The return this weekend of more than 300 Congolese refugees from Kamanyola is a welcome reminder that peace, even when fragile, remains possible. Each family crossing back with hope in their hearts is proof that the people of eastern DR Congo are not asking for much. They simply want stability, dignity, and the chance to live without the constant fear of gunfire. Their return is a message in itself: when guns fall silent, even briefly, communities instinctively seek home. ALSO READ Full text of Washington Accords signed by Kagame, Tshisekedi Yet this encouraging development is happening against a deeply troubling backdrop. Reports of reckless attacks by forces allied to the Kinshasa government on M23 positions, which have repeatedly resulted in civilian deaths, risk dragging the region back into needless suffering. Such actions do not just undermine military calm; they unravel trust at a moment when trust is the single most precious currency for peace. This is why it is not too late for the Congolese government and its allies to do the right thing. The Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, signed last week with optimism and praised as the clearest roadmap out of decades of conflict, were never meant to be symbolic. They were intended as a binding commitment to a new way of resolving disagreements, one in which dialogue takes precedence over coercion and where the lives of civilians are safeguarded at all costs. The same spirit underpins the Doha process, where representatives of the Kinshasa government and the M23 movement have been meeting to negotiate a sustainable end to the conflict. These talks are not perfect, nor are they easy, but they remain the most credible avenue through which a lasting settlement can be achieved. To sabotage them through renewed hostilities would be to betray not just the letter of these agreements, but their very purpose. The government in Kinshasa must therefore resist the temptation to allow political pressure or short-term military calculations to derail the fragile progress made so far. Peace is built in moments exactly like this, when leaders choose restraint over retaliation and wisdom over impulse. The Congolese people, especially those who have endured years of displacement, deserve more than cycles of hope and heartbreak. Sticking to the commitments of Washington and Doha is not a concession to any armed group; it is an investment in the future of the DR Congo. It is also an affirmation of regional responsibility. Continued instability in the east does not only destroy Congolese lives; it disturbs the peace and tranquility of neighbouring countries like Rwanda, which have consistently called for a principled, cooperative approach to ending this crisis. The opportunity is still alive. It must not be squandered. Kinshasa and its allies should recommit fully to the path they agreed to only weeks ago and act in ways that reinforce, rather than contradict, the promise of a peaceful, prosperous Great Lakes region. The people have shown what they desire. It is now up to their leaders to match that courage and deliver the peace they so desperately deserve.
