Conflict Gorillas

 Photograph: Eric afforgue/Gamma-
Rapho/Getty Images

The guerrillas are cashing in on the gorillas. According to The Guardian, M23 rebels in eastern Congo are taking groups of tourists on treks to visit the gorillas of Virunga national park and using the proceeds to fund their insurgency. They're only charging $350, which if memory serves is considerably less than the Congolese had been charging lately. (It cost me $300--in 1987).

So say what you will about the M23. They might be guilty of rape, murder, and pillage, but at least they are good conservationists. The government, on the other hand....