Nyiragongo 2019-2021: Life Between Conflict, Displacement and Volcanic Threat Nyiragongo territory Looking back at the human security situation in North Kivu between 2020 and 2021, Nyiragongo Territory was a particular focus of a study I conducted in late 2020. Below is my experience. A substantial part of Nyiragongo Territory is occupied by Virunga National Park and the active and dormant volcanoes of Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira, covering approximately 170 square kilometres. Insecurities The security situation in Nyiragongo was at this period very volatile, with recurring kidnappings and incursions by FDLR since early 2019, particularly in residential areas bordering Goma, including Buhene, Turunga and Kiziba. In August 2019, several killings and at least five cases of sexual violence were reported. During my study period (2020-2021), young people also organised protests demanding stronger security measures from the army and advocating for the incorporation of certain residential areas into Goma to improve security. These protests were also influenced by longstanding tensions surrounding customary authority. Nyiragongo was further characterised by a territorial and institutional divide between its northern and southern areas. Administrative institutions were concentrated in Kibumba, while traditional authorities, including the Mwamiship, are based in the Munigi groupement. This division had contributed to weak cohesion among young people from different parts of the territory, compounded by perceptions that youth committees have limited influence within the territorial administration. Assassinations During this period, Italian Ambassador Luca Attanasio was killed in the area. Along the road to Kibumba through Nyiragongo, assassinations and other violent incidents were commonplace. Innocent civilians faced threats, persecution, and attacks by armed groups, particularly the FDLR. Land disputes I also noticed that land disputes represent another structural source of tension. Following the 1977 eruption of Nyiragongo volcano, the Congolese government expropriated lava-affected areas and relocated residents to Katoyi. However, some residents subsequently returned to the expropriated land, unaware of the applicable land legislation. Consequently, their occupation was considered illegal under the relevant arrangements, although some residents continue to regard the land as family inheritance, while others consider themselves landless. I found the people of Nyiragongo living in the shadow of an exceptionally militarised border, under the persistent threat of kidnapping, on the expanding outskirts of Goma, on land scarred by volcanic lava, and in the vicinity of one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Following the study, I decided to capture the situation in Nyiragongo in the drawing below. It portrays a natural disaster—a volcanic eruption—that forces a community to fragment rather than unite. - A child, left to navigate the world with an underdeveloped understanding of its complexities, is forced to carry the weight of a world that should instead provide shelter, food, love, and reassurance that they are not an anomaly. - A girl, enraged by her circumstances, embodies the many unanswered questions of life. Too young to fully understand the world, she is nevertheless acutely aware of the injustices experienced by her community. - An injured boy, abandoned in despair, gazes dimly in the opposite direction, symbolising suffering, isolation, and the loss of hope. - In the foreground, a skyline of high-rise buildings emerges amid the chaos, confronting the viewer with the stark socioeconomic inequalities that persist even in the face of collective suffering. It also challenges us to consider how expressions of love and solidarity towards others can be withheld, regardless of their experiences or circumstances. - Amid the devastation, a distant but enduring hope remains—powerful enough for the viewer to hold on to. An impassive, defiant face embodies this hope, conveying a quiet determination that things will not remain as they have always been.