Today, grief weighs heavily on the hearts of the Banyamulenge in Congo and around the world. The loss of our hero, Colonel Rugabisha, has shaken every Munyamulenge across the globe. We have lost not just a soldier, but a brother, a leader, a symbol of resilience. A valiant warrior has fallen, but his spirit lives on in each of us.
Yet, even in our sorrow, we hold our heads high. Colonel Rugabisha was more than a soldier—he was a man of honor, an unwavering guardian of our land, a beacon of courage. He did not waver; he did not surrender. He sacrificed his life at the altar of duty, defending the sovereignty of his country, the Democratic Republic of Congo. His legacy will forever echo through the mountains and valleys of our homeland.
Reflecting on such a sacrifice, Mao Tse Tung once declared: “Some deaths are heavier than a mountain, while others are lighter than a feather. To die for the people and for the territorial integrity of one’s country is weightier than a mountain, but to die serving fascists is lighter than a feather.” How tragic it is that some among us have chosen the latter path! They have abandoned their people, selling their souls to the enemies of our nation. Their deaths will not be mourned, for they have betrayed their homeland without pity or remorse.
None of us can ignore that our country is under attack. However, the defining question remains: as a Congolese community, between the enemies of our nation and our government, where do we, the Banyamulenge, stand? Our country is not just our land—it is our identity, our pride, and the very essence of our existence. To abandon it is to forsake who we are.
The death of our hero has shown us the way forward: to pledge unwavering loyalty to our government and to stand fearlessly against any invasion or external aggression. This is the moment to reclaim our story, to ensure that history remembers us not as victims, but as a people who stood tall in the face of adversity. Great men are not born at the summit—they rise, they struggle, they fight, and they conquer.
Let us raise the flag of Congo high, let us honor the sacrifice of Colonel Rugabisha by walking the path he traced with his own blood. The fatherland or death!
