This is Augustin Kambale.

Last Monday, I led a patrol on the south side of Nyiragongo with 10 men. It was an “out and back” patrol, meaning we left early and came back the same day. Spending the night would have been too risky because we had heard that the FDLR militias were operating in the area, protecting the network of illegal charcoal kilns. This was the first patrol in Shahero in quite some time because the Interhamwe (FLDR) presence has been too strong. The Interhamwe, for those of you that don’t know, are made up of extremist Hutus, the band credited with the Rwandan genocide in 1994. We left our camp at 5 am and climbed the slopes of Mt. Nyiragongo. By 7 am, at an altitude of 2850 meters, we found a large deforested area, the obvious site of illegal charcoal production. The tip-off we received about the kilns proved to be true. We found 70 kilns burning and 10 sacks of charcoal staged and ready for transportation. In the following hours, we destroyed all 70 kilns, seized 10 hoes, burned 2 make-shift camps, and apprehended two kiln workers. It was because our patrol started so early that we didn’t catch more workers. The majority were not back yet from spending the weekend in Goma, where they go to re-supply and relax. The charcoal “bosses” in Goma are the ones who pay these men to go into the park to make illegal charcoal. These workers are paid an average of 1US $ per day to cut trees, make kilns, and to burn and put the charcoal into sacks. Once the charcoal is ready (normally it is a 6-day process), the bosses hire people as “mules” to transport the charcoal from the Virunga NP to Goma city. They don’t cross Kibati checkpoint to reach Goma any more because of all the recent seizures of illegal charcoal. Instead, they use a footpath far to the south-west. One look at the area makes it apparent that charcoal production in this area is rampant. Now that we know the FDLR isn’t operating in the Shahero area, we need to step up our patrols to shut down all the illegal activity. We must protect the vulnerable flora and fauna in the area.

Destroying a charcoal kiln

Augustin Kambale destroying a kiln

Trees cut down to make yet another illegal kiln

What was once beautiful forest is now moon scape

The camp site of a kiln worker

Kiln workers being arrested

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At Kibati Patrol Post, rangers are discovering different means to escape the control. If the common mean are trucs, there is another insolite mean people are using now: paralytic’s bike.

Paralytics are now hired to cross the checkpoint with charcoal. This one on the photo has crossed many times with 2 sacs on his bike. He earns US $ 10 per sac he can manage to deliver to people in Goma. These are only transportation fees to cross the checkpoint. Rangers used to tolerate him before they discovered the network behind his traffic.

But traders still believe that it’s possible to cross with a military truck. Here’s one recently seized with charcoal.

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As pointed out in the gorilla protection blog, the checkpoints have yielded approximately 80 tons of illegal charcoal coming out of Virunga NP. These checkpoints have also proved effective in interdicting illegal bushmeat.

Bushmeat hidden amongst a load of produce

Like illegal charcoal, the bushmeat trade has a wide variety of players, both in the forest and in the marketplace. Among the more well-known, are soldiers that often run loads of bushmeat together with illegal charcoal. Women try to smuggle out smaller quantities on foot. The checkpoints are now becoming the #1 way to intercept bushmeat.

Sad end: elephant, buffalo, hippo, and antelope intercepted before making it to Goma

Unusual find: Fresh bushmeat — usually it is smoked before being transported

In the city of Goma, the bushmeat trade isn’t an officially recognized trade, but regardless, it is a flourishing informal one. Women sell bushmeat door to door, calling on a well-established clientele comprised of households, restaurants — even offices. This somewhat clandestine approach to selling makes it difficult to crack the bushmeat rings in Goma. For now though, it is a good sign that the larger shipments are being stopped at the checkpoints. Small amounts can easily be smuggled around these checkpoints, but at least the new charcoal interdiction measures are constricting the bushmeat trade.

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A follow-up post by Ephrem:
After two months in operation, the ICCN Kibati checkpoint has made an appreciable difference in reducing the illegal charcoal trade at the south-eastern side of Virunga National Park. ICCN rangers and government troops are now doing joint patrols and working together to man the checkpoints. The results of these actions are:

• 2200 sacs (more than 110 tons) of illegal charcoal has been confiscated and re-distributed by UNHCR to camps providing refuge to displaced people
• Decrease in the number of sacs seized per day from 200 to less than 20
• 80% decrease in charcoal production in the Virunga NP
• Nearly 100% reduction of illegal charcoal smuggled to Rwanda

Checkpoint: One of the few military trucks still trying to pass through with charcoal

Who has been affected by the new charcoal interdiction efforts? Those in the commodity chain:

• Rwandan militias or Interahamwe, who charge fees to access areas of the forest and who oversee the actual carbonization of the wood to make charcoal.

• Corrupt members of the Congolese military who also charge the people making charcoal to look the other way, those in the military who sell Makala or charcoal, and those who charge the charcoal “mules” (peasants) for passage out of the park. Most of these peasants have now returned to their fields so the soldiers have lost this source of income.
• Truckers
• Charcoal production and distribution bosses

Who are the big losers?
Sadly, it is the people in Goma City. In December 20007, the price was $15 (US) per sac. That same sac now costs $25-30 (US). This isn’t entirely the result of the charcoal interdiction efforts. The effects of increased fuel prices and logistical issues related to washed out roads (common in the rainy season) are also to blame. With prices on the rise, it is clear that the policy of charcoal interdiction will meet with increased resistance and resentment unless affordable alternatives to charcoal are made available. That is the mission of this blog!

