Crisis Alert: Goma City Assault

In late January, rebel group M23 violently seized control of Goma, a city located on the Rwandan border in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Several weeks later, locals are still grappling with the devastating consequences of the brutal assault. Sr. Matilda Dungdung, from the Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk, provided Sisters Rising Worldwide with an account of the attack from Sisters living in the Ursuline Mother of God Community in the center of Goma. She reports that M23, a paramilitary group backed by Rwanda, have attempted to drive out locals and seize the mineral-rich area for the past 3 years. But on the morning of January 23rd, “The atmosphere of [Goma] became tense and panicky.” Soon after, “The whole city resounded with the sound of gunfire. One could hear the crying and yelling of the people who were running for their life,” she says.

According to an official report, 3000 people were killed, with countless others wounded when M23 took control of the city. Bodies were left out in the streets. During the attack, the eleven Sisters in residence at Mother of God locked themselves inside their compound, where in addition to their convent, they run schools for over 2000 children and young women. Even inside their convent, the Sisters narrowly escaped injury and death. “Bullets broke through the tin roof of the schools and fell in the classrooms,” Sr. Matilda reports. “Several times Sisters narrowly escaped the bullets even inside the convent building. Bomb fragments hit the walls of the convent and schools and caused significant damage.”

The city lost electricity, water and internet access. Looting was rampant. Thieves broke into one of the Sister’s schools, stealing valuables from their office.

In the aftermath, UN aid agencies warned of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis as thousands fled Goma in search of safety. Locals set up camps in the outskirts of the city, but, Sr. Matilda reports, “Life in the camps is very hard and miserable. Many have died of hunger and illness. Rebels frequently throw bombs in the camps, killing and wounding thousands of people. Children and young people from [the] camps come to the city to beg for food, to look for work, even to steal because they are hungry. Day by day, insecurity is increasing and freedom of the common people is restricted.”

In the weeks since the attack, the Associated Press reports that food is still scarce, banks and other basic services have been slow to restart, and heavily militarized armed rebels roam the now deserted streets. With their community buildings badly damaged, including their protective border wall, and criminals still looting, the Sisters no longer feel safe. They live with trauma-induced headaches, body pains, and insomnia. But despite the hardships and ongoing fear and uncertainty, the Sisters are committed to staying in Goma to care for the people still left. Sr. Matilda reports, “Our Sisters are in great need of emotional and financial support to carry on their mission, especially at this crucial time.”

Thanks to support from Sisters Rising Worldwide, financial help is on the way to the Mother of God community in Goma. Repairs will be made to school buildings and their border wall, so Sisters and students can regain a sense of safety, and schooling can resume.

We will share updates on the Sisters and their community in the coming months. If you would like to help SRW support Sisters around the world in their times of crisis, consider becoming a Sister Champion. Your monthly support ensures that we can continue to fund emergency needs as they arise.