The writer is Mr. Mugabe Grace, an international peace writer, Journalist, researcher and a university lecturer
Denying the rights and peace to humanity has hampered the lives of Africans leaving them in a state of quagmire. This is evidenced in the region, where Congolese Tutsi population have faced it rough. They have been exterminated and killed as flies in their habitat. The Kinyarwanda speaking community from Eastern DRC has seen it rough in their home land where estimated thousands have fled their country in search for safety and peace. This brought to the attention of peace lovers who see the international community as traitors.
In this regard therefore, the international community has not done much to stem the tide of killings and violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It has instead sided with the tormentors, finalizing the plan that has been in store house for decades. As it is documented, the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was planned before time and put in action in 1994 hence leading to the extermination of over one million innocent Tutsi population. The act that shocked and paralyzed the whole world had left many unanswered questions; Are all human beings equal before God?
Do humans have natural blood? Do they have rights to live? As the bible says all human beings were created by God and are therefore equal before him. This therefore aligns with the teachings of various religious traditions, particularly Christianity and Islam, which emphasize that all individuals are created in the image of God and possess equal inherent and value, although humans may be different in their circumstances and abilities.
Notably, when analyzing the issues of racial and gender equality in the region it is Christo- clear that it can be easy to move on with this critical analysis. However, it is not how God sees his people. The Apostle Paul wrote: “There is no neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28)
God sees all the individuals in His Creation as unique and equal. Why then kill his race. Are you God? Even God does not kill his people. Its only Satan that kills. When the world key players side with tyrants and keep a deaf ear about what is happening in the Eastern DR Congo reminds us about the Berlin conference which scrambled Africa and left it in a sorry state.
The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 resulted in the unjust partition of Africa by European powers, creating arbitrary borders that ignored existing African societies, cultures, and ethnic groups, leading to lasting problems such as political instability, economic exploitation, resource extraction, forced labor, the suppression of African cultures, and ongoing conflicts rooted in those colonial boundaries.
From a European colonial perspective, it was justified by economic and political motivations—competition for resources, power, and trade routes. However, from an African perspective, it was unjust because it led to exploitation, cultural disruption, loss of sovereignty, and decades of oppression. The lack of African representation in the decisions made the process deeply flawed and illegitimate.
By understanding how colonial borders grouped or divided communities, we can better analyze modern political and ethnic tensions in countries like Nigeria, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which can be traced back to colonial-era decisions.
Drawing from the above experiences and sufferings therefore, the marginalized Africans need peace, hope, security and freedom to live decent lives and create an environment for peace building and conflict transformation.
The denial of people’s rights and peace has severe consequences for both individuals and societies as such as:
- Psychological harm: Victims can suffer from severe trauma, anxiety, and depression, and may lose their sense of self-worth and trust in others.
- Social breakdown: It creates a cycle of injustice and dysfunction, leading to increased mistrust and division within communities.
- Escalation of conflict: Ignoring human rights grievances is a root cause of violent conflict and civil unrest, creating cycles of violence.
- Impeded development: Denial of rights hinders access to essential services like healthcare and education, impacting the overall quality of life and preventing sustainable development.
