The mighty Congo River is opened for tourism.

“The best vacation I ever had was a boat trip on the Congo River”, an American once told me. That was three years ago in Mozambique in a five star beach resort (I was on the UN payroll). I had escaped the peacekeeping mission on R’n’R while he was on a reconnaissance trip for his multi millionaire clients.

More than hundred years since Stanley navigated Africa’s great water way, the Congo River is simply a no go for tourists. Or so I thought until last week. I got to meet Michel Van Roten who, with his wife, runs the only tourist company in the country.

“Our six planned boat trips on the Congo River are fully booked for 2007”, the entrepreneur tells me with a big smile. The mythical boat trip might just make his company, “Go Congo”, profitable for the first time since 2002.

The biggest fight, he admits, was the bad press Congo suffered from. Four million dead from war, Ebola, malaria, you name it, it is here. Last August, a bunch of Poles had to cancel their visit with Go Congo due to gunfights in Kinshasa. In such circumstances, many would be fast to rename their venture “Don’t Go Congo”.

The risks are there, but Michel won’t budge. He repeats to me what his website states on the homepage: “If you really need 5 star lodges, whisky on the rocks and your 20-channels television, please go somewhere else.” That is definitely more marketing than warning.

Only a few years ago, Congo had flocks of visitors looking for the “real Africa”. “People want to see it, to live it” says the Belgium of his wealthy eco tourists. Congo’s paths have definitely become unbeaten.

The once profitable tourism industry will eventually wake up after more than a decade of hibernation. Michel and his wife are eager to seal their head start. Critical contacts are already made and they have the full support of the Tourism Ministry. To my question about his problems with governmental institutions Michel simply replies: “none”.

Early next year, Go Congo is going to prospect in Eastern Congo for a future package tour. Volcanoes, gorillas, pygmies, it sounds like a promising adventure. Maybe the Congo Rangers (my previous post) could team up with Michel’s clients?

My heart trembles at all the potential. Doesn’t it sound like Congo has a future? We’ll wait and see if Michel and his wife get more than sixty clients a year.



Here's a link to Go Congo's website. Otherwise, you can find one updated guide to DR Congo, but it's only in French: Le Petit Futé, which came out this year. For photos, try Hundred Years of Darkness.


My own top five Congo attractions (never did the river trip)...

1. Ruwenzori, the Mountains of the Moon, snow in Congo, third highest on the continent, the weirdest plants ever. Photos.
2. Nyiragongo volcano, the third largest lava lake in the world, stare in a hole twice the height of Eiffel Tower and look at fountains of lava. Post.
3. Mountain gorillas, take on the huge Silverback male with his harem full of fluffy babies. Damn, you only wished you could touch them. Photos.
4. Pygmies of the Ituri forest will take you on a rush in the forest. Survival never looked easier. Photos.
5. Itombwe Plateau, off limits area, unfortunately, simply picturesque landscape, highly interesting ethnic mix (or un mix), you could be the first white a whole generation will see. That is, on the condition you’re white. Photos.

Image from the documentary "The Last Colonials".

Only yesterday, Kinshasa got in trouble again. Shootings cracked the air just before noon. A typical surge in short phone calls began almost simultaneously. People check up on each others’ safety. A time also to swap info.

After a three day battle in August, tension has been building up since in Kinshasa. As we await the final results of the presidential elections in the coming week, some talk about a climax of instability. So many questions about the future, few answers. No one really knows where we are all heading.

We foreigners don’t feel at ease right now since the international community has shown preference for one candidate, Kabila, over the other, Bemba. Consequently, we keep a low profile these days since Kinshasa’s majority supports the underdog candidate.

As to reassure everyone, the French Cultural Center projected recently a documentary on European foreigners in Congo. Only, the filming took place in the aftermath of the first lootings in 1991 or the second in 1993. These two events pretty much destroyed the entire formal economy.

