1. Protect us, and help us
to account for each day of our lives.
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2. Oh, Congo.
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3. Our dear Ranger Kasereka died
trying to rebuild this country.
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4. And that's Mr. Lumumba
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5. sitting second from the left
among his ministers.
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6. The Congo's richest province, Katanga,
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7. was set up as a separate state
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8. with the aid of a force of
European mercenary soldiers.
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9. A black man is like an animal to me.
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10. Law and order broke down.
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11. Charlie 5
says that the enemy is moving your way.
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12. If you listen carefully,
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13. they're shooting to show their presence.
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14. This is an illegal settlement.
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15. It's from an elephant.
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16. Yeah.
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17. Hmm.
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18. Some rebels.
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19. Where are the people who were with you?
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20. I don't know.
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21. Quiet! Keep your voice down.
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22. I don't know.
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23. So where are they?
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24. They've gone away.
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25. Isn't this poaching?
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26. It wasn't me.
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27. The one who ran away
is the one who killed it.
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28. Just as I'd finished primary school,
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29. we were recruited secretly in our town.
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30. They told us, "You're leaving...
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31. We're sending you to university.
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32. To the best university in the world!"
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33. You have to follow
all orders given to you.
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34. If you attempt to escape,
they'll kill you.
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35. My little brother Dona
was 15 years old.
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36. Among many dead bodies I found his.
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37. There was nothing I could do.
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38. After we buried him,
we went on with the war.
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39. But my mother insisted,
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40. "You must leave the army
while you're still alive."
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41. So I then escaped the army
to dedicate my life to the National Park.
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42. We're here at
Senkwekwe Center in Rumangabo...
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43. where we have four orphan gorillas.
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44. They are the only mountain gorillas
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45. in captivity in the world.
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46. Ndakasi likes to play so much.
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47. Ooh!
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48. I have my human family.
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49. I always tell them,
"You are my family...
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50. but we have another family
in Rumangabo...
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51. which is made up of four children."
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52. There is Maisha, Kaboko,
Ndeze and Ndakasi.
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53. You know that until now
we've had a big problem with poaching.
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54. Poachers believe...
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55. they can kill the parents
and take the baby away for sale.
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56. This is the way we got Maisha.
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57. Maisha was taken from poachers
who wanted to sell her.
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58. She was rescued
when she was three years old.
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59. You can see here.
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60. Maisha.
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61. Today,
she is about 10 years and six months.
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62. Kaboko is the one-handed male.
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63. He lost the other hand
because of poaching.
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64. Kaboko is a bit aggressive.
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65. Maisha!
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66. But they have
great affection for each other.
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67. It is love.
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68. Maisha.
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69. When there was
the massacre of our gorillas,
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70. I was out in the field.
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71. I was among the rangers
who discovered their bodies.
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72. It was a great tragedy.
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73. We had a total of
nine gorillas killed.
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74. The logic was that
once the gorillas were killed,
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75. there would be no reason
to protect the park anymore.
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76. Many people came to see
what had happened to the gorillas.
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77. They helped to transport their bodies.
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78. It was like
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79. members of the family had died.
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80. SB SENKWEKWE
BORN IN 1987
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81. UNKNOWN
RUGENDO
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82. KILLED JULY 22, 2007
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83. Ndeze and Ndakasi are the two gorillas
that survived from that family.
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84. Their mother and the rest
were killed in 2007.
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85. When I met her...
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86. she was really
so weak, weak, weak!
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87. It's truly an unbelievable thing...
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88. to see that she is alive,
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89. and this is the reason why I say,
"I am not only a father..."
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90. "I'm not a father but I'm a mother."
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91. You know that
these gorillas as you see them here,
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92. we're not keeping them
just for the sake of keeping them.
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93. We take care of them in order
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94. to one day release them
back into the forest in good health.
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95. The vowel "E."
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96. Yes, good. Carry on.
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97. This one, which vowel is it?
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98. Underneath the vowel "E,"
which vowel is it?
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99. I may die at any time in an ambush by
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100. people against the protection of the park.
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101. Rangers commit to protect the park,
under very dangerous conditions
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102. to their last breath.
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103. 130 rangers have died protecting Virunga.
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104. I may die...
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105. though I don't know when.
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106. - "I."
- The vowel "I."
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107. Our child is called Josue.
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108. He is a small child
in whom I see lots of hope.
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109. I think he can become a scientist.
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110. After he has studied...
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111. You said he needs
to study mathematics.
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112. He can be like me for example,
you know I am a biologist.
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113. Since you're a biologist,
he shouldn't become one, too.
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114. He can be a geologist.
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115. Yes, but it's still
in the sciences.
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116. Change is good!
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117. We don't want
people of his generation
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118. to inherit a world or a country
as broken as ours.
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119. There are worrying reports
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120. that around a dozen different
armed groups in the region
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121. are uniting against the Congolese army.
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122. In a forest close to
Congo's border with Rwanda,
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123. we meet members of
the country's newest rebel army
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124. known as M23.
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125. The Congolese army
is in no mood for compromise.
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126. It is sending in thousands of
reinforcements to the front line.
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127. These are dangerous times
in Eastern Congo.
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128. Fear has driven people
out of these villages and farmland.
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129. Only the weak and old have stayed on.
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130. This isn't a war yet,
but it could be soon...
