For those of you wanting to follow more news I recommend a BBC update on the fighting in Eastern Congo:
BBC article
I read an article yesterday that described the people of Goma as having an ability to rebound from death that only comes from overexposure to it. It seemed an apt description.
Fighting continues in various areas ourside of Goma (none of them particularly close to Goma). CNDP troops appear to be consolidating their territory in North Kivu. The days in Goma continue as normal. The evenings and nights are punctuated by occassional shooting. We never find out who was shooting or why. We hope that it is the shooting of police and UN officers that we are hearing more than the shooting of bandits. The population is uneasy, both because of the general insecurity and because rebel soldiers remain close to the edge of town, although they have apparently withdrawn a few kilometers (or been pushed back, depending on who you talk to). However they are still nearby. There have been demands to lengthen the distance between the two sides as well as demands to move the refugee camp of Kibati off the front lines. While everyone seems to be accepting the necessity of both these demands, implementation is another story.
As for us, we are here along with everybody else, rebounding as best we can.
1 comment:
Hello Dawn,
I am Nicolás, a spanish expatriate living in Goma working for the Jesuit Refugee Service JRS. I found your blog by chance and I like it very much. It is so well written!
Here at home we also have to stop talking every half an hour due to the planes- but we live further than you to the airport I think.
I am very sorry about the recent deaths in your team. It´s terrible. As you, we also evacuated Goma and came back.
I am terribly busy now starting a project for young IDPs in the four camps in the outskirts of Goma. Once I have a little time, it would be great to meet you.
All the best and congratulations for the blog
Nicolas Dorronsoro
nicolasdorronsoro@gmail.com
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