Democratic Republic of Congo

What Wally Would Want

By Miel | December 7, 2021 |

Today would have been my father Wally’s 74th birthday. It has been just over a decade of mourning his death. Too soon to have lost a father and friend. I can’t help but reflect on all that has happened that I missed out in sharing with him. My stories would have been told, over a…

Comic Relief

By Miel | October 5, 2010 |

I’m headed out to the field in the morning, so no time for a long post. One of the best parts of travel area all of the crazy things you see. Most are hard to capture, and are quickly forgotten, but this one I managed to get. I’m now on my third trip to Kinshasa…

Mount Nyiragongo

By Miel | September 20, 2010 |

There are some of those things that you dream of without really thinking it through. Hiking Mount Nyiragongo, the world’s most active volcano just outside of Goma, DRC, was one of those times.For months I had been dreaming it, not really ever taking into consideration just how difficult the hike might be. A colleague did…

Bonobos!

By Miel | September 19, 2010 |

It seems that I can’t keep track of my own adventures to share with friends, family and beyond. I suppose I’ll start from where I’m at and share adventures of wildlife, hiking volcanoes, and other adventures in the days and weeks to come. I just downloaded my pictures and realize how much there is to…

Media Attention to Congo

By Miel | September 4, 2010 |

The last several weeks of media attention to eastern Congo came as a bit of a surprise. After twenty years of documented use of rape as a weapon of war in these parts – unfortunately in many other places as well – I never anticipated the attention that would come from our recent response in…

Tragedy in Paradise

By Miel | August 23, 2010 |

It is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Simply breathtaking. It is also the site of horrific abuses of human rights. The short story is that there have been attacks on a village that I visited back in June, where at least 4,000 people have fled into the forest, and at least 156…

So No to Conflict Minerals

By Miel | August 3, 2010 |

HI Folks, As I’ve shared many times over, conflict minerals (i.e. your cell phone/laptop/ipod, etc) are fueling conflict here in the DRC. Please do your part by telling electronics companies that you aren’t interested in fueling wars and sexual violence. Peace, Miel

Say No to Conflict Minerals

By Miel | August 3, 2010 |

MONUC leaving DRC

By Miel | June 26, 2010 |

UN discussing DR Congo withdrawal The UN has begun talks with Democratic Republic of Congo on withdrawing its peacekeeping mission – the biggest UN operation in the world. UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said his officials would take a month to assess how the pullout of 20,500 personnel could be carried out. The current…

United Nations Teaches DRC Women to Tackle Rape