Congo Road

It takes a while to be come accustomed to your environment in any particular area. In the 14 days I have been at the Garamba, I have been to the scene of a murder of one of the rangers, come across the carcass of an elephant from where the ivory and tail had been hacked from its body, arrested ranger/poachers, traversed across the abutting " domain de chasse" , found abandoned poachers camps and trails, and ....................
In the east of the park, found a one eyed crone over 100 years old living under a shelter, received reports of Ugandan rebels moving freely around the country to the east, picked up stories of bushmeat being sold 100kms away in the west etc etc.

But Wednesday last, I decided to test a Congo road.

My journey from base to Aligi in the east was a mere 25kms. It took 3 hours to negotiate the road on a Semke 125 cc Chinese motor bike- once a national highway accessible to a 2 x 4. Built by the Begians over 60 years ago, a clearing was made through the forest using harnessed locally trained elephants. Imported stone was laid as a base and bitumised. The numerous rivers were spanned with wooden bridges and sturdy cement and stone abutments. There were clinics, schools and other modern infrastructure in the towns. No more. The " road " is a ruin, with cavernous pot holes the size of olympic swimming pools and filled with ooze and slimy green water.

With 5 rangers, I undertook this assignment and marvelled at the sights and sounds along the road. Numerous bicycles travelled east and west, and west and east along the road. Hardy merchants travelling to a far off village up to 200 kms from house base in search of the necessities of life.A three week return journey.Groaning bikes loaded up with 100 kg bags of salt, spare parts for the machine, pedals,a pump, pots, pans and other cooking utensils, a mattress, clothing. All dutifully pushing their bikes in convoys through the mud and slime and riding when a firmer section of the road (rarely) was visible.

Little road side shambas at the edges of the forest along the road ,every 8 kms or so, selling itsy bitsys. A funeral of a baby, a 10 year old boy pushing a bike with a chair strapped to the back holding two wide eyed infants, another with a very dehydrated goat similarily strapped to the carrier.

There was one common factor I encountered on the road. Everyone to whom I spoke was friendly and polite and offered up the information and complaints readily. But the essential info that I was seeking was not available. Namely - where are the poaching gangs operating from?

I cannot tell you of all the magnificent birds flitting through the trees that I spotted. The bird books record them all but we don't have the privilege of viewing these monarchs of the glades further south. Elephant dung seen occasionally but not in the quantity there should have been. They are a seriously threatened species in these parts. Ivory sold by the poachers fetches a mere $30,00 a KG. They are then moved on over the borders where the mark up rises considerably until their final destination in the east it is claimed.

On my return, a motor cycle with 3 pax on it whisked me going in the opposite direction. On stopping at the next village, there were a score of wailing woman,

" What happened?" I asked?

"A woman had died of disease in a village 80 kms away and she was being taken to Faradge for burial" I was told.Her body had been strapped between the driver and the pillion passenger in a sitting up position!

I now know why they both wore face masks! A Congo ambulance in action!!!

After the end of this extraordinary day, one of the rangers came up to me with a smile on his face and said " Patron, do you know that 90% of the villagers we visited today had never seen a white man before" ?

What a world!