ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the role played by the Zairean government in the Rwandese crisis, but only after providing the demographic, political, and economic background on the Banyarwanda in Zaire, which includes both Hutu and Tutsi. It examines the demography of the region of Zaire occupied by the Banyarwanda, their native-born cousins and other ethnic groups. The chapter describes the political culture of the Banyarwanda and their economic role within Zaire. It deals with the relationship between Zaire and Rwanda Patriotic Front invasion of Rwanda. The Kivu region, located on the Eastern side of Zaire, shares borders with Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania. The antagonistic relationship between the Banyarwanda and other ethnic groups reached a breaking point when, in 1981, Zaireans of Rwandese extraction lost their Zairean citizenship by the cancellation of the law of 5 January 1972, which had recognized Zairean citizenship for most Banyarwanda.
