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Gunmen killed at least six park rangers and wounded several more in an ambush in the Virunga National Park, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This park is a sanctuary for endangered mountain gorillas. Staff working in the park have often been attacked. Judith Verweijen and Esther Marijnen, experts in armed mobilization and conservation in the DRC, explain why this is happening and what needs to be done to better protect them.
Why is the Virunga National Park so vital to conservation?
Virunga National Park is one of the most biodiverse protected areas in Africa and is home to a third of the world’s wild mountain gorillas. It is also special because it is located in a zone of protracted violent conflict: the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The conflict in this region defies an easy explanation. It involves more than 130 armed groups and is driven by a complex range of factors. These include conflicts over land and natural resources, struggles over local authority, for example over the succession of chiefs, interference from neighboring countries, and militarized political competition.
Read more: Why history is important to understanding the conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
The constant violence makes protecting the park a challenge, although park rangers are not the only group facing insecurity – the park and its surroundings are also very lethal to civilians. For example, earlier this month, at least 22 civilians were massacred during a raid attributed to a rebel group in a village bordering the park in Beni territory.
What is the context within which attacks on rangers occur in Virunga National Park?
Overall, the security situation in North Kivu, where the park is located, shows no signs of improving as the violence continues.
Additionally, over the past five to seven years, park rangers have increasingly become a specific target of some of the many armed groups hiding and operating in the park. This can be explained, in part, by the increasing efforts of park rangers to stop the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the park, such as charcoal production and illegal fishing, which are important sources of income for many armed groups. Some of these efforts involve close collaboration with the Congolese army, such as joint patrols, intelligence sharing, and sometimes joint operations. For rebel groups, this is a reason to view park rangers as a threat to their spheres of influence, sources of income, and even existence.
Armed groups also once kidnapped tourists, with the aim of sabotaging the park’s tourism potential.
Another more indirect reason why park rangers are being targeted relates to anti-park sentiments among parts of the local population. There are numerous conflicts between the park administration and the people living around the park, which are related, among others, to disputes around the park boundaries, complaints about the appropriation of land and the regulation of the use of natural resources. Armed groups, often closely linked to the population due to family and social ties, mobilize these conflicts to gain some support in the areas where they operate. This includes groups operating around Nyamilima, where the most recent attack took place. There are strong tensions in this area, as the park aims to erect an electric fence. This project is highly contested by the population, since they dispute the limits of the park.
It is important to emphasize that this does not mean that the people living in the area support the use of violence against park rangers; in fact, many people condemn these acts and are committed to non-violent conflict resolution. However, through our work, we have observed that attacks are more likely to occur in areas marked by intense conflict.
Despite some recurring characteristics, the context and circumstances of each attack are different. Therefore, attacks must be investigated individually. This will help hold perpetrators to account and create a better understanding of their motivations and goals, which is important to prevent future attacks.
What steps have been taken to protect the park and its rangers?
Rangers receive sophisticated military-style training, including combat techniques, to defend themselves. They also have advanced logistics and communications equipment to allow rapid movement and up-to-date information.
In addition, the park has developed an extensive aerial surveillance system to track the bases and movements of armed groups. Also, to operate in the most dangerous areas, it has created a rapid reaction force, which is a more heavily armed unit deployed for robust operations.
Finally, in some areas, the park rangers operate in conjunction with the Congolese army, which has a much larger presence throughout the park.
How effective is this strategy and what else can be done?
The current response to increased military-style training and operations has had inadvertent consequences, unleashing a vicious cycle of violence. Increased pressure on armed groups and collaboration with the Congolese army almost inevitably leads to counterattacks.
The park rangers, currently around 689, are outnumbered by the armed groups operating in the park and are a very vulnerable target. So far, efforts to increase protection for park rangers have not proven very effective. The rangers themselves feel this very clearly. Although they are constantly described as heroes and martyrs, many are very afraid, and are reluctant, to lose their lives.
In addition, the current approach has worsened relations between the park and local populations. During our research in the area, we found that people fear and distrust park rangers. The park rangers we have spoken with also regret these strained relationships. Some of them wish they were expected less as “soldiers” and more as conservationists.
We believe that park rangers’ safety can be improved in two ways:
First, it is crucial to prioritize conflict resolution with the people living around the park and for the park to engage in more dialogue. In addition, the park should intensify efforts to protect the population against rampant insecurity.
Second, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with the armed groups that operate in the park. Clearly, this is not the primary responsibility of the park, but of the Congolese government and military, as well as politicians and community leaders.
Unfortunately, as the ongoing insecurity attests, there is little indication that such a strategy is being developed, implying that both park rangers and people living in the Virunga area will remain exposed to insecurity for the foreseeable future.
Judith Verweijen receives funding from the Security and Rule of Law knowledge platform
Esther Marijnen does not work, consult, own stock, or receive funds from any company or organization that benefits from this article, and has not disclosed relevant affiliations beyond her academic appointment.
By Judith Verweijen, Professor at the University of Sheffield and
Esther Marijnen, Assistant Professor, University of Ghent
