now eastern DRC were sliced apart and reassembled to suit colonial ambitions.
The Great Lakes Region was particularly affected. Rwanda, then a centralized kingdom with extended influence, found parts of its cultural and linguistic communities fall under colonial Congo's jurisdiction. Colonial powers, notably Belgium moved populations for labor, manipulated ethnic identities for control, and left behind fragile states upon departure.
Case in point: Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese in Kivu
Across both North and South Kivu, Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese communities have long lived as full citizens of Congo. Yet they have been systematically marginalized, stripped of rights, and treated as foreigners simply for sharing a language with neighboring Rwanda. This linguistic marker has become a weapon, used to justify discrimination and even violence.
Laws like the 1981 Citizenship Law retroactively questioned their national status. In public speeches and media broadcasts, some Congolese officials and militia leaders have framed these communities as "invaders," "Rwandan agents," or "non-nationals." This has fueled hate crimes, mass displacements, and targeted killings, especially during and after the Congo Wars and again in recent election periods.
The most devastating truth? Many of these citizens have never known another home. They were born in Congo. Their parents were born in Congo. Yet they are made to feel stateless, punished for borders they never crossed but that were drawn around them.
Stop blaming Rwanda. Start facing history
Blaming Rwanda is easy. It's also lazy. Rwanda did not draw these borders. It did not attend the Berlin Conference. Nor is it responsible for Congo's failure to integrate its own ethnic communities. The real enemy is the unresolved legacy of colonialism, and the refusal to address historical injustices that turned neighbors into enemies.
To build peace, we must start with the truth: Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese are not Rwandan. They are Congolese. Full stop.
A sticky truth: It's not about borders. It's about the money
Here's the hard truth. Eastern Congo is not poor. It is one of the richest regions in Africa. From gold and cobalt to coltan and timber, the wealth of North and South Kivu could transform the entire region. But that wealth is not shared. It is looted by warlords, political elites, and even international actors.
The problem is not ethnic. It's economical. Power is hoarded not to govern better, but to control flows of cash. And the people? They get nothing.
That's why we must stop asking who belongs where and start asking who benefits from what.
Rethinking governance: From Kivu to Switzerland?
What if we turned to models that actually work? Take Switzerlandâ€"a multiethnic, multilingual, decentralized country where local communities govern themselves through cantonal systems. Power is not imposed from the top. It is shared horizontally. The result is peace, order, and shared prosperity.
Can North and South Kivu take a similar path?
A new idea: Building the new Kivu â€" Stable, sustainable, and shared
The crisis in North and South Kivu is not just ethnic- it's structural, rooted in three interconnected failures: security, economic injustice, and political exclusion. Security has collapsed because people no longer trust national forces to protect them, leading to the rise of militias.
The region is economically rich but looted and mismanaged, with wealth extracted by elites while local communities remain in poverty. Politically, the people of Kivu are governed from afar, with little say in decisions that affect their daily lives. To build the New Kivu, all three areas must be addressed together, not in isolation.
This new vision calls for a 'New Kivu Compact'- a regional model grounded in localized governance, transparent economic management, and inclusive politics. Security must be community-driven, with local oversight and reintegration programs for ex-combatants.
The economy must be people-centered, with public-private investments in youth, digital resource tracking, and regional development funds. Politically, Kivu needs regional assemblies with real power, inclusive representation, and civic participation. Inspired by models like Switzerland's decentralization, Burkina Faso's reforms, and IST GROUP's investment model in Rwanda, this compact offers a stable, sustainable, and shared future for one of Africa's richest yet most troubled regions.
Final word: Africa didn't scramble itself, but it can heal itself
Blaming Rwanda is a distraction. The real work is here: fair governance, honest economics, and local empowerment. Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese are not the problem. They are part of the solution. So are the Nande, Havu, Shi, Hunde, Nyanga, and every other community in Kivu. The region can be governed, but not through fear and exclusion. It must be built on partnership, transparency, and peace.
Kivu Land is not just a war zone. It is a land of opportunity if Kivu natives dare to organize it right.
Björn Sundeby
