DRC Conflict

The Deadly Power of Hate Speech in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Hate speech is tearing through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), fueling ethnic divisions, inciting violence, and deepening an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis. From the streets of Goma to the villages of Kasai, incendiary words are weaponized, fracturing communities and perpetuating a cycle of fear and bloodshed.

A report by a coalition of civil society organizations, including the Congolese Center for Justice and Peace Studies (CCJPS), exposes the devastating impact of hate speech in the DRC. It reveals how rhetoric rooted in ethnic hostility accelerates violence, displacement, and mistrust in a nation already grappling with decades of instability and the ongoing war in its eastern regions.

In Goma, North Kivu, a false narrative accusing the Tutsi community of supporting the M23 rebel group spreads rapidly, amplified by local leaders and social media platforms. This incitement triggers mob violence, leading to looting, destruction, and the mass displacement of Tutsi families. Jeanette, a shopkeeper, recounts the night her store was attacked: “They called us traitors and told us we didn’t belong here. We lost everything.”

In Ituri Province, targeted hate speech against the Hema community ignites militia attacks that devastate villages. Survivors describe being hunted solely for their ethnicity, fleeing with nothing as homes are burned and lives are destroyed. A farmer who narrowly escapes with his family recalls, “They came with machetes, shouting that we were the enemy. We ran for our lives.”

Kasai is no stranger to this violence. Political leaders exploit tribal divisions to consolidate power, stoking animosity between the Luba and Kuba communities. In 2023, clashes erupt after a local politician brands the Kuba people as “outsiders,” leaving dozens dead and thousands displaced.

Social media intensifies the crisis. Platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp become unchecked arenas for misinformation and hate-filled rhetoric, triggering riots and attacks. In Bukavu, South Kivu, a viral video falsely accusing an ethnic group of harboring rebels sparks deadly unrest. Activists struggle to counter these narratives as tech companies fail to curb harmful content.

Between 2022 and 2025, hate-fueled violence displaces over 200,000 people and claims hundreds of lives. In Goma, businesses close and families remain trapped in a state of constant fear. The psychological toll is immense as survivors attempt to rebuild amid persistent threats.

China, a community leader from Rutshuru, North Kivu, captures the gravity of the situation: “Hate speech isn’t just words—it’s a poison. It spreads fear, destroys trust, and fuels war. If we don’t stop it, we’ll destroy ourselves.”

The report also highlights the complicity of government leaders in this crisis. President Félix Tshisekedi and his administration face widespread criticism for failing to address the root causes of hate speech and for exploiting ethnic tensions as a political tool. Instead of uniting communities, the government exacerbates divisions to distract from governance failures, including poverty, corruption, and the weak rule of law.

The Banyamulenge, a Tutsi-speaking minority, remain a primary target. Political leaders and online narratives frame them as foreign invaders or allies of Rwanda, fueling hostility. In 2023, a senior official from the Ministry of Justice refers to the Banyamulenge as “a cancer that must be removed.” Such rhetoric emboldens militias to act with impunity, leading to massacres like the destruction of Minembwe, where survivors report being abandoned by authorities.

Rwandophones in Goma and surrounding areas endure similar hostility. In late 2023, protests against alleged Rwandan support for M23 rebels devolve into violent attacks against Rwandophone communities. Businesses are looted, homes burned, and families driven into exile. Local officials, instead of restoring order, often amplify the dangerous rhetoric.

Critics accuse the government of weaponizing identity politics to obscure its failures, undermining peace and trust between communities. Jean-Paul Kabamba, a political analyst in Kinshasa, remarks, “The government uses ethnic hatred to distract from its inability to address poverty, corruption, and institutional collapse. Instead of solving problems, it creates enemies.”

Hate speech spreads unchecked on social media, where misinformation thrives. Platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp fail to implement effective moderation, allowing ethnic slurs and calls for violence to go viral. Despite growing pressure from human rights organizations, tech companies remain unresponsive, compounding the crisis.

International partners call for urgent action, urging the government to enforce laws against hate speech and hold perpetrators accountable. However, as long as the DRC’s leadership remains complicit or indifferent, meaningful change appears unlikely.

The ongoing war in eastern DRC adds a brutal dimension to this crisis. Militia groups seize upon hate speech to justify attacks, targeting ethnic communities under the pretext of defending their own. The cycle of violence intensifies, dragging the region deeper into chaos.

As the country approaches the 2025 elections, the stakes are higher than ever. The Tshisekedi administration must choose whether to perpetuate division or confront the systemic issues fueling hate speech and violence. For communities like the Banyamulenge, Rwandophones, and countless others caught in the crossfire, the time for action is long overdue.

The report, Hate Speech and Violence: Status Report in the DRC (2022–2024), warns that hate speech is not just a precursor to conflict but a direct driver of it. “To combat hate speech is not just a moral imperative but a necessity for the survival of the nation,” it concludes.

Without decisive action, the legacy of hate speech will continue to haunt the DRC, leaving broken communities and shattered lives in its wake. The question remains: does the government have the courage to act, or will it let the nation descend further into division and destruction?

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