Roseypants
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More than 200 rangers (so far) have been killed by ambushes from assailants trying to control land and resources - including the animals - in the protected Virunga National Park.
Link to official park statement: https://virunga.org/news/recent-attack-2021/?fbclid=IwAR0Fm8TiOYF4y_WPuhmW9pKsu2OdT1pRTF6sJSyZBW0ybsA5zzntXndK3I0
MV Edit: Some helpful links others have provided in comments -
From @needanaccountnow & @calicious
The Virunga Donation page: https://virunga.org/support-us/donate/
From @sancholibre & @hannibalhoseth
The Virunga Netflix Documentary: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3455224/
Coyotebd
We make noises when animals are endangered. These men were the ones actually protecting them.
SonderingStrike
I don't know if there is an afterlife, but if there is, I hope they get to see the day we come together as a species and defend nature.
server1a
Because millionaires in China will at huge sums of money for parts of protected animals so they can grind them up and still be impotent.
p00p3rz1314
The Documentary for Virunga was beautiful. Yall should watch it.
genghiskhanit
So young to die, it's terribly sad
lovinglockdown
So sorry we lost six defenders of the planet. Real life superheroes. ♥️
MampokisiThunder
Rest in power
IUpvoteBirds
Why aren’t there awesome movies being made about these people! RIP :(
HannibalHoseth
@OP Highly recommend Netflix’s documentary Virunga if you haven’t seen it yet. Sadly I’m pretty sure 5 of the six rangers pictured are in it
SanchoLibre
I warmly recommend the Documentary ‘Virunga’ (2014) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3455224/
IHateCharlieWork
Seeing people die for what would usually be so simple.. protecting a national parc, is so sad. They were still young. Rest in power.
Faughtlite
SEALS should go there and protect parks as part of their training.
FailedCrate
Just recently read an article in Katapult magazine that there's growing issue between highly militarized rangers/parks & local tribes ...
FailedCrate
...which were living there ever since and which're now often displaced for "environmental protection". Also corruption is an issue. It's a..
FailedCrate
..rather complex problem.
Calicious
Viruga has lost 18 rangers to ambushes in the last 3 months. They need your help. Please consider donating https://virunga.org/support-us/
Calicious
Anything helps. Virunga is in one of the most dangerous places in the world, and they are drastically short on funding to stop these attacks
PersonalSleezus
Thank you for sharing and thank you to these men for fighting. Rest In Peace.
rowingrowingrowing
They are true heroes and I sincerely hope someone steps up to assist their families. They deserve it.
DaftFrench
Respect to this men.
teapartyyy
I feel pride because what they were trying to protect, but fuck those assholes. It shouldn't have to be this way.
AWarningToOthers
Rest in peace gentlemen your watch has ended.
roofus38
Gave $100
deflatormouse
There is more to whats happening in Virunga and Eastern Congo than sending in special forces or Chinese using Rhino horn as boner pills
deflatormouse
Many of the militants fled from Rwanda after committing terrible acts in the genocide. They have now formed militant groups to gain power
deflatormouse
And resources in the area. They are not there really as poachers. Coltan, which is mined in the region is a very lucrative resource that
nvdc182000
Has the guy who used to be a rhino poacher hunter seen this? Can someone tag him in it? I would like to know if more people get hired on aft
Calicious
I have seen it. This is tragic
nvdc182000
Hold on I may have saved it or sent it to someone.
nvdc182000
Nevermind. There you are! So if something like this happens, do the parks hire more outside people for protection?
Calicious
It depends on the reserve and the local police. Virunga lost 12 rangers in October 2020 in similar circumstances. It's dangerous there
nvdc182000
Thank you!
nvdc182000
After things like this happen to help these people out.
TomGrom
Imgur band together and fund this dudes expedition!!
AuntieCoddswaddle
I just woke up and I'm trying not to cry. Usually my cry threshold is higher but jesus it's been a long... millennium. I hope their (1)
AuntieCoddswaddle
sacrifices incense everyone in the area, triggering reform to allow poachers another way to get money and many ppl to take up the cause. (2)
Miller16of16
USA sends weapons all over planet to dirtbags, we need to equip these heroes better. Get em some drone recon and body armor at the least.
Calicious
Weapon importation laws are incredibly strict in most African nations. We have been trying to equip them for decades without success. 1/2
Calicious
It's unfortunate when the bad guys can get weapons, but the good guys can't. 1/2.
Miller16of16
A rifle is a rifle, surely we can get them surveillance gear?
Calicious
They have surveillance gear. Recon planes, game cameras, etc. it’s not foolproof.
tubbyst
Never knew that. Even in the Congo?
