In an effort to combat environmental crime in South Kivu, a strategic workshop has authorized the development of a map of key stakeholders involved in environmental defense in the region, alongside the restructuring of a network of environmental defenders capable of actively opposing environmental crimes.
This took place on Friday, May 2, 2025, in the meeting room of the organization Action for the Promotion and Protection of Threatened Peoples and Species (APEM), located on Avenue Fizi in the Ibanda commune of Bukavu. Twenty environmental defenders took the bull by the horns, reflecting on mechanisms, tools, and strategies to significantly reduce environmental crime.
APEM remains convinced that while the challenges are immense, the collective efforts of dedicated environmental actors can substantially reduce—if not eliminate—environmental crime linked to human activities threatening Kahuzi-Biega National Park (PNKB), the degradation of Lake Kivu’s ecosystems, and the loss of biodiversity in South Kivu.
“Our goal is to mobilize and involve all networks of environmental defenders committed to the fight against environmental crime. We have established a national, trans-regional network to combat this shameful crime against the environment. The network’s mission will be to tackle multiple environmental threats, including illegal logging, widespread across occupied zones, water pollution, and soil degradation. This phase of identifying key actors will enable us to create a map that will help us triangulate information across the territory. We will expose violations and then advocate to authorities,” assured Ir. Eddy Mugaruka, Head of the APEM South Kivu Office.
Pleased with how the initiative unfolded, the environmental defenders praised the effort and called for broad support. However, they expressed the hope that APEM would further consider resilience activities that can empower those involved in environmental destruction to become economically self-sufficient.
In response, the head of the regional office shared that the project includes a third resilience-focused component designed to financially support communities through income-generating activities.
According to Aline Witawabo, Gender Officer at RAPY, an indigenous Pygmy-led organization fighting environmental crime, their mission is to raise awareness among communities to reduce their impact on forests and ecosystems. “We are working with communities to discourage all activities that harm the environment. However, we hope to develop income-generating alternatives that will prevent communities from turning to the forests,” she explained.
Aline also clarified that indigenous peoples are not the ones primarily responsible for forest destruction, contrary to some misleading claims.
If the voice of experience speaks, a step toward progress has been made, and a new era of change is dawning. A glimmer of hope begins to emerge.
Facilitator Josué Aruna promised to lend his experience to the newly formed network of environmental defenders. “At the project level, we are committed to supporting the strategies developed by APEM. We’ll explore ways to collaborate with the newly established networks,” said Aruna.
“We promise there will come a time when the environmental civil society will carry out monitoring activities with the members of this network and jointly advocate for change,” he emphasized.
Present in the room, Bayubasire Bikaya Innocent, Head of Office at the Provincial Coordination for the Environment, reminded attendees of the existing legal framework that must be followed for sound environmental management—laws, regulatory texts, ministerial decrees, charters, and international conventions that govern the sector.
Environmental Defenders Targeted by Armed Groups
While various efforts are being made to protect the environment and its protected areas, armed groups operating in eastern DRC continue to impede environmental defenders. Those who speak out are often threatened or killed, and many have fled their communities. It is worth noting that Action for the Promotion and Protection of Threatened Peoples and Species (APEM) is a Congolese NGO that aims to promote human well-being through the respect of rights in a healthy and balanced environment. It advocates for a world without injustice in resource management.
By Patrick Babwine
