Gorillas draw new tourists after central Africa's civil wars

August 14, 1999
Web posted at: 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 GMT)

RUHENGERI, Rwanda (CNN) -- Civil wars and violence in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have devastated those countries' fledgling tourism industries.

The rare mountain gorillas of central Africa's national parks could breathe new life into the tourism industries of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo after years of civil wars and violence.

Officials in all three countries are hoping the primates will bring tourists back to the African states now that the fighting has eased.

"I think the security situation now fully permits tourism on a steady scale, and I think this will be an important source of revenue -- and of course, for the tourists, a fantastic experience of adventure tourism, which is practically unique in the world," said Stephen Browne, a U.N. representative in Rwanda.

Even so, when Browne went along with a group of tourists on a trek into the Rwandan wilds, the group was accompanied by a group of heavily armed Rwandan soldiers.

The killings of eight tourists in a national park in neighboring Uganda in March dealt a heavy blow to the industry in both countries. The tourists had been tracking gorillas in Bwindi National Park in western Uganda, close to Rwanda, when they were abducted and murdered by Rwandan Hutu militiamen.

The attack brought tourism to a virtual standstill.

"Just as we were about to realize our projections for tourism arrivals, we were hit with a terrible calamity," said Ignatius Nakishero, head of the Uganda Tourism Board. "People thought the whole country was unsafe, and tour operators experienced cancellations through to the end of December."

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kahuzi-Beiga National Park has just reopened despite a civil war seemingly unhindered by a recent cease-fire agreement. The park had been closed to visitors for a year because of the fighting, which also involves Uganda and Rwanda.

But park officials say its wildlife was devastated by poachers during that period. Congolese officials blame unauthorized hunting for the killings of 114 lowland gorillas, almost all the reserve's 300 forest elephants and countless antelope.

"This is a carnage," said Norbert Mushjenzi, director of the 1.5 million-acre (600,000-hectare) national park. "If it continues, we may as well close the park."

Congo tourism officials are also plagued by the continued captivity of a Swedish tourist, held hostage by rebels for a year.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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