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131. unless the guns
are replaced with diplomacy.
Copy !req
132. WELCOME TO
RUMANGABO STATION
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133. The Provincial
Director of Virunga National Park.
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134. Good morning, everyone.
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135. I was anxious to drop by the station
at morning roll-call.
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136. Firstly, to greet you...
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137. but also because you will all have heard
about the new troubles for the army.
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138. We all hope it is a temporary situation
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139. that will be sorted out.
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140. The army will manage the situation
and activities will continue normally.
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141. It's important to hope for the best,
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142. but also be ready for the worst.
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143. I was
sworn in as warden by the park authorities
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144. in Kinshasa in August 2008.
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145. My work is to manage the park,
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146. to ensure that it's adequately protected.
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147. And that the laws of the land
are respected within its boundaries.
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148. But also to sustainably develop
the park's resources...
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149. It's far, right?
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150. to bring greater
prosperity to the local population,
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151. and stability to the region.
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152. I was appointed Station Chief in June 2006
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153. by the Kinshasa office
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154. to assume management of
Virunga's central sector.
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155. We are at the heart of
the Rwindi Hotel here...
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156. it is here that
the late President Mobutu Sese Seko's
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157. distinguished guests stayed,
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158. and that is where the President himself
spent the night whenever he came here.
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159. BECAUSE OF WILD ANIMALS,
DON'T LEAVE YOUR BUNGALOW AT NIGHT!
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160. War has ruined everything.
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161. When I see it destroyed like this,
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162. I am deeply unhappy.
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163. When we started managing this sector
in May 2010,
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164. there was almost nothing
because there were soldiers everywhere.
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165. However, now there are antelopes,
warthogs, elephants, lions,
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166. and a significant number of hippos.
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167. So there is hope,
and even buffalos are coming back.
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168. We are sure that in the next five years
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169. the animal population
will re-establish itself as before.
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170. Kaboko!
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171. Boko!
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172. Kaboko!
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173. Kaboko!
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174. Maisha!
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175. You know that the gorillas we have here
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176. at the Senkwekwe Center,
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177. as they grow,
they become more intelligent.
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178. They also gain weight
and become stronger and stronger.
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179. Even stronger than us.
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180. So you need to know their psychology
to care for them.
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181. You cannot force them to do something
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182. because if they
decide to be stubborn,
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183. you will have difficulties.
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184. Maisha!
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185. Maisha!
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186. She wants everything for herself.
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187. That is the reason
we use Pringles
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188. to deal with them.
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189. Ndakasi.
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190. When you give them
something they like,
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191. they realize that you're their friend.
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192. We do not give it to them as food...
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193. but rather as
a tactic to handle them.
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194. And then,
you will always have good results.
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195. This is the only
region in the world
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196. where you can
still find mountain gorillas.
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197. There are only about 800
left in the whole world.
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198. Now if we lose them,
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199. we will have lost
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200. something very important for humanity.
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201. It is thanks to the animals,
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202. especially these gorillas,
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203. that our forest
continues to be protected.
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204. Tourism brings in money
to help us sustain
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205. the conservation of nature.
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206. There are many projects
being implemented around the park
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207. because of our gorillas.
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208. Virunga National Park is really important
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209. because it contributes to
the development of our country.
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210. VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK
WWW.GORILLA.CD
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211. People are really optimistic that
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212. the park will make things better.
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213. We always feel proud
to stay in this forest
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214. and do this work.
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215. Tens of thousands of families
are on the move in Eastern Congo.
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216. They're fleeing the latest manifestation
of an African conflict
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217. that seems to have no end.
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218. "We heard gunfire,
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219. so my mother told me to run," he says.
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220. "I've been walking since morning."
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221. The region has been in turmoil
ever since the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
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222. Many of the killers fled into Congo.
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223. The result?
A succession of murky conflicts
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224. in a region famous for its mineral wealth
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225. and for its endangered mountain gorillas.
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226. There are 60,000 people here?
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227. I think there are more and more
because people keep arriving.
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228. Why do people keep coming?
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229. It's because of the M23 rebels.
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230. I wanted to be a war
correspondent since I was 15 years old.
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231. It's always been a dream.
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232. In French, we have this expression,
"Metro, boulot, dodo."
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233. So, like, "Subway, work, sleep."
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234. And that's the routine of
everyone back home, no excitement.
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235. How do you feel about
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236. what has been happening to you
over the last few months?
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237. When I look at my children,
I keep asking myself,
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238. "My God, how will they grow up
under such conditions?"
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239. I'm always worried about that.
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240. I've been living
in Goma for a year and a half now.
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241. I came here to train woman journalists
in radio and print.
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242. A few days after I quit my job,
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243. the M23 conflict started.
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244. So, it became really interesting to cover
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245. and I really wanted to stay here
to cover it from start to finish.
Copy !req
246. SOCO, in collaboration with ICCN,
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247. proceed to explore for oil
under Lake Edward.
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248. At the same time
as the M23 conflict is starting,
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249. a British company
is also exploring for oil.
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250. The Congolese government has granted
a concession to SOCO International
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251. to explore for oil in Eastern Congo.
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252. Around 50% of this concession
covers the Virunga National Park.
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253. This is the area
that SOCO have focused on.
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254. In the coming years,
this country will be able to become
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255. an oil producer.