In “The Last Colonials”, Thierry Michel, the director, asks different figures about their fears and their love for the Congo. Why did they stay in this failed state? At the time of independence, in 1961, the Europeans were in every corner of the country. The Greeks themselves were numbering above 50 000.

There we were about fifty foreigners and a few Congelese looking at a scenario that could possibly happen in the next two weeks. Interviews with distressed people, some yielding guns, others reaffirming they will never leave. Dialogues orbits around fear, greed, freedom and love. The dream turned into a nightmare.

The image above is taken from a sequence where this Belgian retells the events as they happened. He managed to hold off looters using his automatic rifle. Suddenly his skinny old papa (house employee) shows up in the frame himself armed. The director then moves the conversation cleverly:

Interviewer: And your papa (house employee), you can count on him?
Belgian: Oh yeah, I can count on him.
Interviewer: And you like him?

Pause at the odd question.

Belgian: Sure, I like him (laugh).

The Belgian turns around to look at the papa who comes closer in the frame.

Belgian: I hope he likes me. I think he likes me (chuckles).
Papa: Oh yes! My boss, I like him. My boss is like family.

“In Congo, you are ultimately free”, said another European in the film. “You’re free, but your shadow is chaos, and it will always be there by your side” reflected my flat mate when we discussed the movie. Anarchy and freedom still cohabitate in Congo, definitely.

In a country with looted archives, no real museum, where modern history is written mostly by foreigners, I wanted to get a copy of the documentary. Thierry Michel, the director, stubbornly refused to give me a DVD.

After a conversation with Arnaud, the BBC correspondent, I came to a conclusion on the refusal. Victimizing rich white foreigners in Africa is not en vogue. But when will we start considering foreigners or migrants as Congolese? Even my friend Frédéric, a third generation Belgian in Congo, tells me that he never felt like a colonialist or a migrant. But he surely doesn’t identify himself as Congolese either.

With the current political and economical situation, both foreigners and Congolese have little pride of being associated to this land. The great Zaire is but a souvenir. I found real Congolese nationalism only in the diaspora communities abroad. That’s what happens when you leave your country: you come to realize your true origins and keep faith in it.


Other note worthy documentaries from the same director: Mobutu, Roi du Zaire (classic) and Congo River. Reviews of these two in 007's blog.

Photos of yesterday’s shootings on the BBC.

Robert Muir's "Congo Rangers" blog.

Virunga National Park is home to some of the last mountain gorillas. But it also has an amazing assortment of other animals and plants. Conservationists use words like “rich biodiversity” when they talk about the place.

Only, Virunga is also home to a common Congo specie: the guerilla. This politically classified ape has mastered the basic tool for hunting: the a-kay. Roaming the park in rather large groups, it is out playing the other animals, even the national army at times.

Because of them, in Africa’s oldest national park, the shit is currently hitting the fan. The recent scale of slaughter has rarely been seen. For example, the hippo is nearly extinct in the park. There used to be some 30 000 back in days. Makes a young guy like me nostalgic of times I didn’t know.

All hell broke loose in the last month. Alarm bells are ringing all over the conservation community right now. Even the peacekeeping mission has been asked to save the animals. Unfortunately, it’s already having a hard time saving the Congolese from themselves.

I’ve been able to follow the situation in Virunga thanks to Robert Muir’s blog, a conservationist in Goma. He’s in an odd position himself: he holds the key to halt some of the slaughter, but one problem stops him from doing it. I’ll get to that later.

Robert has brought together and trained an elite force of guard parks. Forty men ready to tackle poachers and other no gooders. I’m talking “I’ll gun your sorry ass down if you touch Fifi my pet gorilla” gun ho blokes. Take a look at this photo, you’ll understand.

When I met Robert late last year, all he talked about was this project. Like a boy talking about WWII heroes, Robert charmed me with the personal stories of what was becoming an elite corps of “Rangers”.

