Fluid magma glows against the nighttime sky, 2,600 feet below the summit of Mount Nyiragongo.
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A land of precious minerals and rich volcanic soil, eastern Congo should be one of Africa’s most prosperous regions. Instead, over the last 15 years, it has been home to the world’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
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At the start of the five-hour hike to crater rim, an ominous reminder of the conflict that continues to plague the region.
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A former teacher, Emmanuel Muganga now leads visitors up Nyiragongo’s rugged slopes. Tourism, he says, is one of the few ways to earn a decent living in Congo
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A night on Nyiragongo means leaving luxury at home: Hard ground, canned food and near-freezing temperatures are the norm.
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As the sun sets, steam rises, a first sign of the glowing reds and oranges to come.
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Viewed from the hike down, Goma sprawls along the western shore of Lake Kivu. Two snaking brown lines mark the paths of lava flows that in 2002 destroyed a fifth of the city. Scientists fear the next eruption could be worse.
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In the shadow of Nyiragongo, Goma is a city many say should be moved entirely. Yet since 2002, it has more than doubled in size, many buildings constructed with petrified lava.
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With 3,000 U.N. peacekeepers in Goma, rebel activity in the town is currently quiet. But many analysts fear the city will be at risk if the U.N. withdraws from Congo as planned by June 2011.
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