Oct 07 2007
Rebels Re-Take Entire Gorilla Sector
This is Samantha at WildlifeDirect.
Director Mushenzi just called me from Rumangabo. I am in Goma. The rebels have re-taken the entire Mikeno Sector (see map in previous post). In other words the Gorilla Sector is now totally under rebel control and all the Mountain Gorillas of DR Congo are unprotected and unmonitored.
The rebels have actually made progress west of the sector to the main road that goes from Goma to Rumangabo to Rutshuru - to a place called Rugari. So Rumangabo may potentially get cut off from Goma. This of course is where many Rangers are based, and where all the Rangers who have been forced to flee their patrol posts are camping out.
The Director is assessing the situation and I will update you as soon as I hear anything else.
I don’t know if there is any reporting about this on the internet. It has literally just all happened.
Samantha
Update at 11am DR Congo time: Director Mushenzi has just told me they can hear heavy shelling at Bukima from where they are at Rumangabo and that he and the Rangers have taken the decision to evacuate all valuable equipment, like GPS’, binoculars, V-sat etc. to Goma. Samantha
Update at 18h30 DR Congo time: Norbert and his rangers have managed to evacuate valuable equipment from Rumangabo. It got distributed between the NGOs that have storage space. I got GPS’, sleeping bags, a generator, a couple of printers and some other boxes. I am wondering who got the satellite dish.
We are keeping track of the situation. Samantha
Technorati : congo, drc, gorilla, iccn, virunga, wildlifedirect
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
Oh dear.
Do you think the Rebels will purposely harm the gorillas? It has been mentioned that they may avoid doing that. Being caught in the crossfire though, thats another problem all together..
Keep us updated.
Hello Rebecca. The Mountain Gorillas are not a target in all of this, and never have been. They just happen to live right in the middle of this conflict. If the rebels have now taken over the whole sector, it COULD mean that fighting IN the sector actually diminishes because the front line has moved. However, if the army push forward again, the fighting and gunfire exchange and shelling is once again right next to the gorillas. The long and short also of course is that the Rangers cannot do their job protecting and tracking the Mountain Gorillas.
Hi. Can you please email me back with a number I can ring you on. I’m a journalist with the BBC and we’re interested in covering the story. Thanks.
[…] Rebels Re-Take Entire Gorilla Sector […]
Dear god. Sam, AFP has the story but I can’t find it anywhere else. Time to contact our local news agencies.
I’m glad Director Mushenzi and the rangers are getting out of there. Only God can protect the gorillas.
s.
OK, I sent another note to the foreign desk editor at the WaPo, sent about three e-mail forms to CNN, including Anderson Cooper, and I blogged the AFP coverage. I’ve just recently written to my Congressional reps and the Dem presidential candidates but I can hit them all again.
s.
I am going to do a press release soon. I will send you a copy Sheryl.
Excellent, thank you. I can distribute that to a number of places.
s.
Samantha…can you post the press release here so we can all have access to it and send it all over the place…I am so sorry to here that things seem to be getting worse and worse there…please be safe.
Samantha — have you tried some of the internet outlets in terms of getting the word out, for example salon.com?
Hey ya’ll, remember to vote often in the CNN Heroes poll for Eugene Rutagarama. He’s a conservationist in Rwanda working to save the mountain gorillas. If he wins, he’ll bring a lot of attention to the gorillas.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/cnn.heroes/index.html
s.
hi Christine - i haven’t tried salon.com. i will take a look at it. thanks. have just sent out press release so it should be coming to you shortly. I will get the release loaded onto the website tomorrow but if anyone wants it please email me at press at wildlifedirect dot org.
Hi Sam, I’ve sent the press release to the foreign desk editor at the WaPo, to the story editor at National Public Radio, and to the editor of the Baltimore Sun. I have to be out for a few hours today but I’ll dig up more newspapers when I get back.
s.
Samantha — Salon has a huge internet readership, so definitly send it there.
Thanks Sheryl, Thanks Christine!
Hi I read the news on yahoo.com but there are no links of what I can do to help. I can donate money but what else should I be doing?
Thanks,
Theresa
New Mexico
Samantha, Please relay to the Rangers that we are wishing them all well. It’s been a busy day for me, so I have only been able to check in periodically. As soon as I can, I’ll sit down and start writing. I would love to have that press release as soon as you can post it. It’s good to know that we have one journalist that logs on to WD and wants to cover this story…..that gives me great hope! Lisa, California
I see Robin has posted the painting of Mufabure on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200160360342
Sam, where are the rangers and their families? Have they left Rumangabo completely?
