Gorilla Protection

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Dec 18 2008 | By: paula

If peace is restored in Congo it will benefit everyone including  Gorillas. This new film may just help

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Ben Affleck and Mick Jagger teamed up on Wednesday to launch a short film called “Gimme Shelter” drawing attention to the plight of Congolese families driven from their homes by a decade of war.

The film focuses on the plight of families forced to flee the fighting, among an estimated 1.3 million displaced people in Congo, according to the U.N. refugee agency. The film will be distributed online at www.unhcr.org as well as on television and in cinemas.

“I hope this video will help highlight the plight of the hundreds of thousands of displaced people and also the thousands of innocent people who are needlessly losing their lives there,” Jagger said in a statement.

Jagger and the Rolling Stones donated the song for the campaign to raise money for emergency humanitarian assistance kits that contain jerry cans, kitchen sets, thermal blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets and plastic sheeting needed for construction of shelters.

Tags: Ben Affleck, crisis in Congo, DR Congo, gorillas, Mick Jagger, wildlifedirect

5 responses so far

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Dec 11 2008 | By: paula

We’ve been closely monitoring the talks in Nairobi over the last three days. News agencies are stating that the talks have stalled, our contacts have told us that the problem is indecision by CNDP - it seems that the representatives are unable to make decisions on behalf of Laurent Nkunda. What a waste of time!

Meanwhile the United Nations have published  a report  implicating that both Rwanda and Congo have been supporting rebels.  Rwandan government and army has been found helping the CNDP - the report alleges directly involvement in the hostilities, recruiting of child soldiers, supplying artillery and even holding bank accounts for rebels. The report even claims that UN monitored phone calls between Kagame and Nkunda.

Rwanda  of course denies any involvement in the CNDP. In an interview on BBC today, Rwanda’s ambassador to the UN, Claver Gatete, denies any role of Rwanda but that as a democratic nation anyone can have a bank account in Rwanda, and he also claims that the arms that the CNDP have are not supplied form Rwanda, but are ‘found on the ground’ when they take villages and towns.

The report also claims to have evidence of the Congolese army of supporting the Rwandan Hutu militia in eastern Congo which includes some Hutus accused of carrying out the Rwandan 1994 genocide. It names foreign companies that have benefited from the FDLR through access to mines, and recommends that sanctions be imposed against them and individuals named in the report.

While there is a lot of talk going on but many are questioning the political will by nations to intervene and halt the cycle of violence.

Tags: Congo, crisis in Congo, ICCN, Rwanda, Virunga National Park, wildlifedirect

2 responses so far

Category: Threats | Date: Nov 01 2008 | By: paula

Given the gravity of the situation in the Congo we urge all our supporters to directly contribute towards helping the rangers through this terrible humanitarian crisis. We need to help raise $88,694 for the immediate needs.

You can make a donation directly to the park through their official website gorilla.cd or make a contribution right here on WildlifeDirect. No amount is too small in this crisis.

If you want to  leave a cheque follow these instructions

To donate by check please follow the following procedure :-
1. Write a check payable to WildlifeDirect Inc.
2. Simply write gorilla protection GOPRSIOP on the check

3. Include your mailing address for us to be able to send you a tax receipt

Mailing Address:

WildlifeDirect Inc.

P.O. Box 71435

Washington DC 20024-1435

USA

Thank you again for all your contributions to date.

From the team at WildlifeDirect

Tags: crisis in Congo, Emergency, Virunga National Park

One response so far