On April 20, more than 3,000 members of the Banyamulenge diaspora gathered in Washington, D.C. for a peaceful day of action. They came from across the United States. Some driving for hours, even days, others flying in from coast to coast, with one purpose: to break the silence surrounding the violence facing our community in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Banyamulenge are a Congolese Tutsi ethnic minority from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite living there for generations, our identity and belonging have long been questioned, leaving our community vulnerable to cycles of exclusion and violence.
This cycle dates back to the early 1960s and has taken different forms over time. Since 2017, however, it has intensified in a more systematic and devastating way. Banyamulenge communities have faced widespread killings, the destruction of villages and the looting of cattle, which are the backbone of their livelihood. In many areas, communities have been encircled by armed groups, cutting off access to local markets, health care, and basic survival needs. More recently, community accounts indicate that communication has also been disrupted, including limitations on access to phone and internet services, further isolating affected populations.
Today, Banyamulenge areas are being surrounded by armed actors, including elements of the Congolese army, Wazalendo militias and allied foreign forces from Burundi. Homes, churches and entire villages have been burned or destroyed. The violence has resulted in widespread displacement, destruction of critical infrastructure including schools and health facilities, and loss of livelihoods for many Banyamulenge families in South Kivu. Many are now living in internally displaced persons camps with little to no humanitarian assistance, amid blocked aid access and the absence of secure humanitarian corridors. Families have been stripped not only of economic stability, but also of the ability to live with dignity. What is unfolding is not isolated; it reflects a pattern of targeted destruction, exclusion and forced displacement.
At a time when the atrocities we are experiencing receive little international attention, the protest in Washington, D.C. revealed a quiet but undeniable truth: that a small, often overlooked diaspora is choosing nonviolence to call for dignity, protection and justice. For me, this moment is not abstract, it reflects the lived experience of families like mine, and the urgency of a crisis that too often goes unseen.
We organized because silence is no longer an option. For too long, the suffering of our community has gone largely unnoticed by the international community and underreported in global media. Families are being displaced, and lives are being lost, yet the world remains quiet.
As members of the diaspora, we felt a responsibility to speak out: to raise awareness, to call for the protection of civilians, and to urge policymakers and institutions to pay attention to what is unfolding. Our decision to organize through nonviolent action is intentional. It reflects both our values and our belief that meaningful, lasting change requires engagement, visibility and accountability.
This day of action was built from the ground up, not by large institutions, but by ordinary community members united by a shared sense of urgency. In a short period of time, people across multiple states organized, coordinated and mobilized. Many took time off work, traveled long distances and contributed what they could to make this gathering possible.
As Douglas Kabunda, president of the Mahoro Peace Association, explained, the effort took shape rapidly through grassroots coordination. Local chapters across cities and states played a central role, with communication driven largely through WhatsApp groups and community networks. “The organizing came together in about four weeks because people were already ready,” Douglas said. “What the community needed was good leadership and coordination.” What began as conversations quickly evolved into a coordinated national mobilization, demonstrating the strength, resilience and commitment of a community determined to be heard, even in the face of the suffering of loved ones in the DRC.
Standing in Washington, D.C., surrounded by thousands of fellow Banyamulenge, alongside others in solidarity, was both powerful and deeply emotional. Families, elders and young people stood side by side in a peaceful demonstration of solidarity. There was a clear sense of purpose in the air, not anger but determination. That discipline was essential, it reflected a conscious effort to channel pain into constructive, peaceful advocacy. We gathered not only to be seen and heard, but to ensure that what is happening to our people is no longer ignored.
Beyond the public gathering, participants also engaged directly with policymakers, holding meetings with U.S. senators, representatives and their staff. These engagements were a central part of the strategy, ensuring that our advocacy moved beyond visibility to direct dialogue with decision-makers who have the ability to influence policy and response.
This day of action was part of a broader global mobilization. Banyamulenge communities have organized similar peaceful efforts in countries such as Kenya, the United Kingdom, Canada and Belgium, reflecting a shared and urgent call for justice, protection and survival.
At the same time, many Banyamulenge in exile remain unable to organize publicly due to security risks and political constraints. Yet their concern remains just as strong. Across borders, Banyamulenge share the same fear, urgency and hope for the safety and survival of our people.
A similar dynamic exists within the Democratic Republic of Congo itself. There have been instances in which Banyamulenge officers serving in the national army face rejection when deployed, sometimes labeled as outsiders and not fully accepted in the areas they are assigned to serve. In some cases, this has led to withdrawal, highlighting deeper issues of mistrust and exclusion. These experiences point to a difficult reality: even when Banyamulenge serve within national institutions, their identity can continue to be questioned.
