Elie Mundima

Category: Out on Patrol, Virunga National Park | Date: Jun 26 2007 | By: admin

Honore Balikwisha and his troop have just come back from Tshiaberimu, where they have been patrolling the area together with the ICCN guards who are permanently stationed there.

In their place, Joseph Aloma  and Troop II went to Tshiaberimu on Saturday morning. We will continue to patrol the area every day to secure the area from another attack and to better protect the lowland gorillas living there.

No responses yet

Category: My Rangers | Date: Jun 22 2007 | By: admin

I have Jules Aloma here who wants to personally say thank you to Kevin for agreeing to fully sponsor the work that he is doing here in Virunga National Park.

Joseph Aloma and Jules

As you know, the money from WildlifeDirect will only last for a short period of time, and so it is crucial to find the support for me and all of my men who work here for the Advance Force, so that our work can continue and secure the future for all of the animals that are here.

Thank you Kevin. This gives us much courage for our work, not only financially, but to know that there are people from all around the world who care for our work here.

3 responses so far

Category: Happy Hollow Zoo, My Rangers | Date: Jun 21 2007 | By: admin

Samantha at WildlifeDirect has just told me that Kevin, a man in England who works in the music business, has agreed to sponsor Jules Aloma, the leader of Troop 1 of the Advance Force. This costs $244 per month and is split the following way:

Salary supplement: $87

Accommodation: $15 (this is in Mutsora in the park)

Patrol Rations: $33

Basic Equipment and Uniform: $37 (this includes boots, tent and backpack)

Ranger Pension Scheme: $15

Medical Cover: $20

Transport: $37 (this is part of the cost of 3 dedicated vehicles for us)

Thank you very much Kevin. This makes a big difference to the Advance Force. We are 49 men, divided into 3 Troops. I am the Commander. Jules is the leader of Troop 1, his brother Joseph Aloma is the leader of Troop 2 and Honore Balikwisha is the leader of Troop 3. Each Troop is comprised of 3 Sections, and the leader.

At the moment WildlifeDirect pays our salary bonuses and supports our patrols with rations, transport, equipment etc. They are trying to get all the Advance Force sponsored by people in other countries. For example I am sponsored by Happy Hollow Zoo. Joseph is sponsored by Stratton Elementary School. Delphin is sponsored by Georgina. Deo is sponsored partially by Rachelle and her friends. I have asked WildlifeDirect for a full list - because Kavusa, Isaya, Mwaka and Emmanuel are also partially sponsored. So that means that now 4 of us are totally sponsored, out of the 49.

This photo was taken of Jules in the Tshiaberimu gorilla sector earlier this month.

This is Jules, again in Tshiaberimu, with his uncle Bukala who works in the area.

Here I am on the left, with Joseph (sitting), Balikwisha and Jules (in white).

Thank you for all your donations to the Advance Force.

4 responses so far

Category: Rebuilding | Date: Jun 19 2007 | By: admin

The Ranger Kambale Mulonda is recuperating after the attack on the gorilla sector at Tshiaberimu last month. He, Vhosi (who works for the Gorilla Organisation), and Alain Mali are all out of hospital.

Here is Kambale Mulonda with his wife and child. I took this photo about 10 days ago.

Here I am with Alain - who thankfully is also doing much better. In this photo below you get an idea of his wounds.

This is the stain on the floor where WWF officer Nicolas Mbusa Bianzire was shot and killed. It is terrible and we still think of this brutal attack.

Thank you for all your support during this difficult time. Funds have been distributed to the family of Mbusa Bianzire, and hospital bills been paid. I will give you a break down at a later date, but I know that contributions came from The Gorilla Organisation, World Wildlife Fund, WildlifeDirect, Frankfurt Zoological Society and Zoological Society of London. Thank you.

4 responses so far

Category: Out on Patrol | Date: Jun 17 2007 | By: admin

At 3am this morning myself and Joseph Aloma, along with his troop, have left for Bukima to patrol the area following the recent killing of the female mountain gorilla.

Bukima is in the South of Virunga National Park, and the journey will take us around 15 hours.

We have left together with Linda Nunn, from Gearing up 4 Gorillas. 

The  operation is being partly funded by the European Union as well as the continual financial support from our readers.

One response so far

Category: Out on Patrol, Virunga National Park | Date: Jun 14 2007 | By: admin

I am now home in Mutsora after spending time at Tshiaberimu after the gorilla attacks. Two out of the three Troops of the Advance Force are back in Mutsora, after a month away, with the respective Troop Leaders. That one troop (with its 15 rangers) remains in Tshiaberimu.

