The crossing English Version - International Alert

The Crossing255. Other problems• Cases of rape while itinerant trading have been reported, and cases of intimidation and fraudby dishonest customers.• ‘Itinerant trade is very tiring and you are obliged to sell everything on the same day. If not,we sell the surplus at a discounted price.’Information box 3: Testimonies from female Rwandan tradersA woman who has been selling beans for 18 years reports: ‘We pay taxes without knowing why or towhom we pay them. If I got the hang of it, even I could start demanding taxes…’A woman who sells tomatoes and onions says: ‘We have a big problem with the Rasta [in Goma]. Andthere is a police vehicle that comes to take our buckets [away], and we don’t know its destination.’Another tomato seller says: ‘Women who make people pay tax ask for samples like tomatoes, onions,fritters, etc. Even with meat, we have to earmark a piece to give to the tax collectors.’A woman who used to sell milk and now sells tomatoes reports: ‘In the Congo, there are also people thatwe call ‘DEMOB’ who steal our milk and even our cans. 39 There are also officers at Rond Point Birere whoask for our money and we don’t know why we’re paying.’A woman who sells beans declares: ‘We do not sell freely in Goma due to the fact that we don’t have a fixedplace to sell and we don’t have documents that allow us to circulate freely.’Speaking of the harassment of Rwandan women, a vendor of sugar, rice and tomato puree explains:‘In the Congo, a Rwandan woman has no value, they intimidate her, they insult her – she even has her bodytouched by anyone at any moment.’During the interview, a Rwandan woman who we met at Petite Barrière declares: ‘We, the women, arethe target of military officers, so there’s a risk of adultery or rape.’During the workshop on the preliminary findings of the research, the Mayor of Goma and thecommander of the border police agreed to post a notice to traders crossing the border, advisingthem to contact local service personnel for support ifwhen they fell victim to harassment, illegaltaxation, etc. The notice includes a telephone number and postal address. This suggestion wascomplemented by a second proposal to create an ‘ombudsman’ – a neutral, independent service –to deal with traders’ complaints.2.6.2 Female Congolese traders’ complaintsBelow is the synthesis of the complaints put forward by female Congolese traders during focusgroupinterviews in Goma in November 2009:1. Competition and conflict• ‘Female Rwandan traders steal our customers because they practice itinerant trade to selltheir products while we are at fixed places in the market. We pay taxes and they do not payanything. We are also harassed for a licence.’ 4039 Probably demobilised soldiers or war veterans, known as ‘Kajoriti’ (‘those wounded in the war’).40 The licence is issued by PMEA in receipt of payment of tax, and gives the trader the right to practice in a market. The licence can only beissued to Congolese citizens, as foreigners do not have the right to trade in the DRC.