Also, the BBC News diary for the rangers is updated: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6983572.stm
s.
[…] Rebels Re-Take Entire Gorilla Sector […]
The BBC News Diary was a great post this week. It rings true and I am so glad that the Rangers are so completely dedicated to protecting this beloved creatures. I pray for the best possible outcome for those to precious orphaned babies being cared for by surrogate mothers. I truely hope that they can be the exception to the rule. I hope they do survive and thrive. We are all trying to keep our hope alive that this well all end soon and the Rangers can get back to doing this very important work and their families can all go back home. Stay strong and well. Lisa, California
CNN has just posted a story on their main page at http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/10/07/congo.gorillas.ap/index.html. Last week I tried to set up some appointments to visit anyone who will listen in DC to ask for help. So far I have not been able to accomplish much, but I will keep trying on Monday. Rick LoBello 915-474-1456. Anyone want to join me?
Hello Samantha/Linda(G4G) I have written to Prime Minister Gordon Brown requesting his help, needless to say my letter was passed on to the Foreign Office who have not deigned to give a reply. Each day I pray that our beloved gorillas will stay safe and that the rangers can resume monitoring and protecting them. I also pray for a good outcome for the beautiful orphaned babies. Do you think the BBC could cover this story? Can the UN/UNESCO not help? We are all trying to keep our hopes alive that the rangers can resume their important work.
Robin
I am watching your beautiful painting of Mufabure on ebay!
Sheryl
I have voted many times for Eugene on CNN Heroes. Hope he wins! Thanks for posting this information.
Hi: It would be worth getting in touch with some of the enviro reporters at the WaPo as well: Juliet Eilperin, David Fahrenholdt, maybe Rob Stein (I’m not sure I have the name right). They may be more help than the foreign ed. Good luck with everything; we’re hoping for good news soon. –Jennifer in Washington, D.C.
Rick, You are awesome. Thank you for being there in DC and giving it your best shot. I did read your letter and it was great. Good luck and keep up posted. Christine, any luck on that petition? Lisa, California
Everyone get to voting on http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/cnn.heroes/index.html Our Ranger is in second place and the poll closes some time tomorrow. I’ve just emailed a bunch of my friends to vote too. Lisa, California
Thanks for your comments everyone. Please keep doing what you can - lobbying, emailing journos, voting for gorilla-related causes. All of this goes to boosting the visibility of the problem here in a long way, which is really what needs to be done. At the moment we need to get the message out, so that if anything happens to those Mountain Gorillas there is some level of accountability.
Samantha,
I keep an environmental blog that I am posting the story on as well - its not big like CNN and others but hopefully will help a little. Reuters, Associated Press, CNN, and some newspapers now have picked up the story so the news is getting out.
I know you said that the gorillas were not the target in the fighting but if the rebels continue to hold the park will they allow it to be deforested which would eliminate the gorilla’s habitat?
Will be watching, voting, writing, and whatever else I can do to help - just let us know.
Robin I just looked at the painting of Mufabure. Very emotional. Lovely. You are very talented.
Rick, have you tried calling members of House Natural Resources Committee and the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources? Here’s the Senate number: (202) 224-4971
Also, Mr. Rutagarama needs 69 votes to tie for first place. I _know_ we can put him over the top and get greater visibility for the gorillas. Thanks to everyone who’s voting!
I just saw the CNN story this morning on my Google feeds page. w00t!
Beautiful painting, Robin.
Jennifer, thanks for the names - they’ll get e-mail messages from me today.
s.
Oops, link to CNN Heroes voting (today is the last day to vote for this category!): http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/cnn.heroes/index.html
Oh, remember to write to any news media who are covering the gorilla story and thank them.
s.
can anyone tell me what the size of the UN force in north kivu province? and what exactly is their mandate? carl, UK.
Hi Annie Kate. Thanks for posting the info on the blog and getting it out there. Carl - i think there are 17,000 UN peace keepers here (including administration etc) in DR Congo. I don’t have the figure for North Kivu - but I think it is around 4,000.
I voted on CNN and looked at Mufabare’s picture…….wonderful tribute to the lil guy/gal? This is such worrisome news…the gorillas have been unprotected for way too long…I wish the rebels would GET OUT of the sector!!!!!!!!