Entire Advance Force sent to Tshiaberimu
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.
Report on Attack (In English)
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.
Report on the Tshiabirimu Attack
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
Thoughts on Sunday’s Attack.
Category: Out on Patrol, Virunga National Park | Date: May 25 2007 | By: admin
1 Park Ranger Killed, 4 critically wounded, and 1 kidnapped from Burusi Patrol Post
Category: Out on Patrol, Virunga National Park | Date: May 20 2007 | By: admin
This morning the Mai Mai rebels attacked one of our Patrol Posts. The Advance Force have been deployed immediately to rescue our man as well as to secure the safety of the Lowland Gorillas.
The following post is taken from Atamato’s blog:
At 4h00 this morning Mai Mai rebels attacked the Burusi Patrol Post here in Virunga, leaving one park ranger dead, four critically wounded, as well as kidnapping Officer Monya. There were 10 Park Rangers stationed at Burusi, including the Conservateur and the Conservateur Communicateur.
Rangers and Trackers in Tshiaberimu
The Burusi Patrol Post is the sub-station and also the entry point for the Tshiaberimu area in Virunga, where there are lowland gorillas.
It was reported on this blog that only 10 days ago the Mai Mai in Muramba, of the Jackson group, were rumoured to be around 50. But following meetings between the Mai Mai and the farmers of Mulango wa nyama, with plans to attack ICCN Patrol Posts in order to continue cultivating within the park, there numbers were able to quickly swell. This information was reported on several occasions to the Commander Brigade and MONUC, but to no effect.
ICCN have deployed two troops of the Advance Force of Congo Rangers to track the attackers, as well as contacting the military authorities of the eighth, based at Butembo. It is feared that the Mai Mai have plans to attack the lowland gorillas as they are now heading towards the Patrol Post of Kalibina, where the gorilla monitoring takes place.
We urgently need funds to support the Advance Force, as well as money for the hospital bills for the Park Rangers who are critically wounded. Please donate now, all money received will go directly to this cause.
Technorati : Congo, Mai Mai, Virunga, WildlifeDirect, gorilla
Keeping Watch in Ishango
Category: Out on Patrol, Virunga National Park | Date: May 14 2007 | By: admin
For the moment I am in Ishango with Troop 3 of the Advance Force of Congo Rangers.
We are here to patrol and create a presence in Ishango, so that the nearby Mai Mai know that they are unable to enter the area.
To read more about why the Mai Mai are in Muramba I urge you to go and look at Atamato’s blog as he is in a position to talk about the situation in more detail.
Technorati : Congo, Ishango, Rebels, Virunga, WildlifeDirect
In Ishango
Category: Out on Patrol, Virunga National Park | Date: May 10 2007 | By: admin
I am in Ishango at the moment with Troop 3 of the Advance Force. Find out why over on Atamato’s blog.
Back soon.
Congo Rangers, most dangerous job in the world?
Category: In the Press, Virunga National Park | Date: May 08 2007 | By: admin
Jules Aloma brought back these photos of his troop training in the jungle around here at Mutsora.
Even though the troops are now nearly always out on patrol, it is necessary when they are back at Mutsora for them to regularly undergo more training while in a safe zone.
This way we are able to monitor the rangers and make sure that they are following all procedures correctly.
As while we’re out on patrol there is no room for mistakes, one wrong move could spell a potential disaster, which may be why Discovery Channel has labeled being a Congo Ranger as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
They were filming part of their series here in Virunga last year. I know that I have some photos somewhere of the filming and will try and dig them out for tomorrow.
Technorati : Congo, Discovery Channel, Mutsora, Virunga, WildlifeDirect
Military Camp to be illlegally extended in Virunga
Category: Virunga National Park | Date: May 07 2007 | By: admin
Some terrible news for the park.
There is already a small military camp illegally within the park, but we have just found out that this will be extended to house 4,000 men and maybe their families too.
You can read more about it on Rob’s blog here.
It is going to have a major impact on the park and there are still many questions that need to be answered, for example why are the Dutch Government wanting to illegally fund a camp inside a park?
I will keep you posted when we receive more information.
Technorati : Brassage, Congo, Military, Virunga, WildlifeDirect
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