Rwanda: Information on the Hindiro tribe; more precisely its location, history, language and treatment by the authorities; whether this tribe is part of the Royal family, and whether there is protection for its members in Rwanda

Information on the Hindiro tribe could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to Léon Delmas book Généalogies de la noblesse (les Batutsi) du Ruanda, Bahindiro is the name given to the descendants of three Rwandans kings of the nineteenth century: Yuhi IV Gahindiro, Mutara II de Rwogera and Kigeri IV de Rwabugiri (1950, 80n, 1). The Bahindiro are considered to be a family of the royal clan of the Banyiginya (MDR Jan. 1999). According to Léon Delmas, the Banyiginya constitute the nobility of the Batutsi (or Tutsi), an ethnic group in Rwanda (1950, 3, 18).

In 1959, 68.9% of the chiefs in Rwanda were from the Banyinginya clan and 28.9% were from the Bahindiro family (CEPEP Jan. 2002, 30). The Centre français sur la population et le développement (CEPEP) said that the Banyiginya clan was the "prevalent dynasty" at that time since the Rudahigwa King had adopted a policy that explicitly promoted his clan, (the Banyiginya), and, more particularly, his family, the Bahindiro (ibid.).

For more information on the Banyiginya clan including its language, history, origin and treatment by governmental authorities, please consult RWA39892.E of 31 October 2002. For information on languages spoken in Rwanda, please see RWA29320.F of 6 May 1998, and information on the treatment of individuals suspected of wanting to restore the monarchy in Rwanda, please see RWA40124.F of 8 November 2002.

Information on the protection available to the Bahindiro family could not be found amongst the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Centre français sur la population et le développement (CEPEP). January 2002. Gakusi Albert-Enéas and Michel Garenne. Contexte économique et socio-politique de la santé publique au Rwanda : de 1900 à 1992. Les Dossiers du CEPEP, No. 69. [Accessed 1 Aug. 2003]

Delmas, Léon. 1950. Généalogies de la noblesse (les Batutsi) du Ruanda. Kabgayi: Vicariat apostolique du Ruanda.

Mouvement Démocratique Républicain (MDR). January 1999. Rwanda: La désintégration d'un état ou d'un peuple. [Accessed 29 July 2002]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

Dialog

Ethnic Groups Worldwide

Leave None to Tell the Story

The Shallow Grave of Rwanda

Unsuccessful attempts to contact oral sources

World Directory of Minorities

Internet sites, including:

AllAfrica.com

Amnesty International

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2002

Dannish Immigration Service

European Country of Origin Information Network

Ethnologue

Human Rights Watch

The International Monarchist League

Jeune Afrique / L'Intelligent

Minorities at Risk

Norwegian Refugee Council

Thousands of Newspapers on the Web

World Press Review

Search engine, including:

Copernic

Google