IsThereAProblemOfficer
These men will forever have my respect, standing up for what is right and unfortunately paid the ultimate price. Onward gents.
LooseyGooseyBrett
I can't believe antifa did this
Soufange
Blackranger3d
Isn’t there a program where ex military special forces types go over and help train these guys?
Calicious
Yes, but it is expensive. Consider donating or sponsoring a gorilla at Virunga so they can fight this. https://virunga.org/support-us/
Blackranger3d
Thanks!!!!
Escape2Fantasy
Remember Trump made big game hunting legal again,, one of the first thing he did, priorities...
DoomRandom
Im sure that would be relevant...if this happened in America.
catsandcoke
Because his baby boys like to hunt big game. It’s the only way they can feel like men after their daddy emasculates them.
AlexjoneswatchingTporn
Hu ting big game is how national parks make money they sell the right for dying sick or infertile animals. It also makes breeding easier so
AlexjoneswatchingTporn
Nothing nates with the sick or infertile animals
otiumCatulli
While I think big game hunting is a vanity project, these were more likely militias not poachers
Alaska9O7
What? In Africa?
TheOne2466
Remember. This isn’t about the the US. Keep our damn politics out of this. You ignorant POS.
brokentreestump
Whoa. Your reaction validates the comment.
jetsniper
Boy, you Trumpers have a hair trigger temper, huh. Nothing he said was wrong, Trump helped create more demand.
TheOne2466
This has nothing to do w/ Trump. These men were murdered by poachers in the Congo. The DRC doesn’t allow them guns while poachers have them
GravyEducation
Noble men
v
Sallavar
Kinda looks like the guy bottom center.
myloveforyouislikeatruckberserker
what a wonderfully racist way to show your respect... ffs
TedLasso
How? I saw zero hate and racism in this comment. Can you explain?
myloveforyouislikeatruckberserker
so now every one in Africa is in black panther? this comment shows all they saw is these six men are black.
Isometimestakethingsliterally
As a guess I think it's because they are black/African. Beyond that I really don't know.
myloveforyouislikeatruckberserker
the comment shows all this person saw is their race. comment with the first african personality they could think of
Isometimestakethingsliterally
While I understand your point I don't think there is anything wrong with acknowledging their heritage/Ethnicity.
myloveforyouislikeatruckberserker
consider posting a pic of bruce lee on a post just cos theres a chinese person in it. but this person prob didnt consciously try 2 b racist
GravyEducation
Why wouldnt I talk about Bruce Lee, or Jackie, or Donnie Yen? Recognize game
myloveforyouislikeatruckberserker
of course you can, but if theyre your first reference point when someone chinese is in front of you, then race might be a focus point to you
GravyEducation
Why? They're African and the Black Panther is a symbol of African strength
myloveforyouislikeatruckberserker
theyre men. to me it looked like their race was clearly very important to you.
GravyEducation
Wakanda forever. It just means be your best :)
myloveforyouislikeatruckberserker
fair enough mate, im sure you didnt mean harm. i think we can all be subconsciously focused on race, anyway, sorry to be a downer :)
Someshithead241
Their race doesn't matter. They could be white, Asian, Hispanic. Whatever. Doesnt change the fact they are African, which is the focus.
myloveforyouislikeatruckberserker
yeah see what you mean, grey area though. fine line between giving tribute using a western comic book and dehumanising these people...
LovelyMover
Can’t someone lend them special forces guys for a while & clean house?
otiumCatulli
You know how fucked Afghanistan is, and how no amount of American military was able to make a genuine difference? It's like that.
Leithoa
They do but Africa is a big place.
MOBseen
Right? My thoughts exactly!
Calicious
Right now Virunga doesn't have the funding necessary to have NGO's send in sof forces. Consider donating https://virunga.org/support-us/
Xerrai
Thank you
Everythingstaken0
Did you miss the dude a few days ago who posted about how he and a bunch of former international SOF dudes do exactly that?
fruitybootyhole
I missed it but I'd love to read about it!
[deleted]
[deleted]
LovelyMover
Thanks man!
FiendishDoctorWuTangClan
Link?
[deleted]
[deleted]
FiendishDoctorWuTangClan
Cheers dude thanks
LovelyMover
Oh shit I did! Where is it?
TheVermonster
But his scope is exclusively limited to poachers.
TomGrom
Okay notthebadguywhokilledparkrangers
xcopperx
This kinda sounds like it may be poachers
TheVermonster
The Mai-Mai groups are far more broad than just poaching though. They're localized warlords.
