Oct 21 2007
Rebels advance to Virunga Park HQ; Rangers evacuate
This is Samantha. It is 11h00 DR Congo time. I have just spoken to Director Mushenzi and Diddy.
Yesterday the rebels advanced down to Rugari. This is the community that lies on the main road next to the Gorilla Sector, west of Bukima. What does this mean? It means that the road between Goma and Rumangabo park station is not secure. This is one of Goma’s main arteries.
In addition, the national army at the military camp 4km east of Rumangabo have fled fearing attack by the rebels. This is the military camp that is always considered to be a target for the rebels. Some Rangers have gone up to Rutshuru - mainly the Advance Force rangers who were still at Rumangabo. Other Rangers are still at Rumangabo.
Virunga National Park, DRC
Innocent and his family are in Goma after evacuating yesterday.
Yesterday Rangers managed to make one trip from Rumangabo to Goma and evacuate tents and batteries.
I will keep you posted.
Samantha
Technorati : congo, drc, iccn, rumangabo, virunga, wildlifedirect
Daily news from the conservation frontline by Innocent and Diddy, and other Congolese rangers risking their lives to save mountain gorillas of the Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Dear Samantha
probably the next step in this situation will be a critical clash into rebels and national army
The time for the words is finish.
Please stay safe with alls rangers
[…] Die Congo-Ranger haben ihre Positionen geräumt. Nur noch Mitglieder der Sondereinheit advanced force sind im Kriegsgebiet stationiert. Sie haben aber keine Möglichkeit, die zwischen in Fronten im Nebelwald eingekesselten letzten Berggorillas der Welt zu schützen. […]
Hi all. Been a little out of touch while traveling 15 hours by car to my hometown in Florida to visit my Dad. I had hoped for better news, but it seems that Nkunda is a gigantic liar and the FARDC is not disciplined enough to fight back. I can’t believe the rangers are leaving their headquartters. This is devastating news. It also seems to me that Nkunda’s statement of providing protection for the ethnic Tutsis is utter bullshit as it’s clear he wants to rule the country. He must be stopped and I believe it will take outside intervention. So, where do we start? BBC News seems to have the best coverage of the situation that I’ve found: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7054699.stm
and http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7054182.stm
The Washington Post hssn’t covered this story since October 7 and I see nothing new on CNN. We need to get the word out. I’m going to contact my volunteer supervisor at the National Zoo to find out what we can do, then start sending more comments to news outlets. If anyone else has better ideas, please speak up! I’d like to know what Dr. Leakey would suggest, too.
Very depressing. I really fear the worst for the gorillas. I hope all the rangers and their families are out of harm’s way.
s.
Thank you again for another update Samantha…tough times right now….I really wish this would end soon..it has been way too long for the gorillas to be left unprotected….I really hope the rebels have left them alone……..just makes me cringe!!!!!
Thanks for keeping us updated, Samantha. Is Diddy in Rutshuru? I hope everyone can stay safe. I’m glad Innocent and his family made it to Goma.
Not what I want to hear but thanks for keeping us posted. I hope the rangers and their family are all safe.
Samantha, Thank you for all the updates. It is not good news for the Gorillas. I hope they are safe and staying as far away from the fighting as they can. I hope everyone stays safe through this and it all ends soon. Lisa, California
From the BBC … “DR Congo tells Mai Mai to disarm” … http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7055299.stm … (Last Updated: Sunday, 21 October 2007, 14:26 GMT 15:26 UK) … I too hope and pray that everyone from WD, the Rangers and the gorillas are safe. We can only hope all the noise will chase them away from the fighting. All are in my prayers.
From the BBC … “Behind DR Congo’s war games” … http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7053567.stm … (Last Updated: Friday, 19 October 2007, 20:14 GMT 21:14 UK) … “The Masisi Hospital, deep in the green mountains of war-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, is a place of miracles.” … A tiny bright spot amid chaos.
Thanks for your $100 donation Antonio. I just saw it on Paypal.
It’s the waiting which is driving one crazy.. One starts getting attached to the gorillas when you read individual stories about them.I think of them and all of you in the middle of the crisis and pray it would end soon..
Dear Samantha
is a little thing in that’s horrible situation
While this has nothing to do with the situation in the Congo, I thought I’d post this because it offers hope for animals worldwide. The fire evacuaton centers in southern California now have areas for evacuated animals! This was not true before hurricane Katrina. In this case, animals now have the same rights to safety and care as humans do, under the law. I hope we can help create a world where animals have rights to peaceful and plentyfull habitats and freedom from exploitation. For now, I hope and pray for peace in the DR Congo and safety for our gorillas. Rangers, please take care and be safe.
[…] I learned this late yesterday. The Rangers were on patrol and were ambushed by the Mai Mai rebels, who are fairly dominant in this area just north of Rutshuru. (See map.) […]
Dear Samathan
Thanks very much forthis up date can have some information a bout Kahuzi Biega National Park Please.
Francine