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256. Three years of team work with the support
of local and central authorities,
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257. all the work of the local teams,
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258. it's a fascinating adventure
and I don't have any regrets.
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259. It's a very sensitive
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260. region because there are
so many armed groups.
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261. So, since SOCO
has started working in the area,
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262. I've been interested in finding out
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263. whether there could be
any impact on the security situation.
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264. All the armed groups know about
SOCO's activities in the park,
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265. and they will want
their slice of the cake.
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266. Now we just need
to wait for the oil to come.
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267. Congo has suffered from
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268. foreign actors coming
and exploiting its natural resources
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269. for centuries and...
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270. in the past it has brought
a lot of violence here.
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271. SOCO are an oil company.
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272. A listed company
on the London Stock Exchange.
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273. And they're a British registered company.
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274. They have a reputation
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275. for going for controversial ventures
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276. in difficult environments.
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277. I believe that makes them
quite a profitable company.
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278. The only problem is that half...
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279. Just over half of their concession
is the National Park.
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280. Virunga National Park
is a World Heritage site.
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281. And under both Congolese
and international law,
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282. any oil-related activities are illegal.
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283. When they announced their intentions
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284. to explore for oil on Lake Edward,
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285. we informed them that it was not legal.
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286. A convoy of vehicles arrived
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287. and forced their way into the park.
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288. When they
come back, what do we have to do?
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289. What are your orders?
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290. It's a good question.
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291. If we close the gates,
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292. if we stop them entering the park,
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293. we risk huge trouble.
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294. So we have to be cleverer than that.
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295. It's not with weapons
that we are going to succeed,
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296. but in documenting everything.
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297. And if we bring this fight
in front of the police
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298. in Congo,
but especially in England,
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299. because SOCO is a British company.
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300. This way we'll be able to defend ourselves
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301. using their acts.
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302. This oil issue might destroy everything.
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303. If we fail, we'll not only lose Virunga,
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304. but also the other parks in Congo.
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305. All the other parks are going to sink.
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306. Everyone will say,
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307. "You're not allowing us to exploit oil
or ore in this park...
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308. but you did so in Virunga."
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309. If we fail here, the whole conservation
sector in Congo is going to fall.
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310. It would be a disaster.
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311. SOCO? Make Congo better?
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312. No! And I repeat, no.
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313. What will make Congo better?
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314. It's work.
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315. Work within the law.
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316. All I know is that oil exploitation is
not compatible with conservation.
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317. I am not saying that
because I am a ranger,
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318. it's the law that says this.
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319. If you look at everyone in the chain
of authorities in charge of the park,
Copy !req
320. Emmanuel de Merode is the only one
who doesn't feed on it.
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321. We wonder what's wrong with him.
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322. Everyone's noticed
that oil is something big.
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323. It's worth billions of dollars.
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324. It looks like he wants his government,
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325. the Belgian one,
to be part of this exploitation,
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326. or perhaps he wants them
to take control at a later stage.
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327. Either way, he's the one
hindering the process,
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328. and he's the only one.
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329. At the moment,
the president's office,
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330. everyone in the capital,
all have authorized it.
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331. Even the minister for the environment
has authorized it.
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332. So far it's simply a matter of checking
whether there is any oil.
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333. It's like checking whether
a person's liver or heart is okay,
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334. just checking if there's
something wrong or not.
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335. I think you have come to the right place.
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336. When your people
want to come into the park,
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337. I can arrange things in my sector.
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338. I can tell my people
that this is how things are going to be.
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339. I'll have to speak to the minister,
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340. so that the minister
can speak to you personally.
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341. So the safety of the people of SOCO
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342. can be given to Rodrigue
and his people.
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343. But that should be your secret.
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344. Just like that we can finalize it.
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345. You get your cut,
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346. and maybe you give me
a little of what they give you.
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347. No problem.
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348. People are being approached
by SOCO supporters and offered money.
Copy !req
349. Even people in Virunga's organization
are now working to undermine the park.
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350. It is unclear who can be trusted.
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351. What is the importance of this lake
for you as a community?
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352. In Vitshumbi
we are about 2,000 inhabitants,
Copy !req
353. and all of us depend on this lake
Copy !req
354. as we don't have
any other work except fishing.
Copy !req
355. Therefore, fishing within
the Virunga National Park
Copy !req
356. is life for the community.
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357. Our lives depend on it.
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358. He says,
"We don't care about oil,
Copy !req
359. we earn our living
from the lake and fishing."
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360. You see, we are barely surviving here.
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361. In the past, things were much better.
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362. But with the recent fighting,
Copy !req
363. people find their
living standards are falling.
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364. Did SOCO come to ask for your
views about what is going on?
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365. No, SOCO came in like a parachute.
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366. We got up one morning
to see beautiful vehicles driving by.
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367. We went to see who it was
Copy !req
368. and there were a few whites
and Captain Feruzi.
Copy !req
369. He's a military intelligence agent.
Copy !req
370. We were shocked to see him doing
a presentation to the people of the lake.
Copy !req
371. He told people that,
"If you accept SOCO here...
Copy !req
372. they will build
universities, roads and schools...
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373. and you will have access
to cultivate in the park...
Copy !req
374. since at that moment
the park will be declassified."
Copy !req
375. All this frightens us locals.
Copy !req
376. It says, "Look, soldiers are here and
they could harm you if you don't comply."
