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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga
Supporting the Families of Those Who Died
Following the attack on a Virunga ranger patrol on Lake Edward last week, we buried our men who died and the soldier who worked alongside them at the fishing village of Vitshumbi on the south side of Lake Edward in the central sector. Due to serious security issues, no one from the southern sector was able to travel into the area, but Rodrigue Mugaruka, warden of the central sector, attended the funeral and provided us with information and photos.
The stories of our two colleagues represent the kind of hardship that so many in Congo have suffered.
Ranger Paluku Matembela lost his wife, Dieu Merci, in childbirth on the 7th of May this year. A friend in Kiwanja has been taking care of the child for the last six months. Paluku’s 14 year old daughter who lived with him in Vitshumbi fainted when she heard the news of her father’s death and spent two days in the hospital.
Benoit Karvante, age 32, lost both his parents at the age of five. He was raised by the family of Muchele, a human resources officer for the park, and grew up in the company of park rangers. Benoit was mute, and although he could not be a ranger, he worked as a boatman for the park, going on dangerous patrols with park rangers for 10 years. Benoit was married with two children age three and five.
Ngangwa Walinoga, the soldier who died on the patrol, leaves behind a wife, Marie, and six children.
Your generous gifts will make an enormous difference in the lives and futures of the families and orphans for years to come. It sends a message as well to all our rangers that their work is valued and their families will be taken care of. Thank you for your support.
If you would like to join others in support of the families, use the “Donate” button to the top right of this blog post.
Ranger and soldier stand side by side - both have lost friends.
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News from Congo- Congo Central Bank Governor Seen Extending Bank Services - Bloomberg
- Rebels and army clash in DR Congo's Goma - Aljazeera.com
- Paul Kagame denies Rwanda proxies in DR Congo - BBC News
- M23 rebels clash with soldiers in eastern Congo, forcing thousands to flee ... - Washington Post
- M23 rebels, Congo army trade fire near Goma - BDlive
- Congo's army clashes with rebels near eastern city of Goma - Yahoo! News
- Rebels, army clash in eastern Congo - Deutsche Welle
- Paul Kagame: I asked America to kill Congo rebel leader with drone - Mail & Guardian Online
- Bidders vie to build world's largest hydropower plant in Congo - Globe and Mail
- Malaria Overstretching Healthcare in DRC - AllAfrica.com
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6 Responses to “Supporting the Families of Those Who Died”
Thank you very much for posting this information. While I’m very glad that my small donation can make a difference in the lives of the bereaved it also makes a difference to me to know their names and something about their lives. I’ll be back to the donation-button as soon as possible :-). Is there anything else we in Europe can do besides donate and spread the word?
Tragic. RIP Paluku and Benoit.
So sad that the people who protect those who are not able to protect themselves are targeted. They are very unselfish individuals who deserve our respect. Rest in Peace.
Thanks for the update. My prayers are with you and the entire team. I am doing my best to drum up support for donations to the widow fund. You guys deserve all the support: http://www.galiwango.com/2012/11/03/rangers-burried-widow-fund-created/
These brave, brave, selfless men and their brave surviving families. If only we could do more than donate. My prayers are with them all.
Yes, doing more than donate means also raising awareness about the untold suffering the people of Congo, especially in eastern provinces are experiencing. They have been maintained in a situation of unlawlessness and war for the last 16 years or so. Many, reportedly up to 5 million, have so far been killed, and yet, the world is looking away! The killing of these park rangers is, not to be cynical, a normal and everyday thing being experienced by million other Congolese. My heart goes to them all. Please, help, however you can, to stop the progrom of Congolese people in the name of our shared humanity.