I included a lot of information on the attack and the victims in my previous blogs. But I now have some photos to show you.

This was when we first went up to Tshiaberimu. The car had problems and we had to walk a lot of the way. We kept the luggage and rations in the vehicle, but walked and/or pushed the car!

We had lots of visitors up at Burusi, the main patrol post at Tshiaberimu where the attacks took place. The UN peacekeeping mission in Congo came, as did the Congolese army and of course us. The Director of the northern sector of Virunga, Norbert Mushenzi, is in this photo, second from left with the cap on.

The UN forces are the ones in the blue helmets.

This is a photo of a map on a sign of the Tshiaberimu sector:

After the Mai Mai finished their attack at the Burusi patrol post, they left on this path you see below towards Kalibina.

The situation now is much calmer and we conducted patrols for the entire month throughout the sector, between Burusi, Kitolu and Kikyo. At the beginning we were 2 Troops at Tshiaberimu and one at Ishango, but then Joseph Aloma’s Troop at Ishango came to join us. Those that have been arrested are still detained and we are waiting to see what happens.

Here are some of my men:

And the UN left

We hope the situation will remain calm. The threat has been diminished, but we have a lot of work to do still in Congo so this kind of attack does not happen again.

2 responses so far

Category: Out on Patrol | Date: Jun 03 2007 | By: admin

It’s been extremely busy since the Mai Mai attack ten days ago.  This is a quick update that I’m sending through Ephrem Balole, the WildlifeDirect officer who is at Mutsora, the park headquarters for Virunga North. 

One of the successes has been the arrest of five suspects.  Four were arrested five days ago after one of the suspects was found wearing the trousers of Nicolas Vianzire, the wildlife volunteer who was killed at Burusi ten days ago.  He later admitted to being involved in the attack.  One of the four was a former officer in the army who had been demobilised, and subsequently joined the Mai Mai.

 Yesterday, another suspect was arrested, and handed over to the military tribunal in Butembo.  This man is believed to be the right hand of Nguru, the chief of the Mai Mai group that attacked Tshiaberimu, so this could be quite a major development in preventing further attacks on the gorillas, and may bring us some justice for our colleagues who were murdered during the attacks. 

Yesterday a new batch of rations arrived together with jackets and boots (bought with the emergency funds generously provided by you).  Two troops have been deployed on Mount Tshiaberimu.  Troop 1, commanded Aloma Major is with me at Burusi, where the bloody attack took place 10 days ago.  Two days ago we came across poachers’ tracks.  These poachers were pursued but they were unfortunately outside the park before we could catch them.  Troop 2, under the command of Joseph Aloma is patrolling around the Kitolu Patrol Post to the north of Tshiaberimu.   

Troop 1 on patrol around Burusi, near where the attack took place

Troop 3 is at Kalibina, up near the summit of Tshiaberimu.  They are up amongst the mountain gorillas under the command of Kalemo (he is acting commander because Balikwisha was ill with a pulmonary illness).  The area is secure, but it we prefer to take every precaution.

3 responses so far

Category: Out on Patrol, Virunga National Park | Date: Jun 01 2007 | By: admin

Unfortunately the military support promised just after the attacks on Tshiabirimu did not appear.

Following rising insecurity of the area, as well as an increase of threats towards those working there, all three troops of the Advance Force are now deployed at Tshiabirimu.

One response so far

Category: Virunga National Park | Date: Jun 01 2007 | By: admin

REPORT ON THE ACT OF SABOTAGE TO THE MOUNT TSHIABIRIMU SUB-STATION, SUNDAY 20 MAY 2007 FROM 6AM TILL 2:40PM

By Ir Fabius MONYA I

First Officer

0. INTRODUCTION

A. Place of Attacks
B. Day of the Attacks
C. Time of the Attacks
D. Report on the Assailants
E. Their Intellectual Abilities

I. COURSE OF OPERATION OF SABOTAGE

II. CONCLUSION

0. INTRODUCTION

A. Place of attacks

BURUSI Patrol Post (Sub-Station of Mount Tshiabirimu), KALIBINA Patrol Post (site touristique of Mount Tshiabirimu) and the Patrol Post of Camp Ngai.

B. Day of the Attacks

20th May 2007.

