They don't know how to tell war from peace anymore. The people of North Kivu I spoke to preparing for my next trip, are still telling the same story. Officialy there's peace in Eastern Congo, but especially this area is still rife with violence from militia and military; pillaging, murder and rape. Next month I'm leaving for the vulcano town of Goma for the next chapter of my book on cities in Africa. Nature around the lake is fairylike: in colonial times the Belgians used to go here on their honeymoon. But now the green hills of Northern Kivu are dangerous territory and everyone who can flees to the city near the Nyiragongo vulcano. This chapter of my new book will treat the effect of war and violence on a city.
