SAVE VIRUNGA
Stop Oil Exploration in Africa's Oldest National Park
Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse nature reserve is also its most dangerous. In 2018 alone, militia in Virunga National Park in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo killed twelve rangers during their work. Because of the violence, the park was closed to visitors since June 2018. Now he opens his doors again. Does the resource-rich Virunga still have… Read More
Virunga, one of the wonders of Africa, is home to rare gorillas—and plagued by violence and economic tension. BY ROBERT DRAPER PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRENT STIRTON This story appears in the July 2016 issue of National Geographic magazine. When the ranger studied the ragtag crew he was supervising, seven young men repairing a rugged road that… Read More
Sometimes it seems easier to write about conflict, than to do something about ending it. Eastern DRC does not escape this fate, in the mist of conflict and the never ending power struggles it has become a very prolific research ground for many. We all have something to say about DRC’s conflict, about its roots, consequences and its devastating… Read More
DRC, the continent’s beautiful and precarious heart, sits once again upon a ticking bomb. 19 JUN 2015 00:00 TONY WEAVER It is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. And one of the most tragic. It is that corner of Africa where Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo come together. Straddling… Read More
An interview between Belgian Prince Emmanuel de Merode and Alec Hogg at the World Economic Forum quintessentially sums up the spirit of Davos and exactly what the forum is trying to achieve. Prince Emmanuel’s tale pulls at the heart-strings for many reasons as it informs us about the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and… Read More
(Kinshasa) – Democratic Republic of Congo authorities should fully and impartially investigate threats and violence against Virunga National Park rangers and local activists, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should examine whether the incidents are linked to plans to explore for oil within and near Virunga Park by SOCO International, a British oil company operating in… Read More
Insightful and excellent article of DRC blogger Chantal Faida Mulenga – Byuma. Her blog can be consulted at http://chantalfaida.blogspot.fr. Chantal reflects on the green potential of Virunga, the promises made, the position of local communities as well as of DRC government, and what will be the future of the park. Unofficial translation. — Established in… Read More
No more words needed. Many local defenders have been alerting the world of the dangers community members and themselves are facing when fighting for Virunga and the sustainable development option. They are often putting their lives, their staff and their organizations at risk. Virunga cannot survive without them, without their voice and courage. We wish… Read More
Video: ecotourism provides alternative to oil exploration in Virunga Virunga National Park in DR Congo is at a crossroads: should the Congolese people choose to invest in sustainable development, or in oil exploration? In a newly launched video, produced by IUCN NL, local communities and park management weigh the pros and cons. . Emmanuel… Read More
Instead of the hoped tourists, now the oil industry is moving in and stating that their positive effects would easily balance minor environmental damages… Unofficial translation of the German article Die Zeit “Der große Ausverkauf des Virunga-Nationalparks” By Jonas Schaible Although the Democratic Republic of Congo through the last two decades has had to mourn… Read More
From Le Carnet de Colette Braeckman Translated and adapted from the French article Le parc des Virunga menacé par les pétroliers The Virunga National Park, formerly known as the Albert Park, is the oldest of the African National Parks. In 1979, UNESCO classified it as World Heritage site because of its exceptional biodiversity. Fifteen years… Read More
SAVE VIRUNGA 