C. Time of Attacks

From 4 pm till 5:40 pm

D. Report on the Assailants

According to them, they are not part of the Mai-Mai group but revolutionists reclaiming the rights of the population. Upon entry of the Sub-Station, they were dressed in civilian clothes and armed. The group consisted of mostly youths between 14 and 22 years of age, as well as 2 adults aged between 30 and 40.

E. Their Intellectual Abilities

The two adults were highly intelligent, with knowledge of many areas of life. They spoke Kinande, Swahili, Lingala, French and English.

I. COURSE OF OPERATION

It was at 6 am, Sunday 20th May 2007 when the BURUSI base of Mount Tshiabirimu was attacked by the armed assailants. Eight of the group made an incursion into the park, while those remaining around the base, following the progress of the operation. They were in constant telephone communication from the start till the very end of the operation. They even asked their colleagues to top-up the credit on their phones.

On their arrival, they were detected by Guard MULONDI who was waiting to be relieved of his post. He saw that the base was being encircled by the men in civilian clothing and straight away made to return to his house. He was seen by the assailants who, having realised that they had been detected, began to open fire. The guards of the base were unable to respond.

The assailants began to fire at the walls of the homes of the Guards, and made incursions into these homes followed by pillaging and the taking of weapons, in resistance, the latter did not hesitate in firing at them.

The majority of the guards had their family in the camp, and so were obliged not to fire at their attackers to safeguard the lives of their wives and children.

The attackers made their first incursion into the PEVI KACHECHE gite, where there were three visitors spending the night. They were:

• MBUSA BIANZIRE, Worker for Pevi Kacheche
• Mr VHOSI, Worker for the Gorilla Organisation
• Mr Claude, trainee at Pevi Kacheche and younger brother of Cadet l’ADT KISUKI

After having forced the door they saw VHOSI, who had left the room where he had slept the night with BIANZIRE, and they asked him to give them his weapon. He was not carrying a weapon however, and was shot in his right thigh. BIANZIRE also received two shots, one to the chest and one lower down. He fell to the ground.

The attackers forced the window of the room of the Conservateur and plundered ammunition, telephones, G.P.S and other valuable items, while the trainee was hidden under his bed -having not been seen by the attackers.The second incursion was at the home of the Chief of Command, the Guard Mathe MUKENYERA Aimé. The attackers succeeded in taking a weapon as well as other valuable items.

The third incursion was at the home of Guard Mulondi, the attackers took off with another weapon and other valuable items, and shot two bullets into the left leg of Mulondi because he refused to give up his weapon.

The fourth incursion was at the home of the First Officer, they stole the Motorola of the station and other goods of value. They fired two shots at the trainee who had passed the night in the bedroom .

The homes of Guards PALUKU MAKELE and KAMBALE MANGINDA were also pillaged, but the guards were able to make off with their weapons. All goods of value were taken.

After having taken two weapons and pillaging the sub-station of Mount Thsiabirimu, the First Officer Fabien MONJA was taken hostage, and taken in the direction of KALIBINA.

Arrival at KALIBINA was at 8 am. The attackers took another weapon, as well as all valuable belongings of the trackers, guards and those who work for the Gorilla Organisation.

After KALIBINA, the group, composed of guards, trackers and attackers, went towards the Camp NGAI Patrol Post in single file.

Arrival at camp NGAI was at roughly 10 am, the attackers took three weapons and other valuable items of the guards.

After having attacked three out of the six Patrol Posts on Mount Tshiabirimu, the assailants rested at Camp NGAI between 10 am and 6 pm, attentive for an attack.

During all this time, the hostages were imprisoned in the straw hut at Camp NGAI until 5:40 pm. At this time they were released and obliged to return along the road to KALIBINA, and all of the women from the Camp NGAI Patrol Post were headed towards the village of NGITSHE.

The attackers stayed along at the Patrol Post until the fall of night, there destination after this time is unknown.

II. CONCLUSION

• Their mission was to weaken the guards of the Park by taking their arms, so that the population are able to cultivate easily within the park boundaries.

• The objective of the attack is to let the population cultivate freely within the park. According to them, Mount Tshiabirimu is not a park.

• According to them, the population around Mount Tshiabirimu suffer from malnutrition, and these fields would help improve this situation.

• As a challenge, as long as the population are not able to cultivate inside the park, then the guards of the park will never be in peace.

• They one day plan an attack on Mutsora and the Kasindi Sector.

