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World in Progress: Gorillas and dangerous rangers

Simone Schlindwein
October 21, 2020

Why environmental protection clashes with local people in the DRC - and how German donors try to protect local populations from attacks by rangers while protecting endangered gorillas.

https://p.dw.com/p/3kFE3

The Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo is home to one of the world's last remaining groups of eastern lowland gorillas. The park's most important donor is Germany. But for about a year now, those funds have been frozen. That's because of increasing attacks by heavily armed park rangers on the local population in and around Congo's national park. It's a problem for the German government: on the one hand, aid money is urgently needed to protect the area's unique biodiversity. On the other, gamekeepers essentially equipped by Germany are fueling local conflicts. And in Kahuzi-Biega, the poorest of the poor – the marginalized Batwa people - are now also being targeted. Simone Schlindwein sent this report from east Congo, and her report is presented by Natalie Muller. 

Report: Simone Schlindwein (presenter: Natalie Muller)