Katoyi and La Joie market - the last two to survey. We go by car this time but Balwomwe parks away from the market so that people welcome us. We start with a stall where for the first time a man is selling in a stall. He has a few kids playing around his ankles. He is very co-operative and I carry out the interview. I hear loud oriental music coming from next door and his kids are peeking though the cracks of the wooden shop to see something. At the end of the interview I am so curious that I peek though too - I see a whole room of people watching a Chinese movie (not translated!) in the middle of Goma - amazing!! I step outside and see a small cinema that is showing all sorts of movies - mainly cheap action movies - 50cF for entry – any takers?
Ramy checking out the movie listings and...the next movie - anyone?
We finish Katoyi. A few interesting moments when two women start touching my hair saying ‘I love you’. As we pass by car we see a few other shops really scattered around and then a whole congregation of bicycle sellers. I stop to see whether I can interview some in this crowd. All the sellers have about 2 or 3 bags and they are about 25 years of age. I start asking a few questions to one dominant personality. You have to deal with the big guys to get the nod before you can go any further. He seems rather thuggish and I do not like the atmosphere with about 20 poeple circled all around me. He starts to get a bit physical and I have been warned about group behaviours in Goma - things can turn nasty very quickly. Only two days ago five people were killed in Katyoyi in a cruel way (one person being burnt alive while another one had his heart cut out). I will not forget to look in the guy’s eye when he said - you are from London and you will take me there with you - huh! He had a toothpick in his mouth and seemed capable of doing anything. Ramy too was uncomfortable - needless to say that I did not stay to interview anymore. La Joie too was not very welcoming and we interviewed all that we could. I wanted to get back to the office today.
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