TomGrom
Bro exactly!!! The Imgur community could band together some funds and activate homie from retirement. I will commit $500 and personally seek
TomGrom
him out in his secluded mountain retreat to convince him...Key and Peele style. For real tho, we could do that.
TomGrom
Calicious @calicious
Calicious
igetanxiouscomingupwithusernames
he replied later that he got out because the people he was around didn't have their hearts in the right place. He was in it to use his 1/2
igetanxiouscomingupwithusernames
skillset for the better (and a paycheck). Some of the people he worked with were more interested in spilling blood.
AtlasFoodDeliverySystem
I've got a 100
charlie2979
That'd be treating a symptom and not the problem. But it is very American to think why don't we send soldiers to solve everything.
valekseye
It’s not just us sending soldiers to take care of everything. It’s our pride in our soldiers, what they stand for and our confidence...
valekseye
...in their ability to do anything and accomplish greatness.
charlie2979
That's pretty funny my dude. I'm sure the rest of the world feels the same way. It definitely never just makes everything worse when America
charlie2979
N soldiers get involved.
TheOne2466
And what do you recommend? A petition ? Lol.
charlie2979
Improve living conditions in Congo. A rhino horn sells for ~50k, what's the average yearly wage in Congo?
charlie2979
Until that changes you could kill every single active poacher today and they'd be replaced by tommorow.
Rifneno
Oh, just turn 3rd world countries into 1st world ones. Sure, that sounds simple. Who has the infinity gauntlet on Mondays? Greg?
charlie2979
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying. Well done Einstein. Your massive brain wins once again.
Rifneno
I'm sure you'd do well reasoning with them. You should go try it. No, really. We'll just wait here. Go chat with the killers.
charlie2979
Just braindead. Sending soldiers does absolutely nothing to solve the wider socio-economic issue that creates poachers.
charlie2979
No matter how many you pile up, without education, and better standards of living there will always be more.
charlie2979
But again, just slaughtering people is very American. It's your culture. Lets try body count again maybe? Worked last time.
cenataur
That's terribly sad. Why are people such bastards?
goboltz
tubbyst
Well said....and so it goes...
mercyPandaRunner
"it's easy to be a Saint in paradise, but they don't live in paradise." - Ben Sisko.
eggmuffin
Because they get paid. The killers are likely mercenaries, not hunters. Or the two have gotten to be one and the same.
31415nkman
people who have their back against the wall because we (the west) took all their wealth. And greed ofc
TRDirty
Because China pays alot of money for things to make your PP stwong
JustFeedMePieDammit
Money and power mostly
sunyudai
Sometimes money and power, sometimes money and desperation, usually a mix of both.
luciferian669
Fur trade, traditional medicine, cuntness
Blackranger3d
Isn’t it cuntiness? I’m honestly not sure.
Ruhig
At the root is poverty and desperation.
dirt66merchant
Fuckin thank you, people always forget that desperate people do desperate things not just acting out of greed always.
apeshigh
Greedy and need make people into bastards, the global economy encourages it.
CannabalisticSpaceRapArtist
greed/need are the best two combined adjectives I have heard for this. Power comes from the greed, but for some its just the need..
TheDudeOrHisDudeness
People, what a bunch of bastards
Blazefast
They should send in the army and slash this down we're it begins.....
BorgaSmorg
This time we trace it back to "China is asshole".
LooseMooseNoose
It all starts with “me”
thegans
No doubt healing powers.
LordofSandvich
Not sure if it's applicable but the problem with establishing a national park in Africa is that it can deprive locals of resources
fign37
Because of the bastards that want to buy the rino horns thinking it will make their dicks hard
jinbee
According to QI it's not even that, rhino horn is mostly for minor ailments and is about as effective as 1/1000th of an aspirin.
igetanxiouscomingupwithusernames
but it's organic, and has natural ingredients! if it's longer than the alphabet, it's CLEARLY dangerous for me! /s
Haidere1988
But aspirin is organic AND vegen!
NotASecretVampire
I dunno trees are alive. Why is it ok to steal their skin to stop your pain?
idkalan
Let's not try to attribute this to only people wanting their dicks hard, there's those that deliberately go to Africa to hunt bc they don't
DonnaNobleInTheLibrary
I doubt those would join "local Mai-Mai groups", though.
idkalan
Have dicks at all.
ematic
As the other commenter said, those guys are actually beneficial to funding conservation efforts. A license/tag is like 15-20K, I believe
peeeopeepeee
As it turns out those guys are some of the best funding for those national parks, and they're only allowed to shoot sick and dying animals
idkalan
Oh I know about the legal hunting procedure & how beneficial it is but I'm talking about the shithead hunters who bribe some local to help