Compass to his belt, the young Englishman has the looks of boy scout who failed to mature entirely. Half geek, half adventurous, 110% passionate, he even flies a zebra striped Cessna (photo on his blog). When he has fuel. On top of it, he works for ze Germans. Well, the Frankfurt Zoo. His girlfriend even helped me release a monkey once and made me feel like a good person.

Anyway, the Americans and Europeans donors bought into the guy and funded his initiative. With the cash, he hired mercenaries, got a vehicle or two and took hold of a deserted tourist resort on the shores of Lake Edward. Most importantly, they released the best potential within the ICCN's (park management) park guards.

A few months later, the squad was ready for action and ultra motivated. They only needed a mission to match their vision, and unfortunately, it has come. Trouble is, they lack funds.

Nothing new in Congo. But this time, the extent is such that Robert sounds like he’s begging in his last post. Unusual of him to write:

Please help the Congo-Rangers to protect Virunga’s exceptional wildlife from […] poachers. The rangers desperately need basic supplies such as rations, medical and field equipment, and transportation.

Reading between the lines, other than the white space, it means that the situation has gotten ugly. Coming from conservation myself, I know it’s urgent.

Ironically, in this case, the Congolese have the capacity and competency to deal with the problem themselves. But again and again, money goes to the wrong elite. Will this be another training that served no purpose?

You like watching gorillas or other likes on Animal Planet? And your stash of cash has seven digits figures? Then I recommend funding Robert’s honest project. If you’re poor, too bad for you.

Just kidding, of course, all you gotta do in that case is link to his blog. Generate interest to an endangered World Heritage Site. Because after all, it belongs to all of us. And it's priceless.

Good photos, goos stories, good cause. Here's the link again.

A friend of mine proposed to interview me as part of a series of blogger portraits. You can view the video here.

Warning: it's in French and it's SUPER heavy, so Congo folks, forget it!

Folks, we have some papas who are looking for work as cleaners and cooks. Through a friend of mine, we found this whole network of reliable guys. Since they are currently unemployed, we thought we’d help them get jobs. So please pass this around…

Fidèle is 45 years of age, has 5 kids, and nearly 20 years of experience. Good spoken French. Good cook.

Bienvenu is 28, and just had a young kid. Although without experience, he just spent six months training. So he’s ready for his first job. Isn’t that a thousand dollar smile? Ok, maybe a hundred. Good spoken French. New cooking skills.

Jimmy, my own worker, who has been featured on this website twice. Since I’m moving flats with someone who already has a papa, well, Jimmy is jobless. He’s a father of one, and I personally recommend him. His French is not the best, so early on you have to establish a good way to communicate or he’ll say “yes” to everything you say. Not bad of a cook.

How much to pay for a papa that works 5-6 days a week? I recommend 200 bucks a month. Any other questions let me know by mail.

If you drive in Kinshasa, this face is known to you. He is the man who works properly and never, or almost, asks for money. We all wished they were all like him, didn't we?

I always wondered why he was so nice. Recently, I heard he’s on the payroll of Marsavco, the big factory around the corner. He’s supposed to facilitate their trucks' passages.

Anyway, he’s been asking for this photo for two weeks now. Unfortunately, I don’t have a color printer. Anyone willing to print it and give it to him? Contact me and I’ll send you a better version. He’ll appreciate you and give you safe passage...

Myth demystified. I'm a meter, 97. I'll let you guess for him.

Photo by David Lewis.

Massive rally for the opposition (UDPS). Photo taken last year as we're gearing up for elections in July this year.

Can you see Arnaud from the BBC?

Soldiers performing a Rambo like demonstration for my camera.

If you’ve read the Congo Diaries of Che Guevara, you realize soldiers haven’t really changed. If they managed to discourage the revolutionary leader, they still manage to annoy most Congolese.

