CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Vincent Paul Mayanja, Uganda, May 1999
THEME = ECOLOGY
Uganda's incessant unrest,
has threatened the country's tourist industry,
with some National Parks closing down
and others not attracting as many visitors as before.
But the country is fighting tooth and nail to preserve
its most unique tourist attraction - gorilla tourism
South-west of the capital, Kampala, in the thick mountainous forest of Bwindi (in the local Rukiga dialect - "darkness"), rare primates, the mountain gorillas, living in their natural habitat, are faced with extinction. Bwindi is one of the rare places in the world where the animals can be seen, and they have become a competitive and prestigious item on the wild game charts of the world.
On 1 March, a group of about 200-armed attackers raided the camps in Bwindi National Park, killing eight foreign tourists. The government immediately closed the park. However, a month later, the park was reopened to tourists, but many had either already cancelled their visits to the Park or they stayed away completely from Uganda. Obviously the government could not let matters lie. Ignatius Nakishero, from the Uganda Tourist Board (UTB), and responsible for "selling" Uganda's tourist attractions, is extremely concerned about the effects the murders are having on the country's tourist industry. He says: "Uganda must do something to counter the bad publicity our tourist industry has received". Mr. Nakishero led journalists to the park to see the efforts made by the government to guarantee security and the safety of visitors.
Tourists have started trickling back, and fifteen of them who had arrived by land from neighbouring Kenya, were waiting their turn to start trekking up the mountains to have a glimpse of the animals. There is a strict control over the number of visitors allowed to go trekking into the area each day - two groups of six, per day.
Let's go along with one of these tourists, as she makes her way towards Bwindi National Park. Anja Zimmermann's uncle, Otto, thought she'd gone crazy when she told him she was heading for Uganda to view the gorillas.
The beauty inside this thick tropical forest with its trees making a leafy canopy in the bright sunlight, plus the many different species of birds, makes the forest a world apart. Anja is one of a group of fifteen tourists who have been camping at Buhoma Community Camp Ground, about 670 kilometres from the capital, Kampala. Together with five of her colleagues, Anja trekked up the mountains through the forest of huge trees and bamboo, to meet these fascinating creatures. On their return, the group were exhausted and covered in sweat, but were excited about meeting the rare apes together with other creatures including snakes and mountain elephants.
All were happy to find out that new security arrangements had been made in the park. According to the army commander in the area, the Uganda government has deployed almost an army battalion to ensure security. Some soldiers have also been deployed across the border inside the Democratic Republic of Congo, about three kilometres away.
Residents of Bwindi are happy to see the tourists return. Their businesses were at a standstill with nobody to buy their fruit, handicraft and food. Henry Tumwine is a peasant in the area. He could not hide his happiness as he answered questions from journalists at the foot of the mountain where a gorilla family of sixteen, just visited by the reporters, was feeding on young stems of elephant grass. He said: "We have been suffering during this period with no means of affording even salt. Our local beer could not be bought because people had no money". He went on to explain the importance of tourists to the local community. He wants the soldiers stationed in the area, to remain there on a permanent basis so they can re-assure the tourists.
Foreign tourists pay $250 for a permit to track the gorillas and $15 as entry fees. 20% of the entry fee is given to the local community. With this, two primary schools have been built in the area and plans are afoot to build a health clinic to cater for the community which presently has to walk 50 kilometres to the nearest hospital at Kambuga. Also, there is a great need to establish a public transport system into the area as back-packers have a problem getting here.
Jane Simon is from Austria and she led the groups in turn up the mountain. After two years of waiting, Jane saw the primates for the first time herself and said she felt completely secure. She believes that without tourists, the gorillas' future is in doubt and has made this appeal: "Please come back to experience the incredible feeling of seeing these magnificent creatures".
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to 300 mountain gorillas that live in 20 groups. 33 other gorillas are to be found in Mgahinga further south. Uganda's total gorilla population accounts for the largest number of the world's existing 650 gorillas.
Rwanda and Congo RDC are other places where the animals are found, but the insecurity in the two countries, forced the closure of the two parks found in the Virunga Range shared between the two countries. Uganda now remains the only spot where gorillas can be seen in their natural habitat.
END
CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 1999 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement