What the Fuck is Wrong With These People? - Honoré Mashagiro and Associates

Wednesday, June 25, 2008
On July 22, 2007, in the Virunga National Park in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, five members of a gorilla family named "Rugendo" were hunted down and killed, execution style. A month before, two more gorillas from another family group had been killed in the same manner. The gorillas, visited by tourists for years, probably didn't realize they were in danger until it was too late.

No one could understand who had committed this act. It certainly wasn't poachers, as the hands, heads and infants of the dead animals remained with the bodies, and poachers will typically remove them for sale on the black market.

It took some time, but it now the story has been pieced together, and reported in the July 2008 issue of National Geographic. It's an extremely complex story, including several militia groups, park rangers and other groups. I recommend you read the story if you want the entire picture.

The core issue appears to be the charcoal trade. Charcoal is used as a primary fuel source in this region, and the best charcoal is made from hard wood trees. Hardwood trees in Virunga National Park.

Since these folks are out to make a buck, it's not like they're doing forest management or anything. They cut huge swaths of trees, which negatively affect the mountain gorillas habitat. Such harvesting is illegal, but lucrative.

Enter Paulin Ngobobo, park ranger and personal hero. When he came to work at the park as a sector warden, he began a campaign against charcoal poachers and corruption. He put a dent in the traffic of charcoal, and restored the existing rangers' salaries, which were being skimmed off by corrupt officials. This restored the rangers' pride and purpose, and allowed him to make bigger inroads in the charcoal trade.

As you can imagine, his activities did not endear him to the corrupt officials who were embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars and engaging in other illegal activities. His life was in constant danger, and in fact, more than 110 rangers have been killed in the line of duty in the last ten years.

Mr. Ngobobo discovered that the Chief Park Warden, Honoré Mashagiro, was leading the ring of corruption, including the illegal charcoal trade. When Mr. Ngobobo refused to stop his investigation, Mr. Mashagiro had him arrested, and began to look for ways to discredit him.

And what better way to discredit Mr. Ngobobo than to frame him for the destruction of the animals he was sworn to protect?

So Mr. Mashagiro orchestrated the killing of the gorillas, and then tried to accuse Mr. Ngobobo, arguably the only honest man in the area, of the crime.

Thankfully, Mr. Ngobobo was exonerated, and Mr. Mashagiro has been arrested and charged with trafficking in charcoal and plotting the killing of the gorillas. When asked about his involvement in the gorilla's death, Mr. Mashagiro commented, "The gorillas were not my responsibility; they were Paulin's responsibility."

Because, really, the director of the park really shouldn't be held responsible for the endangered animals that actually live there. Jeez.

What the fuck is wrong with this guy? How does someone fall so far from their duty that this is an acceptable plan? I don't get it. I don't get it. And I hope I never do, because this man personifies the term morally bankrupt.

I don't know why this story affects me so much. I'm quite sure this fucktard had already proven who he was many, many times before Paulin Ngobobo came into his life. In fact, the killing of the gorillas is probably the least of his crimes, based on what passes for acceptable behavior in that part of the world. Over 5 million people have lost their lives to violent means in this region in the last few years, and yet the story of these animals' destruction just infuriates me.

Perhaps it's the betrayal of the gorillas. They are the most unassuming of creatures; gentle, shy, critically endangered. Men have gained their trust in order to interact with them as a tourist attraction. The gorillas came to view people as a non-threatening annoyance, and then this fuckstick comes along and decides to use them as a weapon against an honest man.

When Karma comes a-calling on Honoré Mashagiro, I hope she's carrying a huge, fiery sword, and shoves it right up his ass, all the way to the hilt.

And to those who are in charge of these chronically corrupt governments and agencies on the African continent? Get your house in order. It is unreasonable to expect first and second world countries to take you seriously and provide you assistance when you can't govern your country in anything even resembling an honest and honorable way. Leaders don't steal from their constituents, and they don't kill people who don't agree with them. So if you want the respect of a Leader, then fucking act like one.

Corrupt, greedy, dishonest Mother-Fuckers. Makes me sick.

7 comments:

Cindi in CO said...

It's bullshit like this that makes me want to retreat to the deepest, darkest, wildest part of the world, and just isolate myself from all of humanity.

Fucking people.

Janiece said...

You said it, sister.

And the part that's making me all bi-polar this week is the dichotomy of watching When We Left the Earth, the best of humanity, followed by reading about this fuckstick, the worst of humanity.

We're fabulous!

We suck!

No, we're fabulous!

No, we really, really suck!

Nathan said...

I don't mean to change the subject but I just noticed that little item on your sidebar...just under the UCF Logo.

Who the fuck knows what they're having for dinner first thing in the morning? What kind of person plans meals that far in advance?

I usually don't even think about it until around 4:00 in the afternoon.

We now return you to your previously scheduled ranting!

Fucktards!

Janiece said...

Nathan, I used to plan meals a week in advance, since I only go grocery shopping once a week. Now I just decide first thing in the morning when I have to thaw out the meat for the evening's meal.

The perils of suburban living...

The Mechanicky Gal said...

Attention: Politically Incorrect Statement to Follow.
I regard the continent of Africa as one of the last places on earth that I want to visit. As far as I am concerned, every government there is corrupt (actually, that is putting it mildly) and has destroyed the people. If someone from Africa is reading this, please understand that the rape of the natural resources has happened EVERYWHERE there, and all for a buck for those motherfuckers in power.
I will not give my measly tourist dollars to support this. Mugabe, anyone?

Janiece said...

Amy, may I join you in placing Africa last place on the list of places we shouldn't visit?

I'll continue to support individuals who live there through Kiva and other NGO's, but I don't want to go there, either.

Anne C. said...

Fucking fucked-up fuckers. >:O