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377. Ndakasi!
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378. How are you?
Copy !req
379. Ndeze is expressing that...
Copy !req
380. she's not... happy because...
Copy !req
381. the breakfast is not ready yet.
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382. Ndeze, what is going wrong? What's wrong?
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383. You are going to have your breakfast.
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384. Never mind.
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385. Ooh.
Copy !req
386. The daily job to do is...
to give them food...
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387. to stay with them...
Copy !req
388. to play, because they don't have...
their parents.
Copy !req
389. Ndeze is smiling.
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390. Ah, Kaboko!
Copy !req
391. They must not feel that
they are abandoned.
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392. They must feel they are in the family.
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393. You know, the war in Congo
started a long time ago...
Copy !req
394. and unfortunately...
Copy !req
395. we lost many people.
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396. My father died in the war.
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397. Yeah...
Copy !req
398. he died when I was very young.
Copy !req
399. My father, he's the one who taught me...
how to respect animals.
Copy !req
400. So...
Copy !req
401. today, I am doing
Copy !req
402. what my father created in my heart
Copy !req
403. when I was a little boy.
Copy !req
404. Oil is an exhaustible resource
Copy !req
405. whereas fauna and flora
are inexhaustible resources.
Copy !req
406. Even if they are allowed to
exploit the oil,
Copy !req
407. it will one day come to an end.
Copy !req
408. But the park will remain
through the years.
Copy !req
409. From generation to generation,
people will see this park.
Copy !req
410. Josue!
Copy !req
411. Look how big he's grown.
He opened the door for you!
Copy !req
412. Now they need you!
Copy !req
413. They know you are important
in that sector where you can help us.
Copy !req
414. They also know that you are
"the right hand" of the park director.
Copy !req
415. Do you understand?
This means, "We're buying you."
Copy !req
416. First accept and let us collaborate
Copy !req
417. and then they will be in the position to
give you whatever you are asking for...
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418. While we are working together,
and you hear things,
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419. you'll feed us information secretly.
Copy !req
420. Directly to you. Whenever I can.
Copy !req
421. We are trying to gauge
Emmanuel de Merode's position.
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422. So what are we talking about?
Copy !req
423. 3,000 dollars.
Copy !req
424. 3,000? Okay.
Copy !req
425. You'll get your share
and no one will know a thing!
Copy !req
426. Captain Feruzi claims
to work for SOCO security contractors.
Copy !req
427. He is offering bribes
to work against the park.
Copy !req
428. This corruption threatens
everything we're working for.
Copy !req
429. SOCO has to work
with a lot of different people
Copy !req
430. to make this work.
Copy !req
431. They... are in touch with
and working with a lot of... politicians,
Copy !req
432. a few people in the government.
Copy !req
433. SOCO has an office on the lake in Goma,
Copy !req
434. but it's very difficult
for me to go and talk to them
Copy !req
435. because they obviously
wouldn't really talk to anyone,
Copy !req
436. and certainly not to
a journalist like that.
Copy !req
437. And then I met Julien.
Copy !req
438. Julien Lechenault
is one of SOCO's employees.
Copy !req
439. He's the main manager
here in Eastern Congo.
Copy !req
440. He is about 30 and he's French.
Copy !req
441. He started working for SOCO,
I think, two years ago.
Copy !req
442. He's in charge of liaising
Copy !req
443. between the operation on the ground
and the top management in London.
Copy !req
444. He told me that SOCO does everything
transparently and by the book
Copy !req
445. and he is the one getting
the oil operation going in the park.
Copy !req
446. I decided to start
investigating SOCO through him,
Copy !req
447. and so I started meeting him
and filming him undercover.
Copy !req
448. Okay, I'm going to the bathroom,
I'll meet you downstairs.
Copy !req
449. So we got a drink
and then we sat down for dinner...
Copy !req
450. and then the conversation got onto
oil exploration through SOCO's work.
Copy !req
451. It is the goal to check
Copy !req
452. if we have oil and then we compare.
Copy !req
453. Conservation, how much is it worth?
Oil, how much is it worth?
Copy !req
454. Do we start production?
Copy !req
455. But these people have their own vision
of the park's future.
Copy !req
456. They've been looking after it
for almost a century.
Copy !req
457. Moreover, it is full of rebels,
full of poachers, full of mess.
Copy !req
458. It is completely absurd.
Copy !req
459. The best solution, effective for everyone,
is to recolonize these countries.
Copy !req
460. There is no other solution.
Copy !req
461. For things to go well,
we have to manage them
Copy !req
462. because they are not able
to manage themselves.
Copy !req
463. They are like children, actually.
They aren't mature enough, I'd say.
Copy !req
464. You are tough
with the Congolese people.
Copy !req
465. No, no, I know them too well.
Copy !req
466. One of the main
problems that SOCO has had so far,
Copy !req
467. it's the park itself.
Copy !req
468. It's Emmanuel de Merode.
Copy !req
469. There is this guy, who blocks,
Copy !req
470. because he's Belgian,
from the royal family, etc.
Copy !req
471. And he's responsible for the park,
Copy !req
472. so he's got all the power in this park.
Copy !req
473. His management gave us permission
but he stands in our way.
Copy !req
474. There is a lot of tension
between SOCO and Emmanuel.
Copy !req
475. I think he plays
his political role a little bit,
Copy !req
476. as a member of the royal family.
