Terrible news: a #Virunga park guard got killed Tuesday night close to #nyamilima.Conservation need to be re-thought in the area, in the interest of the population AND park guards.Both are seeking security & stability and shouldn't be presented as opposite parties. A THREAD (1/6)
Already 3 years ago the park had the idea to place an electric fence in this highly contested area #Binza. The advise we gave was that this would only aggravate tensions if the fence would be placed without a participative demarcation process prior to construction (2/6)
The past months efforts have been made, but also due to interference of politicians, a genuine process stayed out. The park decided to continue with the construction of the fence. And in reaction civilians started to demonstrate, including the ones organised by @luchaRDC (3/6)
Despite these demonstrations, and the presence of a hostile armed group in the area, the park decided to go through with the construction. To start the construction they deployed militarised park guards (Quick Reaction Force) together with the Congolese army to the area (4/6)
This was a highly risky operation, and the park knew this before. Now some people are trying to conflate the mai-mai attack; with the ongoing demonstrations by civilians. Suggesting that they are linked. This is very problematic, as there is no proof of this, and.. (5/6)
... It also delegitimises and criminalises a large group of civilians who ask for a non-violent solution of the conflict. If conservation will further allienate these civilians in the area in this way, a sustainable solution becomes more unlikely (END THREAD)
