Structural displacement and conservation: A Congolese leader's lifelong fight for gorillas and Indigenous rights
Original framing: “‘I escaped death a lot of times’: one man’s lifelong work protecting gorillas and communities in Congo” — The Guardian - Environment
The establishment of national parks in the DRC during the colonial era often involved the forced displacement of Indigenous peoples. This pattern continues today, with conservation policies frequently mirroring the extractive and exclusionary practices of the past.
Dominique Bikaba’s work in the DRC illustrates the complex interplay between conservation, land rights, and historical injustice.
Indigenous communities have long been the stewards of these ecosystems, yet colonial and post-colonial policies have systematically dispossessed them of their land. Conservation efforts must move beyond Western-led models and embrace Indigenous knowledge, community participation, and equitable governance. Historical parallels with other regions show that when local communities are empowered, biodiversity thrives. Future models must integrate ecological science with social justice, ensuring that conservation is not a tool of exclusion but a mechanism for restorative justice.