Military Justice conducts a survey among staff at the Congolese Institute for Conservation of Nature in North Kivu. Several agents from this institution have been arrested. The ICCN leadership calls for shedding light on this alleged trade in ammunition, which would have benefited the Ugandan rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which are violent in the Beni region.
as reported from Kinshasa, Commander in chief
Last Monday, 82 boxes of ammunition were discovered and seized in Beni from a house rented by an ICCN official. Agents for this institution, three officers and soldiers of the Congolese army as well as civilians were arrested for the purpose of the investigation.
In a statement, the ICCN leadership confirmed the arrest of several of its agents, but denied that the alleged human trafficking took place in Virunga Park, or that it benefited Ugandan ADF rebels, as’ some information says. The ICCN authorities also propose to cooperate actively with the judicial system.
According to informed sources, the environmental guards are always provided with ammunition by the regular army to carry out their task of ensuring safety in the parks.
Virunga Park was created in 1925 and stretches over more than 7,700 km2 from Goma to Beni’s territory. Congolese and foreign armed groups are very active there. February 22 at the Italian ambassador was killed there during an attack. In 2020, 21 environmentalists lost their lives during their work.
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