### The Forgotten Tragedy of Goma: More Than a Health Diagnosis
While the city of Goma is the victim of a recurring armed conflict, the situation has just reached a new level of crisis with the accumulation of undischarged bodies, testifying to the silent horror suffered by the inhabitants. The deaths linked to the fighting between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the M23 rebels, supported by Rwanda, are not simply statistics; they are the reflection of a human tragedy written on the soil of this city.
#### An Ignored Media Framework
In international media coverage, Goma often emerges from the global narrative on conflicts in Central Africa as a simple political map on the front lines. Rarely are these conflicts seen through the prism of the human consequences, little discussed and often forgotten. The Gômois’ anxiety about the abandoned bodies is accompanied by a deep concern about public health, but above all it is a profound despair, an absence of humanitarian dignity that reflects the lack of support from the international community towards the local population.
The bodies, especially those in military uniform found in front of the morgue of the general hospital, also illustrate a tragic aspect: that of the invisible victims of a conflict where each side seems to be fighting to preserve its own interests to the detriment of humanity. Here, it is not only about combatants, but also families, individual stories, human beings reduced to simple statistics on the tragic picture of conflicts in Africa.
#### Health Environment and Ecological Consequences
The recurring power cuts fuel concerns about the putrefaction of bodies, elements that are not only worrying from a health point of view. Indeed, these bodies, left to expose themselves to the dangers of potential contamination, can also have an impact on the local ecosystem, by contaminating groundwater or nearby rivers. To understand the magnitude of the consequences, one only has to refer to studies conducted in similar contexts, where cholera epidemics or other infectious diseases have been linked to the poorly managed decomposition of bodies in conflict zones.
It is essential to study the repercussions not only on the immediate health of the inhabitants of Goma, but also on the long-term health of future generations. Diseases caused by similar events remain a public health problem long after the conflicts have ended, illustrating a vicious circle where the consequences of military actions leave deep scars on civilian populations.
#### Perspectives for Community Support
Beyond government initiatives, the local community plays a vital role in managing this crisis. Community groups are mobilizing to try to raise funds or organize teams of volunteers to provide decent care to the deceased, thus illustrating incredible resilience. These initiatives should be supported by humanitarian organizations to provide logistical and material assistance, as well as training on safe burial techniques.
International partners could also provide technical support to restore the electricity system and water supply, which are vital to mitigate the health consequences. A collaborative approach between the government, the community and international actors could help restore a form of dignity in this chaotic context.
#### Reflection and call to action
The drama unfolding in Goma is not only a local issue, it is a cry of pain that calls for international attention. Beyond the humanitarian dimension, it must also encourage research on the consequences of conflicts on public health and the environment to raise greater awareness in the international community.
The prolonged absence of an appropriate response can have devastating repercussions not only on Goma but on the entire region. The time has come not only to denounce these situations, but also to act to put an end to this forgotten human tragedy. Responsibility can no longer simply rest on the shoulders of the people of Goma; it also rests on the international community, which, if it does not react, will only witness the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in this already wounded region.