A Rwandan national Cyusa Nkurunziza living in Brussels, Belgium was attacked by a group of young Congolese nationals that severely damaged his eye. He is currently hospitalized.
Nkurunziza lives in “Matonge-porte de Namur” a place that is fast becoming a war turf between Rwandan’s and Congolese migrants.
Nkurunziza told IGIHE by phone that the incident happened at night as he was returning from a local pub with his girlfriend Louise Munyaneza.
Munyaneza also told IGIHE that it all started after Nkurunziza caught two young men trying to approach her and warned them to stay away.
The Pub is a common hang out for many young Rwandan’s and Congolese “the only problem is that many of the youth’s here have certain turfs that are not supposed to be crossed” says Nkurunziza.
Nkurunziza stated “here we have rules, Rwandan’s don’t flirt with the girlfriends of the Congolese and they don’t flirt with ours, if u do then it will come down to a fight.”
As Muneyneza recalls, they were at least 200 meters from Nkurunziza’s residence when he told her to turn and run across the street and knock on the first apartment she arrives upon. “I hadn’t noticed the two three men following us, but I know the area was safer.”
Before Munyeneza could run she was knocked down from behind and only managed to escape because they thought she was unconscious. Whereas for Nkurunziza he was severely beaten and cut several times on his face whiling taunting him that no girl would look at his face again, and told to go back to Rwanda before they left him and ran.
Munyeneza found help and took her boyfriend to the hospital, where he is quickly recovering, except for the eye that was injured during the fight that has left him one-eyed. Nkrunziza says he was very lucky to have gotten out of the fight alive.
The Fights between the two communities is said to have been plaguing the streets of ‘Matonge isxelles’ over the last few months.
The rift between the two communities has become worse over the last year. “Before it was just about saving turfs for business, now it about everything, the belief that Rwandan nationals are taking their district, business, and women from them has turned impatient tolerance into extreme violence,” explained Munyaneza.
She added that,“it wasn’t always like this, and not all are mean. Previously we would be glad to meet our fellow Africans now we don’t know whether to shake their hands or run.”
“It is truly worrying for Rwandan citizens that live in this area, we are either forced to fight or forced to move, we came here for the same opportunities but we have also become a threat to them here, why the hate?” inquires Nkurunziza.
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