A few days after the deadly attack against agents of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), the Congolese Alert for Environment and Human Rights (ACEDH), an organization based in North Kivu, is calling on authorities to promptly launch investigations and organize a public trial so that those responsible can be identified and punished.
The events date back to the night of March 3, 2026. Unidentified armed men attacked the Lusinga headquarters in Upemba National Park, located in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The assault resulted in the deaths of several park staff members, as well as disappearances and significant material damage.
According to a still provisional toll, at least seven staff members were killed. Among them were Subira Bonhomme, Program Officer; Blaise Kambale Bwachanakazi, Financial Officer; Jean-Paul Ngoy Mateta, Administrative Manager; Ruth Osodu, the park’s veterinarian; as well as two eco-guards and a motorcycle driver attached to the park.
In a letter addressed to the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of National Defense and Veterans Affairs, ACEDH stated that the victims were “true defenders of nature.” The organization recalled that their mission was to protect biodiversity and natural resources through law enforcement, awareness-raising, and park monitoring—an engagement that, according to the group, increasingly exposes conservation actors to serious risks.
At the same time, the organization stressed that these deaths add to a long list of victims in the conservation sector in the DRC. Over the past two decades, more than 200 biodiversity protection officers are believed to have been killed in different protected areas, notably in Virunga National Park and Kahuzi-Biega National Park (PNKB).
In light of this situation, ACEDH denounced the persistent impunity surrounding these crimes. The organization believes that the lack of serious investigations and judicial proceedings weakens environmental protection efforts and damages the reputation of the conservation sector in the country.
In its advocacy note, the NGO notably calls for the immediate opening of independent investigations, the arrest of the perpetrators and accomplices of the attack, and the organization of a public and fair trial. It also advocates for stronger security measures for agents working in parks and reserves.
Finally, ACEDH calls on the Congolese authorities to adopt a more ambitious policy for the protection of environmental defenders. According to the organization, guaranteeing the safety of eco-guards and combating impunity are essential conditions for preserving protected areas and supporting the ambition of making the DRC a “solution country” in the fight against climate change.
Magloire TSONGO