The Petite Barriere border post, one of the crossings between Rwanda and the DR Congo, has returned to normalcy just one week after AFC/M23 rebels captured Goma town. Cross-border trade has also resumed, with residents of Goma and Rubavu towns now able to cross freely until 6:00 pm, an extension from the previous 3:00 pm closing time before the rebels took over on January 27, after fighting the Congolese army. ALSO READ: Businesses re-open as normalcy returns in Rubavu The New Times visited Petite Barriere, which is one of the busiest border crossings in the world, on Tuesday, February 4, and spoke with residents of the two cities and business people about being able to use move easily and what they make of the situation in the Congolese city. There is peace in Goma town, said Amza Joseph, a resident of Katoyi, a suburb of Goma. I'm just walking around. I have been here in Rubavu town with my friends, just for travelling, and now I am going back to my hometown. Furaha Kahambu, a 26-year-old vegetable retailer from Turunga, echoed the same sentiment. The situation has changed; at least things are not as bad as they used to be, she said. We would struggle with high prices during the past few weeks, when there was heavy fighting. But cross-border trade has returned to normal, with Goma and Rubavu residents crossing until 6:00 pm. It is a good move for business people. It’s really encouraging, Kahambu said. ALSO READ: Gov’t assesses damages from DR Congo shelling Panjvani Rakesh, an Indian businessman, who owns a spice shop in Rubavu also his business had seen an increase in the number of customers. We reopened yesterday following the return to normalcy and increased movement of people and goods here at Petite Barrière after one week since M23 captured Goma town, Rakesh said. We receive a lot of orders from the Congo side, as 70 percent of our customers are Congolese. Before this week, everything was tough; there was no movement, no transport. But movement is back, and the situation is calm. Emmanuel Cyiza, a resident of Goma, described the positive environment in the city after the M23 secured it. Life is back, people are reopening shops, and goods from Rwanda are crossing the border into Goma, he said. There is no problem at all. Again, the border is closed at 6:00pm. There is safety in Goma. It was not easy when there was the fighting, for it is hard to put food on the table when we do not cross into Rwanda, where we get money for food and school fees. We are delighted that the towns are now at peace. We have always been supporting the M23 because they restored peace; there are no more thieves in Goma today. Agnes Uwizeyimana, a resident of Gisenyi Sector in Rubavu, also noted the improved conditions. There is free movement of people and goods, she observed. Crossing the Petite Barrière has significantly improved. There is calm; we don’t hear any shelling and bullets on the other side. Life is improving, and the situation has pretty much changed in just one week.