Copy !req
477. I would quite like to be his friend,
but he doesn't want to be my friend.
Copy !req
478. Did you try?
Copy !req
479. No. I shook his hand once.
Copy !req
480. I'd been in Goma three days.
Copy !req
481. I didn't know anything.
Copy !req
482. I think,
over the next few months,
Copy !req
483. I'm going to carry on meeting with him
as much as possible
Copy !req
484. to follow how their activities is going
and try to get more information from him.
Copy !req
485. I'm also keen to find out if the
M23 rebels have any interest in the oil.
Copy !req
486. Okay, thanks.
Copy !req
487. Thanks, see you soon.
Copy !req
488. I'll keep the car in drive position
Copy !req
489. in case we have to get out of here fast.
Copy !req
490. We'll go together with Josue.
Copy !req
491. Josue, how are you doing?
Copy !req
492. This is Pieter Wright.
Copy !req
493. He is my boss.
Copy !req
494. He is a security advisor with SOCO.
Copy !req
495. The reason I wanted to see you
Copy !req
496. was to be able to put a name
to your face because...
Copy !req
497. very soon, we will start
working in that area.
Copy !req
498. We will contact you regularly.
Copy !req
499. We will now give you a little something...
Copy !req
500. Just to say thank you.
Copy !req
501. It is important that we work together.
Copy !req
502. So what I want to say with regard to
the difficulties we are facing,
Copy !req
503. is that if we are strong
and we withstand the situation,
Copy !req
504. it is because we work as a team.
Copy !req
505. Please always remember
that you have done a great job.
Copy !req
506. You have shown your courage
Copy !req
507. and some of your friends
Copy !req
508. have died for the rebuilding of the park.
Copy !req
509. The other thing
I wanted to tell you about is
Copy !req
510. the confusion which has developed
around the oil issue with SOCO.
Copy !req
511. And what I want
to tell you is very simple.
Copy !req
512. We are here to enforce the law.
Copy !req
513. It is law which allows
Copy !req
514. peace re-establishment
and country reconstruction.
Copy !req
515. We are not here
to work for business interests,
Copy !req
516. be it with regard to oil.
Copy !req
517. It is about integrity and honesty.
Copy !req
518. We have to maintain
the respect and discipline
Copy !req
519. which characterize us.
Copy !req
520. I'm doing a boy's band.
Copy !req
521. M23 cover album.
Copy !req
522. Okay. I'll give
the whole pack away, then. What is that?
Copy !req
523. What do you want to drink?
Copy !req
524. A coffee?
Copy !req
525. Maybe not Heineken again,
it's a bit early.
Copy !req
526. It's Sunday!
Copy !req
527. You have Heineken on Sunday?
Copy !req
528. On Sunday, on Saturday...
Copy !req
529. The other days I can't drink much
because I'm working.
Copy !req
530. And at the moment
are you working a lot?
Copy !req
531. Communication is so much work,
it's tiring.
Copy !req
532. I am a great notable of Rutshuru.
Copy !req
533. You have a lot of land there,
don't you? How many hectares?
Copy !req
534. 2,000 hectares, that's it.
Copy !req
535. And the friends from SOCO
have put marker stones on my land
Copy !req
536. to mark out the Block 5, their concession.
Copy !req
537. Some people don't like
SOCO doing its work here.
Copy !req
538. Minister Vunabandi asked me to calm them.
Copy !req
539. I did that job.
Copy !req
540. I've communicated to the population
Copy !req
541. that it's better to work with SOCO
than work with the park.
Copy !req
542. You told them that it was better?
Copy !req
543. Yes, I told the people
better with SOCO than with the park.
Copy !req
544. If SOCO works with us,
in particular with me...
Copy !req
545. I am in the M23, but outside the M23
I have my private businesses.
Copy !req
546. All right,
so you would have a percentage?
Copy !req
547. Yes, we are asking for a percentage.
Copy !req
548. They cannot exploit oil without us.
Copy !req
549. It's a percentage,
whether it is 0.01 or 0.001.
Copy !req
550. Yes, it can be a lot of money.
Copy !req
551. A lot.
Copy !req
552. Rebels like Colonel Kazarama
Copy !req
553. are all scrambling to profit from
the oil exploration in the region.
Copy !req
554. Although, so far, there is no evidence
Copy !req
555. that SOCO has entered into
financial deals with them.
Copy !req
556. By operating in this environment...
I think that SOCO are playing with fire...
Copy !req
557. and they are playing with forces
that are extremely powerful and dangerous.
Copy !req
558. They used a chainsaw
Copy !req
559. to remove part of the head
and the upper jaw.
Copy !req
560. They took that, as well as the tusks.
Copy !req
561. Examining the ballistics
suggests this wasn't
Copy !req
562. the work of poachers
we are familiar with.
Copy !req
563. This was a military style operation.
Copy !req
564. Every single armed group that is operating
Copy !req
565. in Eastern Congo is tied to the illegal
exploitation of natural resources.
Copy !req
566. That's how they survive.
Copy !req
567. And they all have... mixed agendas.
Copy !req
568. You know, they have an official agenda
that they... that they broadcast,
Copy !req
569. but in reality...
Copy !req
570. all their efforts are focused on
survival and making money.
