**Goma: Between Deceptive Calm and Urgent Humanity**
The city of Goma, located on the shores of Lake Kivu, experiences a daily reality marked by violence and political tensions. This morning, the population was able to enjoy relative calm, contrasting with the tumultuous nights of exchanges of fire that hit the northern districts, notably Mejengo, Buhene and Turunga. However, this return to “normality” is fleeting and is accompanied by a series of humanitarian challenges that are becoming increasingly pressing.
The recent fighting has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in a region already marked by instability. While Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams report a massive influx of wounded at Kyeshero hospital, other NGOs, aware of the recent limitations in terms of intervention capacity, are preparing to reinforce their teams on the ground. With more than 650,000 displaced people already registered in camps near Goma, the arrival of new waves of refugees is creating additional pressure on already stretched resources.
It is pertinent to ask why Goma, a city with potentially rich resources, remains an epicentre of persistent suffering. By cross-referencing historical data and socio-economic indicators, we can observe that conflict has systematically undermined development efforts. According to UN statistics, nearly 80% of Congolese live on less than USD 1.90 per day, the international poverty line, highlighting the extent of inequality and despair in the face of the intensifying pandemic of violence. Dependence on humanitarian aid has become the norm for many families, making the situation in areas recently affected by the fighting even more dramatic.
President Félix Tshisekedi’s statement calling the situation an “attack on the Republic” resonates like an echo of Congo’s historical discourses on resistance. National rhetoric – rooted in Congolese pride and arrogance – seeks to galvanize minds and reinforce a sense of unity in the face of adversity. However, can this promise of a “vigorous response” really be articulated around an effective military strategy without taking into account the deep needs and aspirations of the populace? A centralized approach, often focused on the immediate results of military operations, can neglect the local dimensions essential to sustainable pacification.
To truly begin a cycle of peace, investment in community reconstruction and reconciliation initiatives is imperative. The return to security cannot be achieved solely by strengthening the army; it also requires the involvement of civilian actors in the collective imagination of the nation. Awareness-raising, education and intercommunity dialogue programmes must become a priority, in order to combat the growing indifference of a community exhausted by decades of conflict.
The obvious presence of members of the M23 armed group in certain neighbourhoods of Goma highlights the fragility of the situation in which these populations find themselves. For many, these are the consequences of a system where inequalities persist, fuelling tensions that are not only political but also economic. Observing the internal dynamics of the M23 reveals that this group, despite its image as a military facet, also capitalises on social and economic frustrations.
The future of Goma, and beyond that of the entire Democratic Republic of Congo, will thus depend on a deeply rooted understanding of these multidimensional dynamics, essential to building a peaceful future. The voices of those who suffer must not simply be echoes sent to leaders, but also a call for shared responsibility between the government, civil society and the international community.
In conclusion, the news from Goma highlights a picture where the precarious calm masks poignant realities. The city can only truly rebuild itself by integrating the voice of each of its citizens and taking into account the lessons of the past. Thus, the real challenge lies not only in the military response but in the unwavering commitment to building a future based on mutual understanding, the restoration of dignity and inclusive development. Therein lies the hope for a Congo free not only from violence, but also from exclusion and poverty.