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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga
7 am Monday Morning
The situation is calm. The evacuations of all the staff to the displacement camp in Goma went very well, with everyone both in Rumangabo and in Goma doing an extraordinary job. The conditions in the new camp are very tough, with everyone living in terribly cramped conditions under tarpaulins, but they have safety, food and drinking water. We’re enormously grateful for the support that you have given us so far. It has become a lifeline. The dog unit was also evacuated to Goma, but our orphan gorillas have had to stay with us in the park, because they’re difficult to transport safely and the risk of moving them outweighs that of keeping them with us in the park.
In Rumangabo, morale remains strong. There was intense fighting in the north in the early part of the day. The national army has left the area, and in late afternoon we started seeing small rebel units appear. We have established basic defensive positions around the station, but only to protect the station against looting. We clarified our role as a neutral in the current conflict, and I think it is now well understood on both sides. People are worried, and a few thousand displaced people from the surrounding villages converged around the station last night. We opened the school to give them basic shelter, but most of them had to sleep outdoors.
The situation in Rwindi is very worrying. Over a thousand fleeing troops have converged on Rwindi and the situation is very volatile, with sporadic gunfire and quite extensive looting. Rodrigue is on site, and keeping the situation under control as best he can.
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News from Congo- Congo City Under Fire as Fighting Spreads - Wall Street Journal
- Qatar Petroleum Buys Congo Stake as Investment at Home Declines - Bloomberg
- Democratic Republic of Congo: Rebel Clashes Resume - New York Times
- US Non-Intervention In Syria Could Mirror Outcome In Congo - NPR
- How Congress Is Using the Congo to Weaken Dodd-Frank - U.S. News & World Report (blog)
- DR Congo fighting: Goma clashes 'kill 19' - BBC News
- DR Congo waits on funding for world's largest hydropower project - The Guardian
- Fresh fighting flares in DR Congo - Courier Mail
- M23 rebels clash with Congo army for a 2nd day in the country's east - Fox News
- Rwanda's Paul Kagame denounces UN force in DR Congo - BBC News
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5 Responses to “7 am Monday Morning”
Emmanuel
Good news that the situation is calming. Well done on the evacuation. Let us hope that the proposed negotiations and withdrawal can take place, that your neutrality is honored, and that your situation can soon return to normal.
Kudos to your team for their couageous achievements.
Salaams
Mike
Bon courage, on pense à vous.
Thoughts are with you all as ever LuAnne.
Bon courage à tous
[...] everyone both in Rumangabo and in Goma doing an extraordinary job,” wrote de Merode on the park’s website on July 9th. “The conditions in the new camp are very tough, with everyone living in terribly [...]