Copy !req
571. We will march on the capital Kinshasa!
Copy !req
572. Long live M23!
Copy !req
573. Ladies, gentlemen, we regretfully announce
Copy !req
574. the resumption of war
by the Kinshasa government.
Copy !req
575. So the goal isn't to gain more territory?
Copy !req
576. No, let me be clear.
Copy !req
577. If the government agree
to enter into dialog with us
Copy !req
578. and suspend their attacks,
we are here for peace.
Copy !req
579. If they continue to violate the truce,
then we know what we will do.
Copy !req
580. Hey! Did you get my text?
Copy !req
581. No, no, no, you didn't tell me
where you were.
Copy !req
582. Okay. Opposite Rouge
and it's called "Grill"?
Copy !req
583. Okay, cool. Let's do that. Perfect.
Copy !req
584. I thought that
I would meet Julien by himself.
Copy !req
585. So when I arrived, I was quite surprised
to see him with two other people,
Copy !req
586. one of whom was
a SOCO security subcontractor.
Copy !req
587. Please be careful, sir.
Copy !req
588. I hate that.
Copy !req
589. If you pull the trigger now,
it goes off.
Copy !req
590. I hate when they do that.
Copy !req
591. No security on!
Copy !req
592. Just gonna get close like that.
Copy !req
593. So we speak English tonight.
Copy !req
594. No, Français!
Copy !req
595. My Français is a bit shit.
Copy !req
596. What do you define yourself as?
Copy !req
597. Some people would say
I'm a mercenary.
Copy !req
598. You're a mercenary?
Copy !req
599. Some people would...
some people wouldn't.
Copy !req
600. John... was this
kind of crazy British...
Copy !req
601. former-Special Forces guy
Copy !req
602. who bragged a lot about how
he had been in all these crazy situations,
Copy !req
603. killed lots of people,
Copy !req
604. and saying these horrible things
about Congolese.
Copy !req
605. The people here are nice,
but I tell you one thing,
Copy !req
606. they've got bloodlust.
Copy !req
607. They kill for the fucking sake of killing
and they fucking hinge on it.
Copy !req
608. There are lots of rebels...
Copy !req
609. you look at them
and straight away you think...
Copy !req
610. The energy is up and you think...
Copy !req
611. - they enjoy it.
Fucking mad, yeah?
Copy !req
612. They like it and there is nothing
you can do about it.
Copy !req
613. You can't educate, you can't...
Copy !req
614. Culture them?
Copy !req
615. There is nothing you can change
in their mentality
Copy !req
616. because it's fucking primeval.
Copy !req
617. It is primeval, it is ancient,
it is inbred psychology
Copy !req
618. that you cannot fucking change.
Copy !req
619. Don't you talk to these guys?
Copy !req
620. Who?
Copy !req
621. Which ones?
To which ones?
Copy !req
622. The rebels?
Yeah?
Copy !req
623. We talk to them every day.
Well, not me, but subcontractors.
Copy !req
624. SOCO contractors
are in daily talks with rebel groups...
Copy !req
625. and potentially even paying them
to be able to work in the area.
Copy !req
626. Although, Julien claims
to have no part in any of this.
Copy !req
627. We don't deal
with the rebels.
Copy !req
628. You've got to give them money
to be able to travel through the area.
Copy !req
629. What do you think you're doing
with DEI (SOCO security contractors)?
Copy !req
630. How much do you think
SOCO's paid fucking...
Copy !req
631. Shut up!
Copy !req
632. Come on!
Don't...
Copy !req
633. We have a journalist here!
Copy !req
634. If you're gonna be honest,
be honest.
Copy !req
635. And while you're paying them and
keeping them happy, they'll work with you.
Copy !req
636. Julien was implying that
Copy !req
637. they're paying their security company
to deal with all these security issues,
Copy !req
638. and so the security company...
Copy !req
639. receives a certain amount of money
and that was that.
Copy !req
640. They just let them do
whatever they need to do.
Copy !req
641. I never spoke to a fucking rebel myself.
Copy !req
642. That's why we subcontract that shit.
Copy !req
643. Who's paying the fucking money?
You or them?
Copy !req
644. Subcontractors.
No, you can't get away with that.
Copy !req
645. It doesn't matter
where the money comes from.
Copy !req
646. Of course it does,
without the money the job doesn't happen.
Copy !req
647. Fucking civilians don't get killed.
Copy !req
648. You don't have war.
Copy !req
649. It's the money that fuels everything.
Copy !req
650. So to give them money and then turn around
and say it's nothing to do with us...
Copy !req
651. It's just fucking hypocritical.
Copy !req
652. You know, it's just... It's playing God.
Copy !req
653. But if you're gonna do it,
at least be fucking honest about it!
Copy !req
654. It's business, it's business,
and business is business.
Copy !req
655. That was tricky.
Copy !req
656. This kind of thing
that you hear in movies...
Copy !req
657. and to hear that in real life
from people you're having dinner with...
Copy !req
658. Now we can see
the value of that park,
Copy !req
659. mining-wise.
Copy !req
660. It's just a fucking mine, this park.
Copy !req
661. It could be colossal.
Copy !req
662. - With the intelligence, it's crazy...
It is colossal.
Copy !req
663. the money you could pull out.
Copy !req
664. Now what they defend,
I'm not sure it's all about animals.
