Hundreds gather to mourn immense loss in Virunga National Park
By the Gorilla OrganizationYesterday, 9 August, 2007, communities from the southern sector of the Virunga National Park and students from Goma gathered to show their respects to the seven gorillas that lost their lives in the last seven months in the Virunga National Park. Hundreds of people joined the Gorilla Organization in Goma in this gorilla memorial ceremony - a public display of compassion for the gorillas and a demonstration of the local population's respect for this precious species.
Greg Cummings, the Gorilla Organization's executive director reports, "This gathering exemplifies the Congolese people's commitment to gorilla survival. For more than a decade the Gorilla Organization has worked closely with local grassroots organisations to ensure that the poor farmers and pastoralists who live next to gorilla habitats not only benefit from but also contribute to the survival of gorillas. It's their natural heritage and it's in their hands. They are the front-line of gorilla conservation".
During the ceremony many local people felt compelled to stand up and condemn the recent flood of gorilla killings. Students, teachers, farmers and local chiefs all spoke of their anger at the attacks and affirmed their continued commitment to gorilla conservation. Stunning works of art produced by young people during a recent art competition were also on display, each piece depicting gorilla conservation and the benefits it brings to the local communities.
The most recent massacre of four Mountain gorillas, near Bukima in the southern sector of the Virunga National Park, evoked outrage in the surrounding communities. It is the third tragic attack in this area since the beginning of the year and the local people are no longer prepared to tolerate these senseless killings, which not only threaten the long-term survival of the species but also the economic development of the surrounding area.
The conservation of Mountain gorillas brings great prospects to the local people living on the border of the Virunga National Park. Community conservation projects protect the gorilla habitat by providing local people with sustainable alternatives to the forests' resources - alternatives that reduce poverty and improve the health and wellbeing of so many individuals living in the area. Now that peace has returned to the region tourism also has the chance to flourish and the area is set to benefit from the economic advantages that gorilla tourism brings. But these recent attacks threaten to prevent any of this from happening and send the region into
economic and ecological despair.
Tuver Wundi, the Gorilla Organization's communication manager reports of the distress he has witnessed amongst the local populations since the recent gorilla massacre, "the local communities near Bukima are devastated by the recent shootings, they have worked hard during the last 10 years to protect the gorillas and their habitat and have welcomed the ecological and economic benefits that gorilla conservation has brought to their communities. The Mountain gorillas are precious to them … they distinguish this area from the rest of the world and the local people are furious that anyone would want to take this valuable asset away from the country".
This is not the first time that the Congolese public has been outraged by the unnecessary killing of gorillas. Maheshe was perhaps the most famous gorilla in DR Congo. The silverback appeared on the back of a 50,000 bank note during the 90's and the entire population came to recognise him as national symbol.
Tragically in 1996, poachers tracked and killed Maheshe, leaving in their wake an entire country mourning its loss. For such a vast country, the unity displayed at the time of Maheshe's death really does reflect the immense respect and compassion the Congolese people have for gorillas.
What you can doPlease visit the website of the Gorilla Organization at
http://www.gorillas.orgLondon, U.K.
The Gorilla Organization works internationally to save the world's last
remaining gorillas from extinction by supporting long-term economic
development and conservation projects in the poor communities surrounding the gorilla habitat.
Formerly The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Europe, the Gorilla Organization was inspired by Dian Fossey herself to raise funds to protect the endangered Mountain gorillas. Today the organisation works to ensure the survival of lowland gorillas as well as mountain gorillas with projects including gorilla protection; agricultural development; the Durban Process (long-term solution
to illegal mining); conservation and education; forest people and combating loss of habitat.
In 2002 the Gorilla Organization won the BBC International
Award for Outstanding Work in Conservation. www.gorillas.org
Thanks to Kim Bartlett, Publisher of ANIMAL PEOPLE Newspaper
for posting this release on the AfricAPN LIST (mailman@africaanimal.org)
Animal People's website is
Website:
http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/