I’ve met good and bad soldiers in DR Congo. I’ve drank beer with some, shared thoughts with others, I even spent new year’s eve with better ones. I can both admire and despise the men in uniform.

A soldier in Congo is basically anyone who has fatigues and a gun. Like anyone with a camera can claim to be a photographer.

So there, you have a gun, you’re a soldier. Your boss (who drives a nice 4x4) takes a cut of your salary. That is, if you get a salary. In better days, you get twenty bucks a month.

They give you no food. You’re hungry, so you go see farmers and others. You’re gun is a good argument for them to share the little they have.

In fact, the gun is the reason you enrolled. It gives you power you otherwise could never get. So you develop the attitude of importance. Everyone else is shit and thank God you’re not doing all the physical labor other people do.

Your routine is to keep guard of a road, a building or important people. The army is for hire: if you need security, you can call on them. But much of the task is boring.

Then there’s trouble. You hear a few bullets, and you make a run for your life. It’s not worth 20 bucks to stick around. Tomorrow is another day, and you wanna be there to see it!

Everyone ran away like you. Chaos reigns. The bullets are far away now. There’s no more authority. Pillage time. Rape if you can. This is your chance, make the best of it.

Lionel has some more dignified photos of soldiers.

In October, Radio Okapi published an article concerning illegal taxes by the soldiers pictured here.

If you’ve been following Robert’s immigration story, you might be interested in this photo I got. :-) Congrats!

When I informed this gentleman I wanted to snap his hairdo, he told me “wait until tomorrow”. The morning after, with his nicest shirt on, his trimmed “boss” silhouette looked perfect.

My Congolese friends fathom other styles for themselves.

Myself at 4400 meters in the Ruwenzori mountains, DR Congo, 2004.

A famous usability guru noted that a blog without a biography of the author is the number one mistake. The second worst mistake is the lack of author photo. Now that other people than my family and friends visit this site, I decided I'd bend to the recommendations.

The photo is easy and it is up here. Whereas the bio will have to be auto, so here we go.

I maintain this site because it helps me consume Congo (read my post on the country here) and not the other way around. I started writing about the country in September 2005, my fourth year in the country.

A job in Congo was offered to me through daddy’s connections. I arrived in Kinshasa (see photos of the city here) in early 2002. Peacekeeping was my new career. There, I developed monuc.org and radiookapi.net. Read a post I wrote on the radio web project here.

Before my stay in Kinshasa, I lived in Paris. I came to love the French who in turn love Quebecers. Within me, a feeling remains that I left France prematurely. I certainly got attach to a few people there that I still miss so terribly.

The year I left Montreal for Paris was the year I had planned to go to university. The week classes began, I rode my bike to NYC instead. That was the first time I followed my gut feeling, and stayed uneducated since.

I grew up in downtown Montreal, where my parents decided my older sister (see photo of Lina here or visit her blog) and I should live in a stable environment. After giving birth to both of us in California, my parents moved to Mozambique (see photos of us back then here). My Canadian mother and Norwegian father were political militants of left wings tendencies. Apparently, life was tough, but I don’t remember any of it. I even spoke Portuguese, but forgot it today.

Today, I’m one of Kinshasa’s eight million citizens (read my post on the city). I worked for Wildlife Conservation Society, after the peacekeeping mission. Today, I run a small business with a partner.

You can leave a comment here but I don’t see why you would. This reminds me of an anecdote. One day, two years ago, I came back to my car after squash at Elaïs, and there was an anonymous note on my windshield that said:

“Kim, you're an ugly skinny bastard.”

Obviously, you can't please everyone.

I got video-interviewed concerning this website in July 2006. You can view the short (but heavy) interview here.

Figures: this blog opened up its doors in September 2005. I updated it about twice a week. It gets about a hundred visitors a day plus a comment a day.

Counting animals: data translated to a visual form. My colleagues laptop screen is showing Salonga National Park, a World Heritage site.

