From principles to practice: Indigenous peoples and protected areas in Africa - Case Study 2: Democratic Republic of Congo

The Bambuti-Batwa and the Kahuzi-Biega National Park: The case of the Barhwa and Babuluko people

This case study reviews the situation of the Pygmies and the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, located in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The study reviews the historical background to the park, the impacts of the establishment of the park, and makes recommendations about its future management. This case study is based upon evidence gained through interviews with many of the stakeholders from the Pygmy community, the park and the government. The indigenous Pygmies are recognised as the first and oldest inhabitants of this area. Before outsiders came, the indigenous people had their own systems of managing forests and wildlife, traditional methods were used to harvest, and subsistence production was the sole priority, although a small amount of trading was carried out with neighbouring populations in order to secure alcohol, bananas and tubers.

The park began in 1937 as a Zoological and Forest reserve, and became the Kahuzi-Biega National Park (60,000 ha) in 1970 It was extended in 1975 by 540,000 ha by what is known as the Itebero extension. At the time of its creation, in what is now the park area there were a number of Pygmy villages. All of those who used to live in these high villages are no longer there; some were driven out in the 1960s, and others in the 1970s when the region became part of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. The managers of the park have never involved the local population in the management of the park, contrary to national law, nor compensated them for their losses, and the severe access restrictions imposed by managers meant that the local population were very hostile to the park.

This net result has been ongoing disputes between the local population and park managers, and this has contributed to other factors (e.g. mining pressures, refugees, war) to promote the destruction of park resources by outsiders and the local population. There is a lack of understanding by park staff of the rights of indigenous peoples, rooted in a lack of recognition of their special status, and a lack of respect for their role in conserving the area prior to the park. Virunga National Park, which covers an area of 800,000 square kilometres, is facing similar problems. Local Pygmies have underlined their willingness to cooperate with park managers in the future, but only if park managers are willing to facilitate their participation in its management.

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ISBN: 0 9544252-1-9; Pages: 312 Binding: Paperback.