March 3, 2026 will remain etched as a dark day for conservation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On that day, an armed attack targeted staff of Upemba National Park, once again confronting the country with a reality too often overlooked: protecting nature in Congo can be a deadly mission. Behind the invisible front lines of conservation, women and men continue to defend one of the planet’s most precious ecological heritages.
In the wake of the tragedy, however, a strong voice rose to call for action. That of Olivier Bahemuke Ndoole, a Congolese lawyer and human rights defender widely known among activists as the “Green Lawyer.” Based in North Kivu, he has over the years become one of the most committed figures advocating for land rights, environmental protection, and community rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For him, the attack on Upemba goes far beyond an isolated security incident. It represents a direct assault on the country’s climate efforts and on the work of those who protect Congolese biodiversity. In a reaction marked by both anger and gravity, he denounced the violence as a reflection of a deep injustice: the women and men tasked with safeguarding Congo’s most valuable ecosystems carry out their mission under extreme danger, without any specific protection framework suited to their strategic role.
On the ground, conservation is far from a slogan. It unfolds across vast and remote territories, sometimes contested by armed groups, where eco-guards move daily through wild landscapes that rank among the world’s most important reservoirs of biodiversity. In these remote areas, protecting nature often means confronting poaching networks, multiple forms of trafficking, and persistent insecurity.
In response to this reality, the environmental defender community has paid tribute to the women and men who sometimes sacrifice their lives for this cause. Thoughts have particularly turned to Christine (Tina) Lain and the park team, whose daily work embodies the quiet resilience of many Congolese eco-guards. For many conservation actors, their courage symbolizes a struggle that goes beyond national borders: the protection of a natural heritage essential to global ecological balance.
The attack on Upemba also reminds observers that this tragedy forms part of a long series of violent incidents targeting protected areas across the country. Over the years, several national parks have become zones of constant tension. Virunga National Park offers the most striking example: more than two hundred eco-guards have lost their lives there over the past two decades. Other emblematic sites, such as Garamba National Park and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, have also faced armed incursions and repeated violence.
For Olivier Bahemuke Ndoole, this accumulation of tragedies reveals a profound paradox. The Democratic Republic of Congo is frequently presented as a “solution country” for the global climate, thanks to its vast forests and exceptional biodiversity. Yet those who protect this natural heritage remain among the most exposed—and least protected—defenders.
This is why the lawyer is calling for collective mobilization by environmental defenders, climate activists, and public institutions to undertake structural reforms. According to him, national park staff and eco-guards must benefit from a special protection policy adapted to the security context and to the strategic importance of conservation for the country’s future.
At the heart of this debate lies a crucial question: can a country that aspires to play a central role in the fight against climate change continue to leave its nature defenders without adequate protection? For environmental activists, the tragedy at Upemba must serve as a wake-up call.
Meanwhile, far from official statements and international platforms, eco-guards continue their patrols. In the savannas, forests, and mountains of Congo, they often move in the shadows—aware of the dangers yet determined to pursue their mission. Despite the attacks, despite the human losses and uncertainties, one conviction remains among these guardians of Congolese biodiversity: defending national parks means defending the ecological future of Congo—and, in many ways, that of the world.
By Kilalopress