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The situation in Eastern Kivu
For two years, whilst many of the refugee camps were situated on the border of the Parc National des Virunga, the refugees placed enormous pressure on the PNVi. They were provided with food, medicine and medical care by humanitarian aid organizations. But they were provided with only 30% of their fuelwood needs, and given uncooked food to eat. To meet this 70% fuelwood deficit, their only option was to exploit the Parc National des Virunga's resources. By November 1996, most refugees had fled the camps surrounding the park; the majority returned to Rwanda, but some travelled westwards, deeper into Zaire. As a direct result, the daily pressure and impact on the park has been decreased significantly. However, the resultant increase in the numbers of people in Rwanda struggling to meet their daily needs has created an increase in the numbers of people entering the Parc National des Volcans to cut wood, water and poach. IGCP/Rwanda is currently working with the Office Rwandais du Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux (ORTPN) to help address this issue. The International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP)'s overall goal is to 'ensure the survival and longterm conservation of mountain gorilas and afro-montane and medium altitude forest habitats in Rwanda, Uganda and Zaire'.
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