The city of Goma was alive with chaos and fear this past Sunday. The streets hummed with the roar of motorcycles, each movement charged with unease as waves of people hurriedly navigated the crowded roads, trying to escape an advancing threat. Among the masses was Asifiwe Iragi Rugesha, a mother of six, doing everything in her power to protect her family from the conflict closing in around them.
Earlier that morning, the tranquility of Kibati, a town they once called home, was shattered by bombing. The urgency to leave became paramount. Carrying little more than hope and necessity, Rugesha and her children trudged toward Goma, a city that many believed might offer a semblance of safety. But stepping into Goma, they realized it was a city on the brink, teetering under the mounting pressure of an impending crisis.
The M23 rebel group, an armed militia notorious for its violent campaigns, had been advancing steadily, their presence a dark cloud looming over the region. Their approach toward Goma sent waves of panic through its residents, who knew all too well the consequences of the group’s arrival. For Rugesha and her children, Goma was not genuinely safe—it was merely less dangerous than the overtly violent act of staying behind in Kibati.
“There is nothing else to do,” Rugesha said, her voice heavy with resignation and fear as she moved among the panicked throngs of people. She held no illusions about their safety in Goma but simply hoped for survival. “If M23 comes to Goma, we will die.”
It was a sentiment echoed by many caught in the whirlwind of displacement, their choices reduced to life-threatening gambles. This moment underscored the constant instability faced by civilians in areas of conflict, where the simplest decisions—whether to stay or flee—become incredibly complex and fraught with peril.
The Sunday scene in Goma serves as a heartbeat in an unfolding humanitarian crisis, weaving together stories of strength, vulnerability, and the sheer will to survive. For people like Rugesha, every step forward is shadowed by uncertainty, and yet, it is all they can do—keep moving, keep hoping that somehow, against overwhelming odds, they might find peace for themselves and their families.
