After the last days of violence in the city of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, the rebels who invaded the city declared a unilateral ceasefire. ‘They established a provisional government and demanded the resumption of activities and the return of the city to normal life,’ say the Salesians working in the country.
However, ‘the city is still in a state of emergency, with no schools, no security, no airport, and the population is experiencing great insecurity,’ they add. ‘We are still waiting for developments and live in great uncertainty, since it has also been said around that this truce is nothing more than a strategic pause,’ the Salesians of Don Bosco working in Goma say.
The Congolese government has not yet provided official figures, but the death toll could exceed 5,000 people. In addition to the dead, thousands of people had to flee their homes to save their lives. ‘The scene in Goma was terrifying, bullets and gunshots could be heard all over the city,’ the Salesians again testify.
The Salesians have been working in Goma since 1981 and have vocational training centres, schools and a home for children in vulnerable situations. In addition, they assist more than 30,000 displaced people who have taken refuge in the Don Bosco Ngangi centre, and other displaced people still sheltered in the settlements of Rusayo and Kanyaruchinya.
As for the Salesians directly, the Salesian communities are doing well, but some facilities have been damaged. For example, ‘the classrooms at the Don Bosco ITIG vocational centre were hit by bullets that pierced the roofs. In addition, the computer lab was destroyed by a bomb. Now neither the roof nor the computers are there. The neighbourhood we are in, near the airport, has suffered heavy clashes in recent days,' the missionaries warn.
The Salesian Mission Office in Madrid looks forward to the ceasefire and calls on the conflicting parties to engage in dialogue to achieve lasting peace. It also warns of the high risk of displaced children suffering violations of their rights: abuse, violence, etc. ‘The Don Bosco Ngangi centre is ready to receive unaccompanied minors because their parents are missing or have died,’ the Salesians conclude with a renewed spirit of service.
