Bwegera

Bwegera is a village in the Bafuliiru Chiefdom in the Uvira Territory of South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bwegera has an elevation of 952 meters and is situated in the vicinity of the Kakamba and Nyaruhuhuma villages. The region It's crossed by Lake Tanganyika, providing a vital source of water and transportation for the local inhabitants. Bwegera is rich in building materials such as rubble, sand, and baked bricks, making it an ideal location for construction and development. The region also encompasses a vast rural area where agriculture, animal breeding, and fishing are the primary means of livelihood. The fertile land and favorable climate provide ideal conditions for growing a variety of crops, including maize, beans, cassava, and sorghum. Furthermore, the region's proximity to the lake makes fishing a crucial economic activity, providing a source of food and income for many families. Bwegera is inhabited by heterogeneous Fuliiru and Vira populations who share cultural similarities and practice agriculture, hunting, fishing, animal husbandry and artisanal handicraft. The region is also home to a small number of Bembe and Barundi. For over 27 years, Bwegera has been devastated and experienced pernicious violence, notably during the First and Second Congo Wars of 1996–2003, where thousands of Hutu refugees and Zairian civilians were killed, and over a million people displaced, rendering them excruciating suffering in October 1996 when AFDL (Alliance des Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Congo-Zaïre) invaded Zaire from Rwanda. First Congo War and Massacres of Hutus during the First Congo War In the early stages of the First Congo War, Bwegera served as the AFDL gateway to eastern Zaire, where the AFDL troops split up into several villages and conducted widespread and systematic attacks against the eleven Hutu refugee camps and Zairian civilians. With the help of the Burundian army and Banyamulenge soldiers, the AFDL troops captured and killed refugees at point-blank range who were trying to flee to the neighboring villages.