Video clip of war in the Virunga National Park

The rebels in DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) have seized the Virunga National Park in the north-eastern parts of the country. The park is a UNESCO world heritage site, and within it a considered proportion of the world population of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) can be found, as well as forest elephants, chimpanzees and okapis. At least for some time…

Footage from the park (see clips below) paints a picture of a state of war. There are also reports of rebels killing animals and chopping down trees in the national park. During similar armed conflicts in the region the protected areas and their inhabitants had to pay a very high price. Nothing points that it will be different this time. Perhaps the only difference is that Virunga is becoming more and more the really last refuge for many species. If the park is lost, the species have nowhere else to go than towards extinction.

Isn’t time to end the conflict in DRC? For the sake of the people who have suffered, for the sake of the animals and plants that are paying the ultimate price, and for the sake of the future generation that are having their heritage chopped away. But for this to happen we would need the engagement of the UN, the unanimous and definite approach by the leaders in AU, and the stop of foreign companies’ poking their noses into DRC’s natural resources. And that is probably at least one wish to many...





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