Butembo, le 22 mai 2007

ANNEXE

LIST OF THOSE TAKEN HOSTAGE 20th May 2007

1. Officier Fabius MONYA
2. Inspecteur SAFARI Roland
3. KAVEMBERE Ephrem
4. KITSUMBURA Jean-Marie
5. KAKULE NYERERE Samuel
6. KIVIKWAMO
7. MUHINDO KIHURANIA
8. KASEREKA KITEGHA Guillaume
9. Garde MAKELELE ISUKA
10. Garde KAZI
11. Travailleur MUTSUVA
12. KAYISUMBA KATAPS
And three women and children.

No responses yet

Category: Out on Patrol, Virunga National Park | Date: Jun 01 2007 | By: admin

The following is a report on the Tshiabirimu attacks from Officier Principal de Garde, Monya, who lived through the events (An English version will shortly follow):

RAPPORT SUR L’OPERATION DE SABOTTAGE MENEE PAR LES INCIVIQUES A LA SOUS STATION DU MONT TSHIABIRIMU, DIMANCHE 20 MAI 2007 DE 6H à 14H40’

Par Ir Fabius MONYA I

Officier Principal de Garde

0. INTRODUCTION

A. Lieux des opérations
B. Jour de l’opération
C. Heure de l’opération
D. Présentation des inciviques
E. Leurs capacités intellectuelles

I. DEROULEMENT DE L’OPERATION DE SABOTTAGE

II. CONCLUSION

0. INTRODUCTION

A. Lieux des opérations

Poste de patrouille de BURUSI (Etat-major de la sous station du mont Tshiabirimu), poste de patrouille de KALIBINA (site touristique du mont Tshiabirimu) et le poste de patrouille du Camp Ngai

B. Jour de l’opération

Le 20 mai 2007.

C. Heure de l’opération

De 16H à 17H40’

D. Présentation des inciviques

Selon eux, ils ne sont pas de Mai-Mai mais des révolutionnaires réclamant le droit de la population. A l’entrée de la sous station, ils étaient tous en tenue civile puis armés. Ils étaient composés des jeunes gens dont l’âge varie de 14 à 22 ans et de 2 adultes dont l’âge varie de 30 à 40 ans, commanditaires de l’opération.

E. Leurs capacités intellectuelles

Les deux commanditaires de l’opération étaient des intellectuels bien cultivés, ayant beaucoup de connaissances sur plusieurs domaines de la vie. Ils parlaient le Kinande, le Swahili, le Lingala, le Français et l’Anglais.

I. DEROULEMENT DE L’OPERATION

Il était vers 6h du matin, Dimanche 20 mai 2007, l’heure à la quelle l’Etat major du mont Tshiabirimu basé à BURUSI fut attaqué par les éléments incontrôlés armés, au nombre de huit qui ont fait leur incursion dans le parc et d’autres éléments sont restés autour du parc entrain de suivre l’évolution de l’opération. Ils étaient en tout moment en communication téléphonique depuis le début de l’opération jusqu’à la fin. Ils ont même demandé à leur collègue de leur envoyer les unités de communication.

A leur arrivé, ils ont été détecté par le garde MULONDI qui voulait aller se soulager, après avoir remarqué que l’Etat major était déjà encerclé par les hommes en tenue civile, aussitôt le garde s’est précipité de rentrer dans sa maison. Lorsque ces inciviques ont vu, qu’ils étaient déjà détecté par un garde, ils commencé à tirer, mais les gardes n’ont pas pu riposté.

Les inciviques ont commencé à tirer sur les murs des maisons en faisant des incursions dans des maisons des gardes suivi des pillages et de récupération des armes, en de résistance, ces derniers n’hésitaient pas à tirer sur eux.

La majorité des gardes ont leur famille dans le camp, ils étaient dans l’obligation de ne pas tirer sur ces inciviques pour sauvegarder la vie de leur femme et des enfants qui étaient tous dans leurs maisons.

Les inciviques ont fait leur première incursion dans le gîte du PEVI KACHECHE où le Conservateur passe la nuit, ce dernier était absent de la sous station dans une mission. Il y avait seulement trois visiteurs passaient la nuit dans ce gîte. Il s’agit de :

• Le feu Nicolas MBUSA BIANZIRE, Agent du Pevi Kacheche
• Mr VHOSI, Agent du projet Gorille Organisation
• Mr Claude, stagiaire du Pevi Kacheche et petit frère cadet de l’ADT KISUKI

Après avoir enfoncé la porte, ils aperçurent VHOSI qui sortait de la chambre où il passé la nuit ensemble avec le feu BIANZIRE, ils lui ont demandé de leur donner l’arme. Comme ce dernier n’en avait pas, il reçut une balle sur la cuisse de la jambe droite. Il de même cas chez son ami BIANZIRE qui a aussi reçu deux balles : une à la poitrine et l’autre au niveau du bassin. Ce dernier est tombé à terre et rendu l’âme sur place.

