Stop Putting Wildlife In Danger in Africa's Oldest National Park Due to UK Oil Drilling!

Please sign and share this petition in an effort to stop the UK oil company from drilling in one of Africa’s oldest national parks, putting all the wildlife and environment in peril. This would turn into an all out war between paid genocidal armed rebels and the park rangers who would diligently to protect the animals and their habitat within the Virunga National Park in Africa!

Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a world heritage site and contains some 220 critically endangered mountain gorillas, a quarter of the total global population. Additionally, many other creatures call the park home such as the owl-faced monkey, various bird species like Warblers, Crimson-wings sun and songbirds, along with Shoebills, the hippopotamus and more. However, this oldest national park has been under scrutiny and violent attack by the Soco International PLC, one of the UK’s largest oil companies, with plans for drilling within the park.

Soco has paid genocidal armed rebels, encouraged attacks on park rangers, financed phony demonstrations, and is linked to the attempted murder of head ranger Emmanuel de Merode. Soco, while denying direct involvement in de Merode's attempted murder, admits that the threats may have been issued by its supporters.          

Its contractors have made illicit payments, paid off armed rebels, and kindled fear and violence in eastern Congo as they sought access to Africa's oldest national park for oil exploration. Through its choice of powerful local collaborators Soco has created an atmosphere of intimidation around its base in Nyakakoma, making it harder for anyone to speak out.

This oil company has been working diligently through constant bribery and thuggish intimidation in an attempt to take over the park and get rangers to work in their favor or be in danger. When bribery proves insufficient, Soco's opponents, such as the park rangers, activists, journalists and even fishermen would be arrested, beaten and receive death threats.

Soco has carried out six weeks of seismic testing inside of the park earlier this year. Although they have full plans to continue its operations within the park, Soco pledged that after completing seismic testing; it would not "undertake or commission any exploratory or other drilling within Virunga National Park unless UNESCO and the DRC government agree that such activities are not incompatible with its World Heritage status.” This company is using some violent illegal methods in trying to pretty much take over the park which will alter the lives of all he wildlife and those who care for their habitat and environment. They have no plans of working in agreement for the safety of the wildlife in the park, the environment and habitat of all the animals that are in need within Virunga National Park.

We must make attempts to stop these evil acts pursued by the Soco UK Oil Company and their plan to drill oil, putting all these animals, nature and environment in peril. Their efforts does not only harm and disrupt Virunga National Park but the entire region, as it breeds continuing violence, poverty and political instability! Please sign and share this petition in an effort to stop the UK oil company from drilling in one of Africa’s oldest national parks, putting all the wildlife and environment in peril. This would turn into an all out war between paid genocidal armed rebels and the park rangers who would diligently to protect the animals and their habitat within the Virunga National Park in Africa!