Copy !req
665. I'm not sure at all.
Copy !req
666. It ain't gorillas, put it that way.
Copy !req
667. I don't think
it could be so highly involved
Copy !req
668. to do the shit they do.
Copy !req
669. Unless they're shitting diamonds
and fucking pissing iron ore,
Copy !req
670. they don't give a fuck
about the gorillas.
Copy !req
671. Fuck me, it's a monkey,
who gives a fuck about a fucking monkey?
Copy !req
672. We were very worried about the fighting.
Copy !req
673. We are hearing so many... bombs.
Copy !req
674. Many, many, many bombs.
Copy !req
675. When gorillas hear the sound of bombs,
Copy !req
676. they want to be close to the caregivers.
Copy !req
677. Well, we heard
some heavy firing,
Copy !req
678. and then suddenly, all these tanks
Copy !req
679. heading southwards,
away from the front line.
Copy !req
680. Some of the soldiers
that we managed to speak to
Copy !req
681. said they'd just fallen into an ambush
just up the road,
Copy !req
682. and now they're beating a retreat.
Copy !req
683. Firstly, as you all know
Copy !req
684. there were clashes yesterday
Copy !req
685. and the fighting intensified in Bunagana.
Copy !req
686. But we need to prepare ourselves in case
Copy !req
687. that fighting may spread
and affect us here in Rumangabo.
Copy !req
688. It's Melanie.
Copy !req
689. They're approaching.
Copy !req
690. Yes, the M23.
Copy !req
691. And the army is fleeing towards Bukavu.
Copy !req
692. The villagers are about to start leaving.
Copy !req
693. We are going to stay here.
Copy !req
694. I just wanted to know
about the food for the gorillas.
Copy !req
695. How many days' worth do we have left?
Copy !req
696. Two days.
Copy !req
697. The M23 rebels are in Rubare.
Copy !req
698. If they cut off Mwaro,
we'll have to cope with what we have.
Copy !req
699. Hi. It's Melanie.
Can you hear me?
Copy !req
700. Hi... I can't hear you very well,
Copy !req
701. but... so basically, the M23,
they're about to take the town.
Copy !req
702. The Congolese army is fleeing.
Copy !req
703. The governor has been evacuated.
Copy !req
704. We think we have a problem.
Copy !req
705. The danger is near us.
Copy !req
706. Good morning again.
Copy !req
707. I wanted to tell you that
the explosions you heard some time ago
Copy !req
708. were M23 rebel actions.
Copy !req
709. You should all have your essential items
packed and be ready for evacuation.
Copy !req
710. PRESS
Copy !req
711. We are going to Kibati actually.
Copy !req
712. It's a bit further.
Copy !req
713. Sorry, is there a problem?
Copy !req
714. I'll start by calling the names.
Copy !req
715. If you hear your name,
Copy !req
716. move aside with your belongings
and children so that I can see you.
Copy !req
717. If there is excessive luggage,
I will leave it!
Copy !req
718. They are advancing.
Copy !req
719. They're nearly at Kalengera.
Copy !req
720. We've got to hurry.
Copy !req
721. If everybody is there,
then we must start the evacuation.
Copy !req
722. Yes, let's evacuate everyone who's ready.
Copy !req
723. The fighting
just broke out just next to us.
Copy !req
724. I don't know
if we're doing the right thing.
Copy !req
725. Hi, is everything okay?
Copy !req
726. No, he's really weakened.
Copy !req
727. What's caused it?
Copy !req
728. Diarrhea. He suffered from diarrhea
the whole night last night.
Copy !req
729. But yesterday, he played and he ate.
Copy !req
730. What is his name?
Copy !req
731. Kaboko.
Copy !req
732. Ah, he's the one called Kaboko.
Copy !req
733. He is suffering.
Copy !req
734. You see, he's suffering.
Copy !req
735. If they ask us
to hand over our arms...
Copy !req
736. Yes.
Copy !req
737. we'll have to react fast
and hide them.
Copy !req
738. If they ask us to do that,
and I'm telling you I know them well,
Copy !req
739. it would be worse than you think.
Copy !req
740. If they are telling us
to hand them over...
Copy !req
741. You all know the situation.
Copy !req
742. The M23 rebels are about to arrive here.
Copy !req
743. Our role now is to protect the station.
Copy !req
744. It is very likely that this zone
falls under the control of M23.
Copy !req
745. And I am counting on you to stay with me.
Copy !req
746. Our role is simply to stay here
Copy !req
747. to watch over the station
which is there for the park.
Copy !req
748. If they come here,
we cannot fight against them.
Copy !req
749. I will be the last to leave Rumangabo.
Copy !req
750. Stop, stop! Stop.
Yes, yes, yes.
Copy !req
751. Quickly, let's go!
Get in.
Copy !req
752. Here, here, here.
Quick, quick, quick!
Copy !req
753. Press. Press. Press, oui.
Copy !req
754. Going to Ihusi. Yes.
Copy !req
755. The Congolese army are deploying
Copy !req
756. around the station.
Copy !req
757. Rutshuru is under the control of M23.
Copy !req
758. Really?
Copy !req
759. There is going to be trouble here.
Copy !req
760. Yes, I think so.
Copy !req
761. Many people left Rumangabo.
Copy !req
762. But, for me,
Copy !req
763. I felt obliged to stay with gorillas here.
Copy !req
764. You must justify why you are here
on this Earth.