Avec courage ces inciviques ont forcé la fenêtre de la chambre du conservateur et ont pillés dans ce gîte les munitions, téléphones, G.P.S et d’autres biens de valeur tandis que le stagiaire était caché sous son lit sans être vu par les inciviques.

La deuxième incursion était chez le chef de commandement, le garde Mathe MUKENYERA Aimé. Les inciviques ont réussi à apporter une arme et d’autres biens de valeur.

La troisième incursion était chez le garde Mulondi, les inciviques ont emporté une arme et d’autres biens de valeur et ont tiré deux balles sur sa jambe gauche à des endroits différents parce que ce dernier a refusé de céder son arme.

La quatrième incursion chez l’officier principale de garde, ils ont emportés le Motorola de la station et d’autres biens de valeur. Ces derniers ont tiré deux balles sur le stagiaire que passait la nuit dans la même chambre.

Les maisons des gardes PALUKU MAKELE et KAMBALE MANGINDA n’étaient pas épargnées mais ces deux gardes ont réussi de s’échapper avec leurs armes, mais leurs maisons ont été pillées. On a emporté tout leur bien de valeur.

Après avoir récupérés deux armes et piller l’Etat major de la sous station du mont Thsiabirimu, l’officier principal de garde Fabien MONJA fut pris en otage, bien ligoté acheminé vers KALIBINA.

Arrivé à KALIBINA vers 8h du matin dans l’improviste, les inciviques ont récupéré une arme et d’autres biens de valeur des pisteurs, des gardes et ceux du projet Gorilla Organisation.

Après KALIBINA, dans un fil indien, composé de gardes, des pisteurs, des inciviques, tous en direction vers le poste de patrouille de camp NGAI.

Arrivé au camp NGAI vers 10h dans l’improviste, les inciviques ont récupéré trois armes et d’autres biens de valeur des gardes.

Après avoir opéré dans trois postes de patrouilles sur les six postes composant l’ensemble de la sous station du mont Tshiabirimu, les inciviques se sont reposé au camp NGAI de 10h à 18h dans l’attente d’une quelconque attaque.

Pendant tous ce temps, les otages étaient tous incarcéré dans la paillote du camp Ngai jusqu’à 17h40, l’heure à laquelle ils furent libérés par les inciviques en leurs obligeant de retourner vers la piste KALIBINA et toutes les femmes du poste de patrouille de camp Ngai de se diriger vers le village de NGITSHE.

Les inciviques sont restés seuls dans le poste de patrouille jusqu’à la tombé de la nuit, ils ont pris une destination que j’ignore.

II. CONCLUSION

• Leur mission était de déstabiliser les gardes de parc en ravissant leurs armes pour que la population cultive aisément dans le parc

• L’objectif du sabotage est celui de laisser la population cultiver librement dans le parc. Selon eux le mont Tshiabirimu n’est pas un parc.

• Selon toujours eux la population vivant autour du mont Tshiabirimu souffre de la malnutrition alors, les champs pourraient pallier à cette situation

• Comme défi, tant que la population n’aurait pas cultivé dans le parc, les gardes de parc ne seront jamais en paix.

• Ils planifient une attaque dans le jour à venir sur Mutsora et le secteur Kasindi

NB : Ces incursions se sont déroulées pendant la journée dans les trois différents postes de patrouille, l’heure à laquelle les gardes en garde ne s’attendaient pas à une quelconque attaque et surtout la situation sécuritaire dans le secteur devenu calme.

Fait à Butembo, le 22 mai 2007

ANNEXE

LISTE DES PERSONNES PRISES EN OTAGE EN DATE DU 20 mai 2007

1. Officier Fabius MONYA
2. Inspecteur SAFARI Roland
3. KAVEMBERE Ephrem
4. KITSUMBURA Jean-Marie
5. KAKULE NYERERE Samuel
6. KIVIKWAMO
7. MUHINDO KIHURANIA
8. KASEREKA KITEGHA Guillaume
9. Garde MAKELELE ISUKA
10. Garde KAZI
11. Travailleur MUTSUVA
12. KAYISUMBA KATAPS
Et trois femmes et enfants

No responses yet