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Latest report from Ephrem:

Local politicians in Goma question the crackdown
The campaign against illegal charcoal continues, but there is a lot of pressure from local politicians to remove the checkpoint established by ICCN in Kibati. Provincial Senator Muhindo Nzangi Butondo made a formal request to the Environmental Provincial Minister asking him to open up the charcoal crisis to a public debate, in hopes of increasing awareness about the energy crisis in the N. Kivu province.

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Scan of the letter sent by Butondo to Provincial Minister of Environment, Ndoole

This is our translation to English:
According to article 197 of the constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as articles 149 and 161, we would like to address the following question and open it up for debate: In the last few days, we have seen measures taken which limit the supply of charcoal in Goma City — the main fuel used by eighty percent of the population. These measures have increased the scarcity of charcoal and driven up prices in the market. Because such issues fall under your jurisdiction, we respectfully request answers to the following questions:

• Why is the charcoal supply being restricted?
• Who has made this unilateral decision?
• Because the people of Goma have begun to suffer as a result of this decision, something must be done to remedy the problems that have surfaced as a result of restricting the charcoal supply. What kind of measures is your Ministry taking to mitigate the effects of this new policy?
• What kind of sustainable solutions are you considering regarding the need for wood-based fuels in the Province?

Please give this your utmost attention your Excellence, and know that it is my patriotism that causes me to bring this to your attention.

-Honorable Butonto Nzangi

Response from the Provincial Minister of the Environment
Mme Félicité Ndoole, the Provincial Minister of Environment, addressed Nganzi’s questions in the local Parliament today. She upheld the move to restrict illegally harvested charcoal coming out of the Virunga NP, and made it clear that, in the long-term, this was in the best interest of everyone. Ndoole’s explanations received the support from the majority of Parliament members, and their approval to continue with the interdiction measures. This is a big success for conservationist and a blow to the self-interests of the charcoal lobby.

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Ephrem has supplied this latest report. He sent this report to me in French so I think he is having a good chuckle right now. Here is my best attempt at translating what he said:

Charcoal Interdiction at the Kibati Checkpoint
A few days before the arrival of the ICCN Advanced Force, 200 sacks of charcoal were being seized daily at Kibati. With the Advanced Force now manning the Kibati checkpoint, approximately 70 bags are being seized on a daily basis. Despite this reduction in charcoal coming through Kibati, the charcoal ovens continue to burn inside the Virunga NP.

ICCN Advanced Ranger Force Encounters FDLR
Since the ICCN Advanced Ranger Force made contact with the FDLR, and I mean “contact” in a negative way, they have not been able to conduct any patrols in the gorilla sector. They have essentially been limited to stopping the flow of charcoal across the Kibati checkpoint. Emmanuel will be meeting with members of the UN in New York in the following days to try and secure UN approval for regular joint ICCN-Monuc patrols in the gorilla sector. Because Monuc has considerable firepower and strong air support, their presence on ranger patrols will all but guarantee that the rangers will be allowed back into the park to do their vital work. For now, though, the rangers must wait.

Flow of Illegal Charcoal to Rwanda Reduced
The flow of charcoal coming out of the park and going into Rwanda has diminished with enforcement measures taken on the Rwandan side. Actually, it was the security measures put in place during President Bush’s trip to Rwanda that slowed the charcoal traffic. Although Bush is long gone, the security measures continue to pay dividends. The Rwandan government remains intent on controlling the flow of information between the FDLR and their contacts in Rwanda, which is actually beneficial for the Virunga NP because it constrains the FDLR. Meanwhile, charcoal trafficking continues in the camps for displaced people, which are becoming even more numerous around the park. At this time, there are camps at Rumangabo, Bushenge, Rugari, and Kibumba.

Illegal Charcoal Production on the Rise at Kirolirwe
Charcoal production is now concentrated in the Kirolirwe sector. In December 2007, charcoal production was not active at Kirolirwe because of the war and because the route to Mwesso was cut off. This inactivity was short lived. The combined effect of the conference in Goma and blocking of the Goma – Kibumba – Rumangabo axis caused the cost of charcoal to rocket to $25 a sack, which attracted new players into the market. Sadly, these new players were none other than Nkunda’s National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP). Now, there is a new charcoal mafia in the park and here is how it works:

1. CNDP rebels secure existing charcoal ovens and hire the local charcoal makers

2. CNDP hires supervisors to oversee production operations

3. All charcoal produced is put into sacks and warehoused in CNDP-guarded depots at Kirolirwe

4. CNDP sells loads directly to merchants who come form Goma. It is an efficient and streamlined operation that cuts out the middlemen and maximizes profits for CNDP.

5. In Goma, charcoal is sold out of depots at Alanine and TMK

Ephrem is going to do more research to find out the quantity and price of the charcoal being sold at these depots. He hopes to infer from this how many CNDP are involved in this illegal trafficking operation.

Nkunda Works the Supply-Demand Curve to His Advantage
The charcoal embargo across the north has affected both the FARDC and the FDLR, however, Nkunda’s CNDP has profited handsomely from their activity at Kirolirwe. This is because the embargo has constricted supply and increased demand. The natural fallout from such a market condition is increased prices. Now Nkunda is making money hand over fist with mountain gorilla tours at Jomba and charcoal production at Kirolirwe.

Filling in the Gaps
It is imperative that other checkpoints be established across the southwest axis around Mugunga. However, this must be meticulously planned because these measures will dramatically reduce Nkunda’s cash flow coming from charcoal. Again, there is a need for Monuc participation because their presence will deter attacks on the checkpoints that prevent illegal charcoal from making it to market.

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