May 02 2008
Villager Captured by Rebels Returns
This is Balemba. Great news: the villager that went missing last month has finally reappeared. He showed up dehydrated, thin, dirty, and barefoot, but alive!
This is what he told me:
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Having walked from Rumangabo to his village in Bukima, he got started working in his crop field. After a couple hours, two young men with guns approached him and asked him why there weren’t any other villagers around. He told them that he was just there earlier than the others.
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The men then became threatening and took the food he had with him (sweet potato with beans). They ordered him to follow them, taking him to an area near the Bukima Patrol Post. For three days, he was subjected to interrogations and beatings.
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Once they were satisfied that he actually knew nothing, they transferred him from Bukima to Bikenge. There, he witnessed widespread poaching and saw other villagers forced to work for the rebels. At one point he also saw a group of gorillas in the forest (Diddy thinks it was the Kabirizi group). This was the first time he had seen gorillas in their natural habitat.
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Kwibesha from the Kabirizi group
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He was forced by the rebels to bring 200 liters of water every day from a spring several hundred meters into the forest. He survived on potatoes and slept in an abandoned hut, with the rebels in their tents nearby.
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He did the best he could to hide his fear and fatigue from the rebels. In the end, he was finally freed because he was smart enough to do everything the rebels ordered him to do. Oddly enough, the rebels asked him to come back from time to time to bring them cigarettes. They even offered him a job as a tracker, with the promise that he could one day become a park ranger. He of course declined the offer and left, eventually finding his way to the displaced people’s camp at Kabaya.
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He is still very traumatized by his ordeal, but hopefully he will get better soon.
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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
I’m glad this man is alive and not seriously harmed. It freaks me out, though, to read the words “widespread poaching” and “gorillas” in the same paragraph. I cannot believe the rebels (must be Nkunda’s men) are promising jobs as rangers.
This cannot continue much longer. It’s shocking that it’s gone on this long.
s.
I am very glad to hear that this villager survived his ordeal and it sounds like he was able to hold it together, during what I am sure was a very horrible time for him. I agree with Sheryl, “widespread poaching” and “gorillas” in the same paragraph is haunting, although, my hope is that the rebels see the gorillas as a means of income and, therefore, won’t harm them. This has gone on too long, won’t the government try to do anything to get the rebels out of this National Park and World Hertigage sight and home of this most precious endangered creature? I also feel for the villagers who are being threatened and forced to work, and who knows what else, for these rebels. My thoughts are always with the Rangers and gorillas and my hopes are that this will end soon. Lisa
I can only echo the sentiments above…it is so hard to believe that Nkunda’s men still have control over the gorilla sector…the whole situation is just appalling.
The situation makes us all feel so helpless and frustrated and enraged, and I’m sure it affects you rangers far more intensely, since these gorillas are like part of your family. I rejoice at the return of the villager and I hope he recovers from what must have been a terrifying experience all around. Kwibesha is exquisitely beautiful and sweet. Thank you for the image. I gaze into his/her(?) eyes and something happens to me. I can only imagine that to gaze into the eyes of an actual gorilla must alter your life forever. Thank you and many blessings.
Glad to know he is ok…what a beautiful pic of Kwibesha……I miss seeing their pics on a regular basis….still praying for peace over there!
Great news, indeed. It’s a relief that the brave villager have escaped from rebels. It’s a relief too that him had seen gorillas group in his natural habitat. This picture of Kwibesha shows what gorillas are - so beautiful and sweet. Thank you so much Balemba. And thanks to this smart villager for news on our beloved gorillas.
Sheryl I agree with you VERY..VERY Scary. I dont even wanna think about THAT…Glad he is home though and lots of love and luch to all the Gorillys…
Big Gorilla Hugs…
What a brave man. I can’t imagine the emotional scars these people live with every day of their lives. Like everyone else, I am outraged that the government hasn’t found a way to control this situation. It is a real crime.
Balemba - such great news that he has returned alive, but what a traumatic experience. he must have feared for his life every second. His family must be overjoyed. This is such an atrocious way for people to live but much relief here, that he has returned. G4G wishes him peace and recovery in the midst of his family.
Balemba,
I am glad to hear the villager returned safe. He is indeed a smart man.
What really bothers me is the ‘widespread poaching’ comment he made. This is just horrible news. The government must do something about the rebels. And, don’t they realize their precious wildlife will be gone?