African World Heritage sites in Danger
The Committee is reviewing the State of Conservation for the 30 World Heritage sites that are currently on the list of sites in Danger. The mood in the room is somber. These sites are at risk from a host of threats; including, armed conflict, poaching, and illegal mining and deforestation.
In the Democratic Rep. of Congo every World Heritage site is on the In Danger list. Committee staff just noted during the discussion on Kahuzi-Biega National Park the poaching of primates (Gorillas and Chimpanzees) continues to this day.
From Wikipedia:
The Second Congo War, beginning in 1998, devastated the country and involved seven foreign armies and is sometimes referred to as the "African World War".[3] Despite the signing of peace accords in 2003, fighting continues in the east of the country. In eastern Congo, the prevalence and intensity of rape and other sexual violence is described as the worst in the world.[4] The war is the world's deadliest conflict since World War II, killing 5.4 million people.[5][6]
Climate change and coal mining pose a real threat to Waterton-Glacier, but in many ways these threats pale in comparision to the challenges that exist across the world.
June 25th, 2009 - 23:27
I just read an interview with Jane Goodal in “The Rotarian”. She was discussing the difficulty of the conservation work she has been doing to protect chimpanzies in Tanzania. The human development work that was necessary to allow people to consider protection and restoration was incredibly complex and intense.
The amazing opportunity we have in the Crown of the Continent to protect something before it is impacted is being held up largely by interests who are seeking to promote private profits from industrial extraction or to protect “rights” to recreational hunting and motorized recreation.
There are very few people meeting thier basic human needs in the Canadian Flathead. We are so wealthy in this country. We should be able to do what it takes to protect our World Heritage Sites given our incredible fortune.