VICTORY!
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FOREST CONSERVATION NEWS TODAY
Cambodia Suspends All Logging Operations
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Forest Networking a Project of Forests.org, Inc.
http://forests.org/ -- Forest Conservation Portal
http://forests.org/links/ -- Forest Conservation Links
12/27/01
OVERVIEW & COMMENTARY by Forests.org
The Cambodian Prime Minister has announced the suspension of all
logging operations. Companies that have committed extensive illegal
logging – in this case, as with many countries, all of them - will not
be allowed to resume activities. It is a global ecological imperative
that all countries of the World do likewise. The development
aspirations of tropical countries would be well served by ending
industrial logging now, and maintaining standing natural rainforests
forever as a source of ecosystem services, ecologically sustainable
community development and national pride. Developing countries should
challenge the international community to cushion the economic
implications of ending the once off unsustainable timber boom.
In nearly every case, countries with tropical rainforests would be
better off in the mid to long term by shutting down predatory logging
operations. Logging moratoriums must be maintained until the emphasis
for forest management and conservation is upon sustaining forest
landscapes and ecosystems, and all their natural ecological patterns
and processes. This requires establishment of small and medium
scaled, mostly community based, ecologically sustainable forest
management activities within the context of locally appropriate large
protected areas. Commercial scale logging of primary old-growth
forest can never be ecologically sustainable and must end now.
Global Witness’ work in Cambodia provides a model for how forest
conservationists can work within the system without having their
mission to conserve forests usurped and weakened by an endless
dialogue and reform process that ultimately legitimizes and subsidizes
continued forest devastation. Unlike in Papua New Guinea where even
the supposedly most “radical” environmental groups have become
lapdogs to logging interests, Global Witness has been part of the
process while continuing to advocate a rigorous forest conservation
agenda. Congratulations to Global Witness and hundreds of others,
including those from this list, who have followed these developments
and contributed to this victory over the past several years.
Forests.org calls upon the World’s governments to institute a global
moratorium on logging and other industrial activities in all large
areas of ancient forests. In Cambodia, and globally, an end to
commercial logging is required until networks of large protected areas
are established, and measures are adopted to ensure that all timber
production is ecologically sustainable. This would require that any
management of ancient primary old-growth forests is limited to
community-based, certified eco-forestry activities. Further, global
sustainable forest management depends upon reducing forest product
consumption while meeting our genuine needs for timber and fiber
through certified mixed species plantations on already degraded lands,
certified secondary forest management and use of alternative fibers.
Commercial scale logging of primary old-growth forests is ecocide.
The World must marshal the will and resources to end this abhorrent
practice.
g.b.
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: At long last Cambodia suspends all logging operations
Source: Global Witness, www.globalwitness.org
Date: December 21, 2001
PRESS RELEASE
Faced with mounting domestic and international criticism relating to
the destruction of Cambodia’s forests, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun
Sen has announced the suspension of all logging operations, effective
from 1st January 2002. Global Witness, the UK based environmental and
human rights organisation which has been campaigning against illegal
logging in Cambodia since 1995, applauds the decision and seeks
reassurances that companies that have committed extensive illegal
logging will not be allowed to resume activities.
Global Witness has been calling for suspension and cancellation of
concessions since 1996, when mounting evidence showed that such
companies were responsible for the destruction of the country’s
forests: its only significant economic resource.
“Foreign logging companies have been plundering Cambodia for years,
with the collusion of corrupt officials and politicians, and at the
expense of the country and its people. They perform a charade of
negotiation whilst at the same time logging as fast as they can,”
said Rosie Sharpe of Global Witness. Even the usually conservative
Asian Development Bank described the Cambodian forestry sector as a
“total system failure" in a 1999 report, and demanded that
concessions should face termination unless they radically reformed,
including the production of social and environmental impact
assessments and long-term forest management plans, by 30th September
2001. None of the concessionaires achieved this deadline or achieved
the required standards.
“Illegal logging has been steadily increasing since late 1999 with
the majority of cases being committed by the legal concessionaires,”
said Sharpe. Since 1999, Global Witness has been working with the
government as the independent monitor of the forestry sector and has
reported cases of illegal activity on all of the concessionaires.
In order for this suspension to be meaningful, it is imperative that
logging companies that have committed serious contractual breach,
particularly with regard to illegal logging, should not be allowed to
resume activities. All 17 concessionaires fall under this heading. The
country would be much better off without them as shown by the fact
that the flooding that the country experienced in 2000 was the worst
in 70 years.
The UN blamed it on deforestation, and it is estimated that it cost
the country US$156 million. This compares to the total of US$92
million which was generated by the forestry sector between 1994 and
2000.
Global Witness, PO Box 6042, London N19 5WP, UK
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7272 6731; Fax: + 44 (0)20 7272 9425
Email: mail@globalwitness.org; Internet: www.globalwitness.org
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