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As UN peacekeepers prepare to leave their largest and most expensive mission - in the Democratic Republic of Congo - there are sharply differing views on how well-equipped that African nation is to fend for itself against violent militia groups there. While the DRC says it no longer needs the United Nations, many fear the withdrawal of the 'Blue Helmets' will lead to an escalation of fighting that's already killed more than five million people. Reporter Sam Benstead, from the UK-based ORTV, travelled to Congo to see for himself how well prepared the country is for the UN's departure. His report raises the question: can Congo really stand alone or will it slide into a new humanitarian catastrophe?
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Released
Original Language
EN

Virunga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Africa’s oldest national park, a UNESCO world heritage site, and a contested ground among insurgencies seeking to topple the government that see untold profits in the land. Among this ongoing power struggle, Virunga also happens to be the last natural habitat for the critically endangered mountain gorilla. The only thing standing in the way of the forces closing in around the gorillas: a handful of passionate park rangers and journalists fighting to secure the park’s borders and expose the corruption of its enemies. Filled with shocking footage, and anchored by the surprisingly deep and gentle characters of the gorillas themselves, Virunga is a galvanizing call to action around an ongoing political and environmental crisis in the Congo.

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