Introduction
In the debate on the protection of minority peoples throughout the world, we often talk about minority populations coming from outside and established in another country. Unfortunately, the true indigenous and minority people are often forgotten, having already been assimilated by invaders or conquerors. This is the case of the Pygmy people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), who risk seeing their culture become extinct.
The Pygmies live by hunting and gathering.
The pygmies: the first occupants of the DR Congo
The history of the country, as it is known by ethnologists and historians, demonstrates that we, the pygmies, are the first occupants of the DR Congo. We are the original Congolese, born from Congolese territory according to divine creation. No historian has ever proven another origin of the pygmies, apart from the region of the Central Basin of Africa, mainly in DR Congo. Thus, DR Congo has always been the country of pygmies.
A culture in harmony with nature
In this same story, we discover that the pygmies had a culture that prospered thanks to a generous nature. They did not destroy the environment, but protected it, because their survival depended on it. They watched over the fauna and flora, living by collecting and hunting small game, as well as gathering, like the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, these people were invaded by the Bantu and other peoples from outside, in addition to the Bantu, and were forced to leave their favorable habitat. They were driven from the equatorial forest to the provinces of DR Congo where they lived by hunting and gathering, but in inhumane conditions, exposed to the dangers of the rainy climate, diseases transmitted by flies and mosquitoes, as well as only cold.
Current challenges and consequences of wars
With the creation of National Parks, the pygmies were chased out of the forests which had become protected areas and were reduced to begging around these parks. They are discriminated against, marginalized and neglected in all aspects of the country’s public life. The wars of aggression which have shaken the country since 1996 have seriously undermined the rights of indigenous Pygmy peoples, particularly in the provinces of South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri, notably in the territories of Kabare, Kalehe, Masisi, Nyiragongo and Rutchuru. They are deprived of land rights, the right to life, health, education and work. Families live in precariousness, desperately looking for something to eat. They have no cultivable land and are content to beg or steal from the Bantu fields. They are deprived of housing and clothing. Pygmy women face difficult childbirths and many of them die giving birth. The rare children who are born are often victims of malnutrition and lack of breastfeeding. Women, men and children are dressed sparsely, wearing only fiber pasties.
The situation of Pygmy children is catastrophic.
The neglect and abandonment of the authorities
Despite the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which affirms that these peoples are equal to all others, the pygmies of DR Congo continue to be neglected and ignored by the government. We therefore request the intervention of the United Nations to put pressure on our government so that it takes us into consideration and grants us territory on our ancestral lands. DR Congo still has nearly 80% virgin forests, while local laws declare that the land and subsoil belong to the state. Unfortunately, the State fails to ensure the stability and settlement of our Pygmy people, who are the first refugees or displaced within their own country.
Parents and children live in a desperate situation, each looking for where to find food. They have no fields to cultivate and are content to beg here and there, or even steal from the Bantu fields. They have no house, no clothes.
The current situation and the call for help
The pygmies are victims of attacks from all sides and live in constant displacement. Despite the presence of numerous humanitarian NGOs in DR Congo, none of them take care of the pygmy camps. Aid is distributed to displaced people who have means, while pygmies are stigmatized and excluded. Wherever there are displaced people, pygmies are present, but when it comes to distributing food and aid, it is the Bantu people who benefit thanks to bond systems.
The struggle for survival and integration
Faced with this neglect and abandonment, ICCOD-ONG, a local national organization initiated by Pygmy children and other members of the community, is committed to providing social and economic support to our people. This organization coordinates all activities related to our psycho-social integration, because we are a long-traumatized people who seek to rebuild themselves. The ICCOD-ONG intervenes in all areas of life and development, such as the protection of the environment and ecology, human rights, agro-pastoralism, fishing, beekeeping , protection of children in times of war, education, health, nutrition, pacification and mediation in conflicts.
Conclusion
With the looming threat of cultural extinction and the challenges facing the Pygmy people in DR Congo, there is an urgent need to take action to protect this indigenous minority group. The United Nations and the international community must pay particular attention to the pygmies and exert pressure on the Congolese government to take measures for their protection and integration. It is also crucial that humanitarian NGOs increase their efforts to provide adequate assistance to the pygmies, recognizing their specific needs and including them in their aid programs. The ICCOD-ONG already plays an important role in supporting and empowering pygmies, but it needs everyone’s support to continue its actions in favor of this marginalized people.