The Democratic Republic of Congo is a very large country, and the most serious current political insecurity affects only the area in eastern Congo's North Kivu province (including the Virunga mountains where a portion of the mountain gorilla population is located). The local city of Goma is where DFGFI has offices for many of our programs throughout Congo, including our work with the community-based nature reserves (UGADEC), our care for several confiscated infant gorillas, and our health, education and other humanitarian programs. The area around Goma is a battlefield, as international media have been reporting. Many people have died, many are displaced from their homes, and there are many diseases. Here in Goma itself we have been able to continue our work but things are not good, even though so far the rebels have remained some distance from town. Our staff are working from home due to the high cost of transportation.
We are surviving, and people are back at work as usual after some days of uncertainty. Schools, banks, stores, public transportation and air transport are functioning, and civic and humanitarian workers are at their jobs. But we should note that there is a shortage of food and other goods, because the rebels now occupy the villages around Goma that normally supply the town, and the villagers have fled. Goma is now overpopulated and many families are overwhelmed by the arrival of their relatives fleeing the war. This situation has not spared our local staff in Goma, who are now experiencing hardships in this regard.
What I can confirm, however, is that the integrity of the UGADEC community-based reserves and the Tayna Center for Conservation Biology (TCCB) area is not affected so far by this war, since they are hundreds of miles from the fighting. We are receiving reports from all the coordinators. The UGADEC staff at the reserves are able to get supplies because the security situation is good in that area. At TCCB, academic activities are running well. Courses are being taught as before, and three visiting university professors are giving lectures. The provincial minister for the environment recently visited and was impressed with TCCB's work and with the unique site nearby where our Gorilla Rescue and Rehabilitation Center is now under construction. The confiscated gorillas will be able to move to the new rescue center when its construction nears completion.
However, in the Virunga mountains, where the fighting continues, the situation for the mountain gorillas there is very uncertain. Our Virunga National Park focal point, Jean Paul Shabantu, says that the conservation situation in the southern part of the park is unknown, and only the rebels may know what is happening to the estimated one-third of the total mountain gorilla population that lives there (the rest of the mountain gorilla population lives in Rwanda and Uganda, which are not affected by this situation). He also reports that the nearby civilian population and the park rangers, who had to flee their stations, are now in displaced persons camps, and in need of assistance. The insecurity here also means that we have not been able to operate our work in the park at the Kabara station, nor our ecosystem health and development programs in the immediate area, such as at the Rumangabo clinic.
We are, however, hopeful that the diplomatic process will continue and that the situation will improve soon. We have seen various international diplomats, humanitarian leaders and foreign ministers in Goma. In addition, an important delegation from the DRC's cabinet, led by the prime minister, has told the Goma community that the Congolese government promises to bring an end to the war in eastern DRC.
As we have mentioned before, the insecurity in this part of Congo does not in any way extend to Rwanda, where the majority of the mountain gorilla population is located and where our gorilla protection efforts continue from the Karisoke Research Center as normal, with no interruption.
We appreciate your support of our work, especially in these times of great difficulties, and are grateful for your donations. If you are interested in a new way for you and your friends to help out the gorillas and communities caught in the Congo situation, please stay tuned as we develop our "Coins for Congo®" program, which will begin next month. Please check our website in December for further information.
Submitted by Pierre Kakule Vwirasihikya
DFGFI Congo Programs Co-Director, November 13, 2008
