Being born and raised in Goma has never been easy for anyone. Many are witness to the painful knowledge that life was not always for us, that there are people born having never experienced peace. There are small kids who do not know what peace is but know everything about war, murder, and instability. Goma is my home but it is also the place that makes me feel so much insecurity so much of the time.
How would you feel knowing that your own city is not able to protect you? How would you feel knowing that everyday your life can be ended because you are not sure of the people around you? What about our mothers with their small businesses who are just trying to make our lives better, just trying to make sure we have something to eat, but who have to put themselves in danger just to earn an honest living? How would you feel growing up knowing that you have to be inside your home at 6 pm, latest 7 pm? Because after that time, you are risking your life outside. Even then, you are not safe at home because anything and everything can happen in the middle of the night. With all this, Goma is still my home.
Goma, a city located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a very beautiful town with magnificent views over Lake Kivu and Mount Nyiragongo volcano, and it is my hometown, the city that has shaped my identity in a lot of ways. As a person born and raised up this city, I have witnessed the resilience despite all the challenges people have been going through, such as armed conflicts, the past volcanic eruptions, and the insecurity that increases every day, a daily experience people have been living with for far too long now.
I grew up in Goma and, of course, the challenges were there but not the same as today’s challenges. Goma was previously a city with many opportunities in different sectors of life. There were job opportunities and there was growth of the local economy of the city. Education whereby all the schools in town operated and this was giving hope to thousands of kids for a brighter future. Even the social sector when Goma was hosting festivals, cultural events and community activities so that people can at least have fun and foster their sense of unity. A few years ago people were able to go across the city and explore new places; all these contributed to people’s wellbeing.
But today, the city is under siege. With the increased uncertainty, almost all the activities which were taking place in the city are closed there are no more festivals, cultural events, schools and tourism activities on going right now in Goma because of the current situation. Goma has deteriorated and is stained by the sociopolitical instabilities that have seen many businesses close their doors. The current situation in Goma plays a capital role in the local economy of the city, and deprives children of their right to education because some schools are closed and the ones that aren’t are frequently interrupted
For several years, Goma has experienced a lot of uncertainty, instability and precarity, through armed conflicts in areas around the city and volcanic eruptions. This has become a part of the daily life of people in Goma. As the insecurity increases by the day, so does the number of affected families, businesses, and communities. Thousands of families have been forced to abandon their homes and become forcibly displaced in their own country. Fear and tension are how people’s lives look like in Goma, yet through all this, I continue to see the resilient city of Goma, where people have managed to live in those conditions and appreciate every moment of life.
Today the situation in Goma does not only concern its residents or people who grew up there, but the whole world. What can you tell a person who saw a mother being raped in front of her kids? What can you tell a family who saw their father’s life taken by an armed thief or rebel in their own home but who have to continue to stay in that house because they do not have anywhere else to go? I remember I once experienced a similar situation. I saw my mother on her knees begging the armed men for her life so that she can continue taking care of her kids, I saw her crying knowing she did not do anything bad. All her efforts were to make our living conditions better. I knew that night that I was going to lose my mother. I remember how traumatized I was and probably how I still feel now about what happened years ago. This is the life of many people in Goma, but they continue to be courageous in trying to move on from what has happened and is happening to them, and they continue to live their lives.
I remember a Goma where people were once strong enough to move on and leave all the bad memories behind them. People who changed their lifestyle so that they can try to live as normally as possible. People who tried to do their daily activities without thinking and worrying about what is going to happen the next day. People who were happy, and ready to bring joy among them with the simplest little things that life could offer to them. But today these memories are just memories and people’s reality is now marked by uncertainty, anxiety and fear of tomorrow, bringing up all the past traumas they were trying to heal from.
I remember when the M23 rebels took over Goma for the first time. I was 10 years old. It was a certain Monday, we were just at home with my family and around 2 pm the gunshots and bombs started. I was traumatised. We had no food provisions at home when the conflicts started because we were just living a day-to-day life and all the markets were closed. We stayed indoors for four full days without showering or bathing because there was an electricity and water cut. The nights were very long and nobody was sure about tomorrow. This was a very hard period in my life and ever since then, our lives have completely changed. Any small noise was a reminder of the bombs, gunfire, and the noise that had happened. After that period, the insecurity level increased in Goma, people were killed everywhere. But people persevered. People restarted, intent on living again and working on changing the city so that anyone could come, visit and feel free to explore the city.
A spotlight needs to be put on what is happening now in Goma because it has gone too far. People are not just worried about the armed conflict which was happening outside of Goma, but are now facing the same situation as they did in 2012. However, this time the situation is more dangerous and difficult to live through than the previous one. Displaced people are displaced again, but this time there is no place to take refuge because the places where they would go are also under attack. This situation affects all the aspects of people’s lives, socially, economically and culturally. Children are not able to attend classes because all the schools are closed, workers cannot go to work, people especially the displaced ones do not have access to basic needs, access to healthcare services are limited, parents and families who depended on their daily activities to have enough food are dying of hunger.
I would like to invite people from all over the world to help people in Goma. Even if you are far away, there are ways you can help and make a real difference in their lives. You can show your support by addressing what is happening in Goma, by sharing verified and reliable information of the current situation to other people who are not aware of the situation. You can advocate for media coverage so that we can ensure that the world does not forget Goma. You can help by advocating for political actions to be done as you’ve done for the other regions around the world that faced similar situations so that at the end, Goma can return to being the hopeful and vibrant city it once was.
I hope that one day we can all be proud of Goma, and talk about what happened to us as history. I really pray that one day all of us Gomatraciens experience the peace we have been praying and waiting so long for so that we can have a normal life and benefit from every opportunity that life can give us as a gift of our bravery and courage.
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