Even as rain fell during the protest in Washington, participants refused to take shelter. When asked why, several responded, “This is how people are living in Minembwe.” It was a quiet but powerful act of solidarity, an effort to physically share, even in a small way, the hardship faced by those back home.
Among those present was Amoni Kayamba, an 83-year-old community elder who had traveled from Louisville to be there. For him, attending was not symbolic; it was his contribution. In his words, being present was the least he could do to stand with his people, bear witness to their suffering and ensure that the plight of the Banyamulenge is not forgotten. Though saddened by the ongoing violence and displacement affecting his community, he felt a responsibility to contribute in whatever way he could.
Our message is simple, but urgent. We are calling for clear recognition of the violence affecting our community and an end to the silence surrounding it. We are calling for the protection of civilians, immediate, meaningful measures to ensure that Banyamulenge communities can live without fear of attack, displacement or isolation. And we are calling for accountability for those responsible.
We urge U.S. policymakers, international organizations and global partners to move beyond statements and take concrete action, steps that prioritize civilian protection, human rights and long-term stability in the region.
At its core, this is about dignity. It is about the right of our people to live safely in the land they have called home for generations, to exist without fear, and to have their humanity recognized and protected.
These concerns are consistent with core principles of international humanitarian law, including those reflected in the Geneva Conventions governing the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Continued inaction risks reinforcing the very conditions that allow such patterns of violence and displacement to persist.
Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has endured decades of conflict, marked by the presence of multiple armed groups, both domestic and foreign, and recurring cycles of displacement. Within this complex and often fragmented crisis, civilian populations, particularly minority communities, continue to face heightened vulnerability.
In this environment, communities such as the Banyamulenge, Hema and other Tutsi populations, alongside other affected groups, have experienced repeated patterns of insecurity, displacement and marginalization. Many families have been forced from their homes, with limited access to basic necessities including food, healthcare, education and stable livelihoods. In some areas, insecurity and isolation have further restricted movement and access to local markets, deepening already fragile living conditions.
These realities reflect a broader challenge: when conflict becomes prolonged and fragmented, the consequences are rarely confined to one community. Civilian populations across different groups are often affected, with the most vulnerable bearing the greatest burden while receiving limited international attention. This limited visibility is not incidental, it has allowed patterns of violence, exclusion and displacement to persist with insufficient scrutiny or response.
Understanding this broader context is essential to explaining why diaspora communities are stepping forward now, not only to respond to immediate suffering, but to bring attention to a long-standing pattern of marginalization and erasure.
For years, many displaced Banyamulenge communities have received little to no humanitarian assistance due to insecurity, restricted access and the absence of secure humanitarian corridors. Toward the end of April 2026 following increased advocacy efforts, and continued calls for civilian protection, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was able to deliver humanitarian assistance to Minembwe. Although the assistance reached only one site and remains far from sufficient given the scale of need, local communities welcomed the effort as an important and long-awaited step toward humanitarian access.
The April 20 Day of Action in Washington reflects more than a moment of protest, it highlights a gap between the realities faced by affected communities and the level of international attention they receive. When this gap persists, it raises difficult but necessary questions about whose suffering is prioritized, and whose is allowed to remain overlooked. When civilian populations face repeated displacement, insecurity and limited access to basic services, it raises broader concerns about the consistency of civilian protection in conflict settings.
Nonviolent mobilization by diaspora communities plays an important role in addressing this gap. By organizing peacefully and engaging public institutions, they demonstrate that nonviolence is not passive, it is an active, strategic effort to influence systems, shape narratives and demand accountability.
Ultimately, the significance of this moment lies not only in the event itself, but in what it calls for: greater attention, more consistent protection of civilians and a response that aligns with widely recognized humanitarian principles.
As a member of the Banyamulenge community, this is not just a story, it is deeply personal. It is about families like mine and lives shaped by a crisis the world rarely sees. It is also about something larger: the enduring power of nonviolent, community-led action. What we witnessed in Washington was not only a protest; it was a declaration that silence will no longer define our reality. The question is no longer whether the world is aware, but whether it is willing to respond. It was a clear example of how communities, even in the face of profound suffering, can choose a path of nonviolent action to assert their dignity and demand recognition.
Founded in 1964 to advance research on the conditions of peace and the causes of war and violence — with five regional associations covering every corner of the planet — the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) is the world’s most established multi-disciplinary professional organization in the field of peace, human rights and conflict studies.
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