Manipulation Using the Category of “Fellow/Stranger” in the Eastern Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Manipulation Using the Category of “Fellow/Stranger” in the Eastern Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Summary/Abstract: At the end of the last century, the Democratic Republic of the Congo became an arena of violent conflicts between the Hunde, Nande, and Hutu ethnic groups fighting against emigrants from Rwanda. The antagonisms concerned land rights, settlement, and use of raw material deposits, and resulted in the acceptance of divisions into one’s own and foreigners. Tutsi refugees from Rwanda were in the spotlight. The article was based on the analysis of the literature on the subject and media reports, as well as field research conducted in May and June 2023 in Rwanda. Apart from the analysis and critical review of collected materials, non-participant observation and interviews were used as research methods. The study discusses the role of the fellow/stranger category when used as a political tool, mainly in the form of a political myth.

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