Despite a 2022 law that protects indigenous land rights, displacements in the name of conservation continue in the DRC. Until June 2022, Biranda spent most of his days surrounded by the whispers of trees. He was born and raised inside Virunga National Park and, for most of his life, has found little need to venture into the outside world. “The atmosphere [is] so good,” says Biranda, who requested to be identified only by his surname for fear of retribution. The park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — boasts the greatest biodiversity of any park in Africa, with about 2,077 … Continue reading “I’d give anything to go back”: Pygmy communities face eviction in Virunga