Ep 5. The Eyes of the Devil

The show Black Earth Rising tells the story of a woman named Kate Ashby, who was rescued as a child during the Rwandan genocide and later adopted by a British woman named Eve. Kate is haunted by her past and trying to come to terms with her identity and place in the world. The series explores themes of justice, reconciliation, and cultural identity.

In episode five, "The Eyes of the Devil," Kate and Michael Ennis, the lawyer she works with, have traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate the case of a warlord named Patrice Ganimana, who is implicated in war crimes in both Rwanda and Congo. Ganimana is also the man responsible for Kate's mother's death during the genocide.

Their investigation leads them to a woman named Bibi Mundanzi, who is working to build a case against Ganimana in the Congolese courts. Bibi is a survivor of a massacre committed by Ganimana's troops and is seeking justice for herself and her community. She agrees to cooperate with Kate and Michael and shares evidence that could be crucial to the case.

As they pursue their investigation, Kate is also grappling with personal issues. She begins to have disturbing flashbacks to the genocide and questions whether she has a right to demand justice for the victims when she has been sheltered from the worst of the conflict. She also struggles with her feelings for Michael and fears that their working relationship could be compromised if they become romantically involved.

Meanwhile, Eve is deep in negotiations with a mining company that wants to use their land to extract coltan, a mineral used in electronics. The company's representative, Alice Munezero, is a Rwandan who survived the genocide and believes that economic development is the key to preventing future conflicts. Eve is torn between her desire to support economic development and her concern for the community's rights and well-being.

As the episode comes to a close, Kate and Michael believe they have enough evidence to bring Ganimana to trial, but their victory is short-lived. Ganimana's men ambush them as they leave Bibi's village, and the two are taken into custody. It's unclear what Ganimana's intentions are, but it's clear that Kate and Michael are in serious danger.

Overall, "The Eyes of the Devil" is a tense and emotionally charged episode that explores complex issues related to justice, reconciliation, and economic development. The investigation into Ganimana's crimes brings Kate face to face with her traumatic past, forcing her to confront difficult questions about identity and responsibility. Meanwhile, Eve's negotiation with the mining company raises important questions about the role of economic development in conflict prevention. The episode sets the stage for a dramatic confrontation with Ganimana and suggests that there are no easy answers to the complex issues the show explores.