I often get asked what the Bronx Zoo, my employer, does in the DR Congo. Whereas my project is information related, my colleagues work in the parks which many are World Heritage sites. Our specialty is counting animals, or what they call “inventories”.

“So how do you count animals?” For big mammals we count their shit. And a lot of shit there is over a wide area. Gorilla, elephant, okapi dung, you name it, we look it or it.

Our teams that cumulate 30 people split themselves in small groups and walk “transects” (straight line) kilometers on end. GPS, digital camera, and notebooks are used to witness all the details and location of interesting findings: turds, bonobo nests, traps, hunting camp, rivers, openings in the forest (bais), and villages.

Not a simple walk in the park. The exercise can last up to three months, if security permits. The forest is often shared with renegade soldiers, like Maï Maï. Think of Apocalypse Now and you have a fairly good image of the blokes in the woods.

All the data is then brought together in Excel. Boring data entry it is, but a critical step nonetheless. Then our GIS expert, Falk Grossman*, takes all this and creates charts and maps. Thousands of entries are transformed into shapes, making the big picture. The trouble is, with so many parameters, the analyzed data can be interpreted in many ways. Creativity is required to produce a final report.

“Is there anything left in Congo?” is always the next question. There is, but that's a little more complicated to answer.

*Can you believe it? He walked across Salonga National Park from North to South. That’s the size of Belgium. If you can make him talk, he has the craziest stories from his "transects".

Robert and Natalie, getting wed at Bandal(ungwa)'s Commune.

Robert, my old roommate in Kinshasa, will see his wife and baby girl next week. More than two years ago, he left the Congo without them. Natalie, his wife, didn’t have orderly papers.

While his girl got a passport within a two week period, Natalie’s ordeal lasted over two years. But this week, she and I, went to buy the plane ticket that will bring her to Montreal. Both mother and daughter will leave Africa for the first time in their lives. Unfortunately, little girl Tamara is too young and probably won’t remember any of it.

I found myself coaching Nat in the past three weeks as I helped her get the little girl’s passport, transit visas, Canadian visa, and a lot of blablabla. To put it mildly, immigrating is hard, even more so if you’re from a poor country.

Although Nat did much of the work and the waiting, I can’t guarantee she could have done it on her own. Our system doesn’t work like theirs, and a Congolese is simply lost, and too often, misled and lied, even from my own Embassy. I don’t blame them, since they are the levees which hold the flood of economic migrants.

So there I was, 2800$ in hand, a minute away from purchaising freedom, watching Natalie straight in the face: “When you arrive in Canada, you won’t see Robert immediately. They will make you go through immigration...” How could I explain any of what I didn’t know myself? Coaching an immigrant on how to land on Mars.

But there it is, the dream of a better life a week away. As we drove across town, I told her “look around you. You’re probably not going to see Kinshasa for a long time. And believe me, you’ll miss this place so terribly.” I paused, I didn’t know what to add. I thought I was talking to myself.

I got this email from Robert a week later:

"Dude, everything went smoothly, they found their way to Montreal and I picked them up at the Dorval (Pierre Elliot Trudeau airport).

"My daughter is very cute, but a HANDFUL. I have spent my time arranging all their papers and having them settled in. They like it here except that Tamara doesn't have her 20 relatives in one house anymore, so she finds friendship with my dogs and solice in following me around the place..she's very cute.

"I have a least a few more days to arrange their papers, medicare, social insurance, etc...before actually taking them around the place and see Montreal.

"They are also going through jet lag and the time difference between the 2 countries. I also spent a good few hours watching a observing Tamara, and she seems to be alot like me, except she talk alot more...lol

"Anyway dude, I will keep you posted and will send a picture on their first trip downtown which will be this saturday....their looking north American everyday now...lol

"Although Nathalie seems to bring me that feeling of Congo to how she does everything. She is also freaking out over the washer and dry cleaner...LOL
by for now...

Rob"