The Batwa Pygmies of the Great Lakes Region

Book excerpt: The conflicts in the Great Lakes sub-region of Africa, in particular the terrible genocide in Rwanda in 1994, have been reported on at length. However, little is known or written about one of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the region, the Batwa Pygmies. Pygmies live in a considerable number of Central African countries. They are believed to be the original inhabitants of the equatorial forests of Central Africa. But the Batwa have been displaced and marginalized, first by incoming agriculturalists and pastoralists in the nineteenth century, subsequently, during the colonial period, by the advent of large-scale logging, and most recently by the establishment of game parks. The severe inter and intra-state conflicts of the past decade have undermined their livelihoods and culture even further. The Report focuses on the Batwa living in Burundi, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. It provides an historical account of the Batwa of the region and shows how they have sought to accommodate themselves to changing circumstances, describing their contemporary ways of life as potters and labourers, and their talents as performing artists. Most urgently, it examines the multiple ways in which their rights are violated and documents the ways in which Batwa are now mobilizing to defend and promote their rights. Please note that the terminology in the fields of minority rights and indigenous peoples’ rights has changed over time. MRG strives to reflect these changes as well as respect the right to self-identification on the part of minorities and indigenous peoples. At the same time, after over 50 years’ work, we know that our archive is of considerable interest to activists and researchers. Therefore, we make available as much of our back catalogue as possible, while being aware that the language used may not reflect current thinking on these issues.