hey, is that a white guy coming up the mountain?

Hey, I mentioned the story of Luhago over a month ago but I don’t recall letting you know how it all passed…Well, after the initial assessment mission, it was decided to deliver emergency relief kits to the 1,512 families who fled to the area, and protect/rehabilitate 6/2 water sources to ensure there was enough water and sufficient water points for the entire community. Hardly flawless, but the work went off well, and the water points are gorgeous. I took follow-up trip two weeks ago, make survey to make sure everything was in order…unbelievable, stunningly beautiful(there’s that phrase again). The place is pushed up against the southern flank of Kahuzi biega park (remember the fiasco in Bunyakiri?)—hence the security issues—rolling mountain-hills. Me and my team mate dr tierry decided that we would touch each population group that received assistance—7 groups spread through the valley. That was the goal, and we accomplished it, though it was punishingly difficult. When we had decided on the intervention, or the follow up goal of visiting every community, I had realized just how far flung these sites had been, nor the topography of the valley. I think we covered 15km tops on foot, but it took all afternoon and the following morning. Up and Down, and back up again, then across a ridge, then down and up, and oh, there’s a short cut, and so on…I was in over my head! Or my bum leg, rather! But we pulled it off. We were applauded by crowds of beneficiaries, apparently I was the first honky in the hills in over 50 years…applause of appreciation for the assistance, or some cynical sarcastic applause for the white guy who actually came to pay them and their families a visit? Not sure, but the children were intrigued, we sang and danced our way down to every water point. Not sure what will happen to these people, I suspect that they are being terrorized by thugs, ex-militia men who’re camped out in the forest, extorting the locals. So on the back end of an intervention, my job turns to advocacy, see if it isn’t possible to leverage other actors to step into the gap. In this instance, it’s a question of getting pressure on the DRC army to station more troops there, try and secure the area against further incursions. Helas, this not an area high on their priority list—Gen. Nkunda, a dissident from a little further north, just declared his new republic of the volcanos, squarely within Congo territory…and tomorrow, there will be the announcement of the election results. Too some, this is far more important than the people leaving under plastic bags on the hills of luhago.
Enjoy the pictures, of Luhago.
C