Credit: Guerchom Ndebo/Getty Images
STOCKHOLM / ROME, Mar 10 2021 (IPS) - On the morning of 22nd February a jeep from the
World Food Programme (WFP), followed by another one with the Italian ambassador, Luca Anastasio, was driving along
Route Nationale 2 passing by The Virunga National Park, an
UNESCO Congolese World Heritage Site famous for its dwindling population of unique mountain gorillas.
A perilous voyage, not only due to tomb-deep potholes, but especially the presence of various, extremely dangerous, armed criminals. Since most people in the area are poor it is quite common that children and women are abducted in groups, to make a joint ransom worth while. However, a foreigner (humanitarian worker, or occasional tourist venturing to spot gorillas in the National Park), or a medical doctor, may provide a more substantial ransom. To release a physician Congolese kidnappers have been paid up to ten thousand USD. This might be a reason to why the WFP logo painted on the