Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)
17 July 2008
Kigali — Security concerns caused by militias roaming the Virunga national park - posing a threat to conservation activities - were the focus of a high level ministerial summit earlier this week, according to the U.S assistant secretary of state for Oceans, Environment and Science.
Late last year, seven mountain gorillas were killed in the park which is shared between Rwanda, the DR Congo and Uganda. Conservationists blame the militias who have also looted property from rangers.
"We discovered gorilla deaths were one more symptom of instability in the park caused by the presence of militia groups rather than a result of usual poaching activities," Ms. Claudia McMurray told a press conference on Thursday in Kigali.
Greater Virunga also contains about 43 per cent of the continent's bird species and the last of the world's mountain gorillas.
Rebel groups such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and Allied Democratic Force (ADF) guerillas from Uganda have plundered forest resources in the past.
In the DRC in particular, armed militia groups are undermining wildlife protection efforts and threatening local communities, McMurray said.
In order to increase tourism and investment in the region, she said it was vital to improve stability and security in the Virunga Park.
Charcoal from Virunga which is used as a fuel by people who live around the park is also a key issue, noted McMurray, adding that support for alternative energy programs may be possible in the future.
Held in Northern Province district of Rubavu during July 14-15, the U.S-led conference had featured ministers from the three neighbors where they also discussed a 100-million dollar conservation plan that runs from 2006 for 10 years.
Further meetings are yet to be planned but McMurray said the ministerial meeting was an important first step.
"The summit was very successful in our view," she said.
Last year, Rwanda has earned some 7 million dollars from gorilla tourism alone - reason for which government is keen to engage its neighbours for a combined effort for regional conservation.
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how long is rwanda going to brand a whole ethnic group as terrorist. This people are fighting for political dialogue and are branded evil genocidaire. Open up the political landscape so this people can return to their native soil and get out of the Congo. Or is Rwanda unwilling to give up on the newly gained tutsi dominance in Rwanda. Africa don't give in on this aparthied led regime of Kagame. Innocent lives are being slaughtered up on the hills. Nkunda the key warlord is as responsible and a threat to conservation issue in virunga as the fdlr. Rwanda supports… [Read Full Text]