On January 23, 2009, as news spread of Nkunda's arrest, the communications team spoke to displaced people about the possibility of peace in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Mugunga 1, an IDP camp just outside of Goma, is home to almost 26,000 displaced people, almost 17,000 of whom are children. World Vision works in the camp providing a safe place for children to play, receive psychosocial support and learn about issues such as child rights and hygiene.
Everyone interviewed had been living in the camp for two years.

Suzanne Buyingo, 65

(from Kinchanga – about 80kms from Goma)

I am very happy, I could even fly like a bird. They have got him, I can return home.

My God, I continue to celebrate. We have been praying for this and now we can return home. We want to return to our farms.

My husband was killed by FDLR many years ago. I am now a grandmother and a widow.

We shall prosper when we get back home but not straight away. We will need seeds and tools.

Sengoko Didabatezi, 62

(from Kinchanga – about 80kms from Goma)

We heard the news on the radio but until now these are just stories, we want to see peace. If what we hear is true, this is real peace.

The first sign of peace – they have removed all the wire barriers from the road. We were very happy and we celebrated. These were limitations, like a prison. Vehicles are now moving freely without being taxed. The stick and wire are no longer there.

We fear there are more troops from Rwanda coming and we don’t know what they are doing.

All the homes in our village were destroyed by rebels. Nkunda and his people were burning everything. They even destroyed churches and schools.

Bonneannée Peninya, 12

(from Bitonga, 57kms from Goma)

People are saying the war is over, I think it’s true. I heard Nkunda is under arrest.

People are saying we are about to go back home. I don’t know when we will go.

We will eat Irish potatoes at home. Here we have to buy them, but at home we farm and eat for free. I used to go to school, but not here.

I will be farming and harvesting and going to school soon.

Florence Yangurije, 24

(from Kahira, 100kms from Goma)

We heard they have got the man who is the source of all the trouble. Praise God. This is very good news. We will return.

If we’re told it’s safe, we will return quickly. The people we can trust, NGOs, can advise us.

We need more information before we leave.

Jolame Munyangazi, 25

(from Ngungu, 67kms from Goma)

For us what matters is peace, if we assess the situation and it is safe we will return to our villages. We are trying to believe peace will come.

I’m extremely happy. We will believe the peace is between everybody.

But I’m scared because I am Hutu and the soldiers may not make a distinction between Hutus of Congo and Hutus of Rwanda.

If they come just to fight FDLR we will support them.

We fear these things will happen again. They take men and boys and force us to join the army. We don’t want this to happen again.

Nyiransabi Fiana Alphonsine, 35

(from Kinchanga – about 80kms from Goma)

If all the sides talk to each other, no one will be killed and we won’t be victims. Our husbands, boys are dying all the time. Many of us here are widows and there are lots of orphans.

What we want is peace. We want to be able to makes graves for those who have died. We want to go home.

As soon as it ends I will immediately leave, because my children are starving.

Jonas Indiri, 52

(from Karuba, 34kms from Goma)

It’s not easy to return home when you have seen what I have seen. People were shooting in our homes. They can arrive at any time. They were taking men as soldiers and if they refused they were castrated.

I was shot in the arm when I fled. I fell and they beat me with a machete. This has affected me, I cannot return just like that.

We want to know much more before we return.

I want to see the reality of the situation. Once the fight is over I want to see the Rwandan soldiers return – then I will go home.

Hodi Mucyabukyana, 50

(from Karuba, 34kms from Goma)

Nkunda, the man who made us leave our villages, has been captured. Now we want assistance to return home. We want to go back but we do not want to walk, we are tired.

How do I know if peace is here? I am sitting here with you, how do I know? You want this stone to tell me if there is peace?

How do you want us to believe peace is here after everything that has happened? We still remember everything.

We have lost everything but we need to help rebuild our homes and farms.

Heshima Bienvenu, 10

(from Karuba, 34kms from Goma)

I heard the news that Laurent Nkunda is under arrest. Peace will come in Congo now.
When we fled our homes, we were running from Nkunda, he was shooting and killing as we ran.
We shall soon be on our own lands again. We would like to return home to farm. I have never been to school. We are tired of living here. At home we had goats, but Nkunda’s rebels stole them.

Kanani Kiza, 50 (with granddaughter Dadu Kasunzu)

(from Ngungu, 60kms from Goma)

We heard the very big news but we don’t know if we are dreaming. We heard peace is now here; the war is over. When we see people moving freely, then we will believe.

We think it may be true as we have not heard the usual gunshots this week. We also heard CNDP and FARDC are together but we don’t know what the outcome of the FDLR operation will be. We don’t know what our fellow Tutsis are doing.

If there is fighting, we will be the victims – from the FDLR of the other forces.

We can’t predict when we will go home, if the FDLR go back to Rwanda we will go.