May 12 2008
Video: Kibati Charcoal Roadblock
This is Diddy. Below is the video that Pierre filmed 10 days ago at the Kibati charcoal checkpoint.
As you can see, people are hiding bags of illegal charcoal under sacks of potatoes. The truck in the video had 30 bags hidden!
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
Thanks Pierre and Diddy for this video. I’m so impressed with this operation and I hope y’all know how much we appreciate your hard work on a dangerous mission.
I’m struck by how dangerous hauling the charcoal is for the workers. Sitting on those over-packed trucks can’t be safe.
Do you have an estimate, even a rough one, of how much forest is lost to make 30 bags of charcoal?
Thanks, again, for everything you’re doing to save the park and it’s wildlife.
s.
Thank you Pierre and Diddy. Very difficult work these Rangers are doing. Seeing this really makes me feel even more appreciative of the Ranger’s dedication to their work. They are true heros and keepers of their beautiful Virunga National Park and the wonderful and diverse wildlife that lives there. My deepest appreciation goes out to them. I truely believe all of this hard and dangerous work will someday payoff for all of DRC. Lisa
Hi Diddy, when you find charcoal on the trucks like this, what happens to the people and the trucks ? After you remove the charcoal is anybody arrested or fined or are they free to leave once the charcoal has been unloaded. It would be great if the trucks and all it’s contents is confiscated and a huge fine imposed in order to have their truck returned. Maybe if they know the consequence for smuggling charcoal will be the loss of their truck and it’s contents which is a loss of income for them they will not try to smuggle charcoal out of the park. Like Sheryl, I’m interested in knowing approximately how much forest is loss to produce 30 bags of charcoal. Thanks for everything you do and stay safe
How to stop the traffic of the charcoal? If all the catches are redistributed with the population of the park… - free I think it - this population which benefits from this traffic supports it indirectly (or directly).
You turn in round… It is true that it is necessary to protect the forest by all the means… before its complete disappearance and that of the threatened species… there-have-you it not the possibility of calling upon the international assistance? Finally congratulation for your catches and cheer with the cameraman. I’ve saw the reality of the traffic and your difficulty for stop it…Jean-Claude (France)
Wow….such a dangerous job….be careful ……thanks for sharing!
selles brotons: The people at the IDP camps may benefit from the charcoal that is seized and delivered to them, but the people who stood to make a large profit from selling the charcoal are the losers. If their shipments are continually seized by our rangers and distributed freely, this should - eventually - put a chilling effect on their willingness to make more charcoal.
s.
Francis, great idea about confiscating these trucks. Not only are the ranger’s doing dangerous work, it appears this is just plain bad for their health as well. Hauling those heavy sacks will lead to back strain. Inhaling that charcoal dust, none too good for their lungs. Then after a hard day’s work, the rangers go home to deplorable living conditions. Really don’t know how these men do it…try to put myself in their place and just wonder what it must be like. God bless them.
Hello Diddy, you and the other Virunga Park rangers are doing a difficult and dangerous job and I admire you for it. Thanks for sharing Pierre’s video with us and bon courage! Iris
[…] is the most important threat to the future of the mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park. Our charcoal roadblock at Kibati on the route between the park and Goma has been difficult to manage, with trucks trying to force […]