Kris Berwouts (1963-2023) studied African linguistics and history at Ghent University. He worked for a quarter of a century for various Belgian and international NGOs, including 11.11.11. and EURAC. He also wrote blogs for the magazine MO* for many years.
Kris Berwouts knew the Great Lakes region like no other. He published reports on the political, military and social situation in Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. Journalists and diplomats could turn to him to unravel the often inextricable knots of local politics.
In addition to the blogs and articles that were also published in international media, he also wrote books about it. ‘Congo’s violent peace’ from 2017 unraveled the complicated tangle of militias, resource hunters and political stakeholders in Eastern Congo. David Van Reybrouck was enthusiastic: “There are few people with a better view of Congo, its main characters, its themes that matter and its historical background than Kris Berwouts". In his second book, ‘My life as a mushamuka’ he proudly bore the title of old wise man in the family: ‘I want to share a number of insights and describe phenomena from a very personal perspective, that of a very involved outsider who is nevertheless part of the event, and not an observer on the sidelines.“
Kris Berwouts had an exceptionally large address book full of local experts, activists and journalists. He was very attached to the young daredevils of the Congolese human rights movements Lucha and Filimbi. He saw in them a hopeful generation of young Africans who could also make the difference in the rest of the continent between a corrupt and repressive policy and a society that can utilise the freedoms and opportunities of young people.