The remarks, made during an RTNC program hosted by Minister of Information and Government Spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, urged medical professionals not to treat anyone associated with M23 and, if necessary, to kill them.
Human rights organisations and civil society groups have condemned the statements, warning that such rhetoric risks turning ethnic discrimination in healthcare into a weapon of war. Doctors, they note, are sworn to treat all patients without bias.
Analysts suggest Abdallah's comments are part of a broader pattern of hate speech in the DRC, targeting Tutsi communities and specifically members of AFC/M23, including professionals such as doctors. In North and South Kivu, some Tutsis have reportedly begun avoiding certain hospitals due to rising ethnic hostility.
Human rights groups in Kinshasa and Goma have called on the government to publicly condemn the remarks and hold Abdallah accountable, emphasising that all Congolese, regardless of political or ethnic affiliation, are entitled to equal access to healthcare.
Bruno Lemarquis, Deputy Special Representative to the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), recently condemned the spread of hate speech, noting that it undermines unity and fuels conflict.
'Hate speech continues to permeate daily life, families, and social media, often sparking discrimination and threatening reconciliation efforts,' he said.
The rhetoric has intensified following renewed clashes involving the AFC/M23 rebel movement, which advocates for the rights of Kinyarwanda-speaking Tutsi Congolese. Some senior officials have labelled the communities as foreigners due to their language, fueling rising tensions and reinforcing perceptions of Tutsis as enemies.
Videos circulating in recent years have depicted attacks on Tutsi civilians, highlighting fears about escalating ethnic violence in the region.
IGIHE
