The Situation in Rwanda - Impressions from a Journey

The aim of my trip through the countries Rwanda, Uganda, and Zaire from 9 February to 3 April 1996 was to gain topical information for a travel guide. In order to be independent from the catastrophic transport system in Zaire, I mainly travelled by bicycle.
I crossed the border to Rwanda via Cyanika largely without problems. There are strikingly obtrusive border controls and the military guards at the few road blocks are strongly interested in records and personal documents which appear to be "spy-suspicious". Their manners are reserved, but polite.
Already during the first kilometers, the visitor gets an impression of the "new Rwanda". Many little villages still appear deserted, and war signs are frequently visible. The percentage of Ugandan vehicles in Rwanda is remarkably high - evidence for the origin of many "new Rwandans". In fact more soldiers and officials now speak English, but still they are very few. The road system is excellent, and the security is generally good. Only in the border district to Zaire, the situation frequently changes and is critical to some extent. The roads to Kibuye along Lake Kivu supposedly contain land mines and are dangerous. In the communities near the border, curfews still exist. However, the infiltration of Rwandan (Hutu) Interahamwe militia and land mine explosions have decreased. The price for this security is the presence of many (Tutsi) soldiers, especially after sunset.
Ruhengeri, the starting point for visits to the Parc National des Volcans, is very lively and largely rebuilt. Signs of war are hardly found. The gorilla visits in the national park have to be booked at the ORTPN office (Office Rwandais du Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux) in Kigali, but this can also be done by phone at the park headquarters in Kinigi. Gorilla tours start at the prefecture in Ruhengeri. It is often possible to get a permit there on short notice if not all permits have been sold or permit holders have not turned up. The price is US$ 126, for students US$ 95.
The park headquarters have been reconstructed, but except for a telephone and a visitors' book, the offices rarely contain anything because of lootings in the past. The Volcano Veterinary Center, which is located nearby, was not busy, but intact. Meanwhile, the park is considered cleared of land mines, but patrolling park rangers and tourist groups are still guarded by armed soldiers as a protection against poachers and militiamen who enter from Zaire.
At the end of February, the Suza group was the only habituated gorilla group that lived on the Rwandan side of Mt. Karisimbi permanently; the Sabinyo group often travelled across the border to Zaire, and the groups 9, 11 and 13 have already settled on the Zairean side of the Virunga Volcanoes for some time.
My visit to the Suza group gave me a vague impression of the situation in the park. It was striking how many traces and paths - presumably left by poachers and wood-collectors - passed through the lower altitude zone of the park adjacent to cultivated land. We also found cattle feces and tracks sporadically. While climbing, we collected several snares. At 3,300 m, after 4 hours of climbing, we approached the Suza group which had been localized by radio coordination. It comprised 28 members at the end of February, among them three silverbacks. Two very young animals had been caught in snares at the beginning of this year and were injured or even mutilated.
The Suza group seemed to be nervous and in spite of our great cautiousness and very good guidance, the silverbacks repeatedly showed unmistakable threat displays. Obviously, this group is often visited by very large tourist groups, particularly as it is the only habituated group available in Rwanda on many days. On the day before our visit, for example, a group of 13 tourists was taken there, after the Sabinyo group had crossed the border to Zaire during the night and therefore capacities were missing. During our visit, we were not accompanied by soldiers to our surprise and the rangers did not carry arms.
The situation in Akagera National Park, however, is disastrous. Most of the wildlife is considered to have been killed, and large cattle herds - introduced by former refugees that returned from Uganda - compete for food with the remaining wild animals. Recently, the northern part of the Akagera National Park has been de-gazetted.
Gisenyi looks deserted, nearly like a ghost town. However, most of the banks and hotels are working again. When crossing the border to Goma, I experienced protracted controls; every cubic millimeter of my luggage was searched. Like in other places, the officials tried to bargain to get money for a visa that is not required.

Christoph Luebbert

Dr. Christoph Lübbert studied medicine in Kiel, Germany. In 1991, he travelled to eastern Africa for the first time, and after that he visited Africa every year. Meanwhile, he has travelled through 12 African countries. His travel reports were published in various magazines and newsletters. He co-authored a travel guide for Tanzania and Zanzibar and one for Malawi. In 1996, he published a travel guide for Uganda and eastern Zaire.

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