Gorilla Protection

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Nov 30 2008 | By: paula

Many people inside and outside of the DR Congo are frustrated wtih the failure of the United Nations Peace keeping force to protect civilians, and halt the conflict that is pushing the situation towards a regional war.

The Monuc Website has revealed the following development

“The UN Security Council has discussed, on 27 November 2008, the possibility of amending the mandate of the UN Mission in DR Congo. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the DRC, Alan Doss attended the meeting”.

and 

“The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the DRC and MONUC’s Chief, Alan Doss highlighted the need for addressing the root causes of the conflict, which, according to him, have never been dealt with. He applauded the current efforts by the former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, appointed by the UN Secretary- General as Special Envoy on the Great Lakes region. Many other stakeholders joined efforts, including the representative of the Russian Federation.

DRC’s representative acknowledged and repeated that the Nairobi and Goma processes were the only “reliable framework” for the restoration of peace to a region plagued by crisis he attributed to “a warlord who continues to defy the international community in all impunity…”.

We should recall that the UNSC resolution 1843 of 20th November authorized a temporary increase of MONUC’s military and police strengths to enable it to put an end to the crisis in North Kivu. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General said the extra troops will not be deployed for at least two months.”

Read more on the Monuc website here 

Tags: CNDP, DR Congo, Goma, Luarent Nkunda, MONUC, North Kivu, rebels

One response so far

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Nov 03 2008 | By: paula

A number of people have been raising concerns about how the crisis in the Congo is affecting the two gorilla orphans, Ndakasi and Ndeze, in Goma. We were really pleased to read today when Emmanuel confirmed that despite the conflict, he has been able to visit the babies and that they and their caretakers are all doing well. But in an emotional post on Gorilla Doctors blog, Dr. Lucy Spelman who is currently in Rwanda commented on her concerns of the situation facing the caretakers in the Congo and how it affects the gorilla conservation work and the orphaned babies in Goma.

She said

“I know that Jacques, Eddy, Jean Paul, the gorilla caretakers, and the orphans Ndeze, Ndakasi, and Mapendo are okay for now in Goma.  But the situation there is very unstable”

“Several people have said they feel helpless as they watch the events from a distance.  I’m an hour-and-a-half drive from Goma, and I feel the same way.

Meanwhile, on the humanitarian front, we are hoping that the ceasefire will hold and the convoy efforts to get food out through the front lines will be successful as the local communities around Goma have been without food for nearly a week now. We have heard distressing news about the condition of children especially, who are suffering from all manner of nutritional and health related disorders the aid must reach these people soon to avert untold suffering, starvation and death.

We send our good wishes with our colleagues on the ground, the ICCN, conservation partners, and journalists who are risking so much by staying there and helping through this crisis. If you have any spare dollars, please support the ICCN rangers through this crisis.

Tags: Goma, Gorilla Doctors, gorillas, Lucy Spelman, MGVP, Mountain Gorillas, Ndakasi, Ndeze, Virunga National Park

2 responses so far