Reportage
DRC: in Goma, the difficulties of a slow border with Rwanda
Those who failed at the Great Barrier border post in Goma, after it closed at 3 p.m., DRC, October 2022. © Paulina Zidi / RFI
Text by: Paulina Zidi Follow
2 mins
Since May 2021, the province of North Kivu has been under a state of siege, a consequence of the presence of armed groups.
Among them, the M23 which took the town of Bunagana located in the territory of Rutshuru, a little north of Goma, in June.
An armed group supported by the Rwandan neighbor for Kinshasa.
This led to a diplomatic crisis with Kigali and considerably reduced trade between the two countries.
Report at the Goma border post which is currently operating in slow motion.
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From our special correspondent in Goma,
It is 3 p.m. and we are at the great barrier of Goma, the main border post with Rwanda.
People come running, but it's already too late.
Travelers can no longer cross, the border has just closed.
Tension
For traders, but also all small trades that depend on these exchanges, this midday close is not sustainable.
Since June, and its establishment, they have been trying to adapt as best they can.
But regularly, in front of the border post, the tension rises suddenly.
This day, a woman who tries to run through is unceremoniously caught by a customs officer.
The dropouts let out their anger.
“
Fifteen o'clock, but it's much too early
”, explains a man who will not be able to return home this evening.
“
Look, there are Rwandans who don't know where they are going to sleep tonight.
And it touches both sides of the fence.
You can imagine that opposite, there are Congolese who do not know what they are going to do until tomorrow.
It is not possible
.
»
Paralysis
A limitation of traffic between the two countries which paralyzes the life of the city of Goma for Arnold Djuma, a representative of civil society: "
You know, economically, the two border towns of Gisenyi in Rwanda and Goma in the DRC depend on one the other.
When it blocks, all activities are paralyzed, money no longer circulates, merchants no longer find customers.
There is something wrong.
And when it is like that, it is the populations who suffer the most
.
»
At the great barrier, the anger has subsided for this time.
The main demand of users: postpone the closing to 6 p.m. to allow cross-border commuters to return home after work.
► To read also: DRC: "dead city" days in Goma at the call of civil society
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