Civilians Face Impossible Choices as Eastern Congo Crisis Deepens

The streets of eastern Congo tell a story of impossible choices. As rebels tighten their grip on Goma, millions of civilians find themselves caught between two bitter options: retreat deeper into Congo’s heartland, where a struggling army offers uncertain protection, or cross into Rwanda – the very nation accused of fueling their misery.

Walking through Goma’s dusty streets, you’d hardly believe this city of two million was once a safe haven. Now, hospitals overflow with casualties while the airport sits silent, its runways empty. More than 1,200 people, including defeated soldiers, have already fled across the Rwandan border since M23 rebels marched in.

The stakes here go beyond mere territorial control. Some see Rwanda’s hand in redrawing borders around this mineral-rich region, where untapped deposits of cobalt and gold promise untold wealth. The rebels’ declaration of plans to establish city administration only deepens these fears.

Despite support from UN peacekeepers, African troops, and even Romanian contractors, Congo’s army appears powerless against the advancing rebels. The region’s history haunts every decision – Rwanda’s President Kagame speaks of protecting ethnic Tutsis and preventing genocide, while Congo denounces what it sees as blatant territorial aggression.

For civilians like Rose Clemency, an electrical engineer who fled her home, the choice feels like no choice at all. “Even in exile,” she says, “we won’t accept M23 rule.”