Congo Rangers

Category: Crises | Date: Jan 27 2007 | By: admin

I have just heard that two rangers have been taken hostage by the Mai Mai, and that one of the rangers wives who was 8 months pregnant has just given birth to her child due to the stress… they are all still hiding somewhere in the bush.

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Category: Crises | Date: Jan 27 2007 | By: admin

Lulimbi ranger station came under heavy attack from the Mai Mai last night forcing rangers and their families to flee into the bush. 

We don’t have any more information at this time, but the attack follows threats recieved by the ICCN last week.  The UN investigated the allegations, contacting both the Interehamwe and the Mai Mai, and beleived the threats to be unfounded.  They got it wrong.  The rangers returned to the station and have now suffered an almighty blow.  We are just crossing our fingers that no one has been killed. 

UNESCO is now trying to make contact with the DRC authorities and will try and do whatever it takes to make sure that the damage to this world heritage site is not irreversable. 

The UN mandate to protect the local population and the park rangers needs to become more proactive if they are to be an effective peacekeeping force.  They need to take action against the Mai Mai and remove them from the park immeidately, or attacks like these will continue.

 

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Category: Crises, Rangers | Date: Jan 22 2007 | By: admin

I have just heard that rangers from Lulimbi and Kabaraza have had to flee their stations.  This follows threats of an imminent attack on the two stations by Mai Mai and Interehamwe rebel groups. 

We have alerted MONUC who are on their way now, to assess the situation, but things aren’t looking good.  We are not sure where exactly the rangers have fled to, but recent attacks on Lulimbi and Kabararaza will be fresh in their minds.  The last time Kabaraza was attacked, over 300 rebels surrounded the station, killing the two rangers on night watch and launching a vicious attack on the rest of the station with hand held rocket launchers and heavy weapons. 

Let’s hope MONUC’s presence acts as a dissuasive measure against such an attack, but the rangers don’t want to take any chances.  Quite where they have fled, no one is too sure, but we are all crossing our fingers for them at this time.

 

 

 

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Category: Crises, Hippos | Date: Jan 21 2007 | By: admin

Approximately 25 hippos and 3 elephants have been killed at Vitshumbi in the last few days. This is an area where we had estimated around 30 hippos to exist following our last aerial census of the park. The prognosis does not look good and by now it may well be too late to save the last few individuals.The problem is that the Mai Mai (many of whom have already gone through the demobilization processed but failed to reintegrate properly and have chosen once again to take up arms), have now teamed up with certain elements of the FDLR (Rwandan rebels better known as Interehamwe) and are illegally occupying this critical area of the park.

ICCN rangers are being prevented to carry out their legal mandate to patrol in the area and protect the wildlife due to the presence of these armed groups, and in the absence of respect for a recognized government authority, the result is near anarchy. We desperately need the UN Peacekeepers to help bring the situation back under proper control.

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Category: Active Service, Crises, General, Hippos | Date: Jan 10 2007 | By: admin

I have just spoken to Elie.  He tells me that the anti-poaching operations are going well, and that in the last three weeks only 3 hippos have been killed.  This is compared to 109 hippo bodies found butchered in the three weeks before they arrived. 

The rangers are really happy with how things are going and have now made a total of 17 arrests.  Many of the poachers have already been transported to Goma where they are awaiting prosecution.  The rest are still being questioned at Rwindi ranger station.  Once their statements have been taken, they will also be brought to Goma to face the local magistrate, and a long sentence if found guilty. 

Meanwhile it sounds like the Mai Mai, feeling the heat, have abandoned their camp at Cyndo.  Just to be sure, Elie sent in one of his rangers earlier today dressed as a local fisherman.  If the Mai Mai really have left, the rangers will go in and dismantle whatever remains of the camp.  If they are still there, I hope the ranger makes it back ok… 

 

 

6 responses so far