Aveba

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After a couple of hours in Gety, I head south to Aveba. The area has seen very few foreigners recently. Considered insecure, with loads of militia around (especially the infamous ‘Cobra’), people have not received much assistance. Unfortunately, we can’t stay long. We still have a long way to reach Boga. Roads are bad and we should not drive at night. There are not many people around and we end up at the market. I have rarely seen so few things available at a market. Some vegetables here and there and cooked fish. That’s it. What one encounters the most at this market is a strange maize crop. I eventually find out this is to do some local alcohol. I speak to some women who confirm the obvious: they can’t go to their fields because it’s insecure: militia are around. MONUC and Congolese military are in town and somewhat ensure its safety. But not the surroundings. That’s an area I shall try to convince various stakeholders in Ituri to take more attention to.

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