Copy !req
765. Gorillas justify why I am here.
Copy !req
766. They are my life.
Copy !req
767. So if it is about dying,
Copy !req
768. I will die for the gorillas.
Copy !req
769. We've been informed
Copy !req
770. that the enemy is on his way.
Copy !req
771. You know why we are here.
Copy !req
772. If they were to go further over,
Copy !req
773. we'd be between the hammer and the anvil.
Copy !req
774. Even here... we are between
the hammer and the anvil.
Copy !req
775. Yes.
Copy !req
776. They're here.
Copy !req
777. Yes, M23 are in Rumangabo.
Copy !req
778. Oh, mama! Ma, mama!
Copy !req
779. Until the early hours of Sunday morning,
Copy !req
780. all of this territory here
was controlled by the Congolese army
Copy !req
781. and their allies,
the United Nations Peacekeepers.
Copy !req
782. But that has now been reversed,
Copy !req
783. and these rebels here
are now within easy striking distance
Copy !req
784. of the provincial capital, Goma.
Copy !req
785. The M23 rebels are here.
Copy !req
786. They've entered.
Copy !req
787. So there is nothing.
No more Congolese soldiers. They left.
Copy !req
788. The country is sold.
Copy !req
789. It was very difficult for the vet
Copy !req
790. to come here because of the war.
Copy !req
791. All the night, yeah, I was with him.
Copy !req
792. 3:00 a.m., he became very weak.
Copy !req
793. At 5:00 a.m.,
Copy !req
794. we lost our lovely gorilla, Kaboko.
Copy !req
795. He left this world.
Copy !req
796. So, our area has now been
overrun by the M23 militias.
Copy !req
797. It has created, for us,
a huge level of uncertainty.
Copy !req
798. It was impossible for us to leave,
Copy !req
799. because if we were to leave,
we would lose everything.
Copy !req
800. We'd lose the park
and the wildlife would be at risk,
Copy !req
801. and we'd lose everything that we've built
Copy !req
802. over the last few years
to keep this park going.
Copy !req
803. There was very heavy shelling
and a lot of gunfire.
Copy !req
804. Many people got hurt in the villages.
Copy !req
805. Some of them came here looking for help
and we did our best to help them,
Copy !req
806. but they were very badly injured,
and some of them died.
Copy !req
807. It was probably
the most violent period we've known.
Copy !req
808. There was about 60,000
displaced people living here,
Copy !req
809. and they're all gone.
Copy !req
810. In the last few days,
Copy !req
811. we have had many wounded people.
Copy !req
812. The majority are children.
Copy !req
813. All these people were shot.
Copy !req
814. This one almost died
but we gave him a blood transfusion.
Copy !req
815. Baby.
Copy !req
816. Do you know how old is he?
Copy !req
817. Five... he's five.
Copy !req
818. It's the money that fuels everything.
Copy !req
819. Now we can see the value of that park.
Copy !req
820. Yes, we are asking for a percentage.
Copy !req
821. They cannot exploit oil without us.
Copy !req
822. It's business,
it's business, and business is business.
Copy !req
823. So now there are death threats coming.
Copy !req
824. Death threats, from both sides.
Copy !req
825. Some people are threatening
to kill de Merode.
Copy !req
826. It doesn't come from us,
we don't know from whom.
Copy !req
827. They know that the blockage
comes from him.
Copy !req
828. They are going to kill him.
Copy !req
829. This company is
operating with the same lack of oversight
Copy !req
830. that this country has experienced
so many times,
Copy !req
831. and it's feeding into the conflict.
Copy !req
832. What I'm really scared about
when this is published,
Copy !req
833. is that people read it and...
Copy !req
834. then they just go on with their life
and nothing is done about this.
Copy !req
835. For me, it's not just another
questionable company in Africa...
Copy !req
836. It's a company that has been attacking
one of the only hopes this region has.
Copy !req
837. It's intense...
Copy !req
838. and it can be quite sad... actually.
Copy !req
839. So the fighting's
been very violent in this area,
Copy !req
840. and it's meant that
we haven't been able to find the gorillas.
Copy !req
841. We're extremely worried
about their safety.
Copy !req
842. Now, finally, we've been able to get back.
Copy !req
843. We're going to celebrate.
Copy !req
844. There's an even smaller one.
Copy !req
845. It's only 3 months old.
Copy !req
846. New birth.
Copy !req
847. So that's very, very good news.
Copy !req
848. Ndakasi!
Copy !req
849. Ndakasi.
Copy !req
850. You know that Kaboko was the only male
Copy !req
851. that we had here at the Senkwekwe Center.
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852. In my heart, I still miss him.
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853. I really miss him.
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854. But I have started understanding
that these things happen.
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855. And even the other gorillas,
especially Maisha...
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856. Maisha also lost Kaboko.
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857. But...
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858. We are trying to realize life goes on.
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859. I have accepted to give
the best of myself,
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860. so that wildlife can be safeguarded
beyond all pressure.
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861. Beyond all spirit of
greediness about money.
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862. Beyond all things.
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863. All that could happen to me...
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864. I will accept it.
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865. I am not special.
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866. We cannot stand weak and say,
"SOCO, go ahead."
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867. In the end, we will be judged...
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868. if we just stand by as the park vanishes.
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869. But our wish is that
this park lives forever.
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