Virunga Page #2

I'm always worried about that.

SOCO, in collaboration with ICCN,

proceed to explore for oil

under Lake Edward.

Welcome to SOCO

We the people love you so much

Because you bring us development

In the coming years, this country

will be able to become

an oil producer.

Three years of team work with the support

of local and central authorities,

all the work of the local teams,

it's a fascinating adventure

and I don't have any regrets.

Now we just need to wait

for the oil to come.

When they come back,

what do we have to do?

What are your orders?

It's a good question.

If we close the gates,

if we stop them entering the park,

we risk huge trouble.

So we have to be cleverer than that.

It's not with weapons

that we are going to succeed,

but in documenting everything.

And if we bring this fight

in front of the police

in Congo,

but especially in England,

because SOCO is a British company.

This way we'll be able to defend ourselves

using their acts.

This oil issue might destroy everything.

If we fail, we'll not only lose Virunga,

but also the other parks in Congo.

All the other parks are going to sink.

Everyone will say,

"You're not allowing us to exploit oil

or ore in this park...

but you did so in Virunga."

If we fail here, the whole conservation

sector in Congo is going to fall.

It would be a disaster.

SOCO? Make Congo better?

No! And I repeat, no.

What will make Congo better?

It's work.

Work within the law.

All I know is that oil exploitation is

not compatible with conservation.

I am not saying that

because I am a ranger,

it's the law that says this.

If you look at everyone in the chain

of authorities in charge of the park,

Emmanuel de Merode is the only one

who doesn't feed on it.

We wonder what's wrong with him.

Everyone's noticed

that oil is something big.

It's worth billions of dollars.

It looks like he wants his government,

the Belgian one,

to be part of this exploitation,

or perhaps he wants them

to take control at a later stage.

Either way, he's the one

hindering the process,

and he's the only one.

At the moment,

the president's office,

everyone in the capital,

all have authorized it.

Even the minister for the environment

has authorized it.

So far it's simply a matter of checking

whether there is any oil.

It's like checking whether

a person's liver or heart is okay,

just checking if there's

something wrong or not.

I think you have come to the right place.

When your people

want to come into the park,

I can arrange things in my sector.

I can tell my people

that this is how things are going to be.

I'll have to speak to the minister,

so that the minister

can speak to you personally.

So the safety of the people of SOCO

can be given to Rodrigue

and his people.

But that should be your secret.

Just like that we can finalize it.

You get your cut,

and maybe you give me

a little of what they give you.

No problem.

People are being approached by SOCO

supporters and offered money.

Even people in Virunga's organization

are now working to undermine the park.

It is unclear who can be trusted.

What is the importance of this lake

for you as a community?

In Vitshumbi

we are about 2,000 inhabitants,

and all of us depend on this lake

as we don't have

any other work except fishing.

Therefore, fishing within

the Virunga National Park

is life for the community.

Our lives depend on it.

He says,

"We don't care about oil,

we earn our living

from the lake and fishing."

You see, we are barely surviving here.

In the past, things were much better.

But with the recent fighting,

people find their

living standards are falling.

Did SOCO come to ask for your views

about what is going on?

No, SOCO came in like a parachute.

We got up one morning

to see beautiful vehicles driving by.

We went to see who it was

and there were a few whites

and Captain Feruzi.

He's a military intelligence agent.

We were shocked to see him doing

a presentation to the people of the lake.

He told people that,

"If you accept SOCO here...

they will build

universities, roads and schools...

and you will have access

to cultivate in the park...

since at that moment

the park will be declassified."

All this frightens us locals.

It says, "Look, soldiers are here and

they could harm you if you don't comply."

Ndakasi!

Ndeze is expressing that...

she's not... happy because...

the breakfast is not ready yet.

Ndeze is smiling.

Ah, Kaboko!

Oil is an exhaustible resource

whereas fauna and flora

are inexhaustible resources.

Even if they are allowed to

exploit the oil,

it will one day come to an end.

But the park will remain

through the years.

From generation to generation,

people will see this park.

Big boss!

Josue!

Look how big he's grown.

He opened the door for you!

Now they need you!

They know you are important

in that sector where you can help us.

They also know that you are

"the right hand" of the park director.

Do you understand?

This means, "We're buying you."

First accept and let us collaborate

and then they will be in the position to

give you whatever you are asking for...

While we are working together,

and you hear things,

you'll feed us information secretly.

Directly to you. Whenever I can.

We are trying to gauge

Emmanuel de Merode's position.

So what are we talking about?

3,000 dollars.

3,000? Okay.

You'll get your share

and no one will know a thing!

Captain Feruzi claims to work

for SOCO security contractors.

He is offering bribes

to work against the park.

This corruption threatens

everything we're working for.

Okay, I'm going to the bathroom,

I'll meet you downstairs.

It is the goal to check if we have oil

and then we compare.

Conservation, how much is it worth?

Oil, how much is it worth?

Do we start production?

But these people have their own vision

of the park's future.

They've been looking after it

for almost a century.

Moreover, it is full of rebels,

full of poachers, full of mess.

It is completely absurd.

The best solution, effective for everyone,

is to recolonize these countries.

There is no other solution.

For things to go well,

we have to manage them

because they are not able

to manage themselves.

They are like children, actually.

They aren't mature enough, I'd say.

You are tough with the Congolese people.

No, no, I know them too well.

There is this guy, who blocks,

because he's Belgian,

from the royal family, etc.

And he's responsible for the park,

so he's got all the power in this park.

His management gave us permission

but he stands in our way.

I think he plays

his political role a little bit,

as a member of the royal family.

I would quite like to be his friend,

but he doesn't want to be my friend.

Did you try?

No. I shook his hand once.

I'd been in Goma three days.

I didn't know anything.

Okay, thanks.

Thanks, see you soon.

I'll keep the car in drive position

in case we have to get out of here fast.

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