Thu, 23 Mar 2017 12:57:45 +0000
By BENNIE MUNDANDO
WE are now pleased that law enforcement authorities understand the matrix of sources and players involved in the illicit timber trade involving the Mukula tree because that is the only way the scourge will be stopped, the Zambian National Association of Sawmillers (ZNAS) has said.
ZNAS president William Bwalya told the Daily Nation yesterday that ZNAS was worried that some local and foreign elements had been at the centre of illegally harvesting and exporting the Mukula while the blame was heaped on local sawmillers.
Mr. Bwalya said while there was considerable concern on the illegal activity which threatened the specie into extinction, very little attention was initially given to stakeholders and players in the forestry sector.
He said as a result, sawmillers who were conducting clean business were perceived as perpetrators of the vice, yet the 135 sawmillers in Zambia which have licences for hard wood had been allocated areas where they were operating from.
“There is growing evidence that criminal operations are contributing to forest exploitation to a significant degree where actual registered sawmillers in Zambia are not even involved in this trade. There are only 135 sawmillers issued with licences in hard wood in the country and all these have their allocated areas.
“There is no illegal activities taking place from these areas. The illegal exploitation of timber is a source of worry to ZNAS and requires lasting solution available within the law.
“If Government cannot contain the illicit trade of Mukula, the powers are vested in the director of Forestry to advise Government on how to protect endangered species within the local laws and international laws,” Mr. Bwalya said. He said while there might be evidence that the country was endowed with plenty of the Mukula tree, there was need for ground rules to be spelt out on how to exploit the resource in line with forest regulations as people were recklessly harvesting the tree without due regard to the law.
“Sometimes it is believed some unscrupulous business men are using papers written in French purporting the harvest is from a neighbouring country and the goods are in transit.
“If not in contravention with SADC protocol on transboundary trade, there is need to suspend the movement of Mukula from neighbouring countries through Zambia until such a time the situation returns to normal business conduct.
“The illicit trade of timber in our view refers to the movement and subsequent trafficking across the borders of Zambia of timber not harvested according to law for individual gain. These activities are taking place in both state and customary lands under the custody of our traditional rulers and forest department on the other hand,” he said.
He wondered how for a long time now, the Mukula tree has been illegally exported to other countries, yet police mount road blocks on all routes, adding that before the consignment was exported, ZABS, ZRA were involved.
“The timber export permit too had to be issued. Where is the loop hole? As has been discussed with the Forest Department, stakeholders, sector associations are satellites for government in the limiting of illegal timber trade.
“Government should show political commitment to use criminal justice resources to target illegal exploitation and trade in illicit timber. This is one of the starting points for eradicating or limiting illegal trade and plunder of national resources with such a sick appetite,” he said.
