The debate over whether AFC/M23 should withdraw from Goma and Bukavu risks missing the deeper tragedy unfolding in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which is decades of state failure that have left civilians perpetually exposed to violence. For more than 30 years, residents of North and South Kivu have lived between militias, weak institutions, and broken promises. Successive governments in Kinshasa have struggled to extend effective authority, ensure security, or deliver basic services. In this vacuum, armed actors emerge, retreat, and re-emerge, but ordinary people remain trapped in a cycle of displacement, looting, and abuse. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 say they will not withdraw from Goma, Bukavu Recent events in Uvira illustrate this painful reality. Following the sudden withdrawal of AFC/M23 forces, human rights groups reported widespread violations, carried out by Maï-Maï militias exploiting the security gap. This pattern is not new. Time and again, hurried pullouts without credible state deployment have created openings for chaos rather than peace. This raises an uncomfortable question: if government forces could not protect civilians for decades, why should communities suddenly trust that safety will arrive the moment another armed group leaves? Over the past year, Goma has seen relative calm compared to previous cycles of violence. Residents report fewer gun battles, reopened markets, and more predictable daily movement. While deep concerns remain about governance and human rights, many civilians now measure stability simply by their ability to work, send children to school, and sleep at night. Peace cannot be achieved through press statements alone. It requires a state that shows up for its people, consistently, transparently, and with dignity, something Kinshasa has tremendously failed to do. Until the Congolese government demonstrates the capacity and will to protect its citizens, every rushed transition risks repeating the same tragic outcome, which is obviously abandoned communities paying the highest price.
