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International community calls for action against gangs’ illegal logging in Madagascar Jeremy Hance mongabay.com June 08, 2009
Following a political coup, in which former President Marc Ravalomanana was driven out of power and replaced by Andry Rajoelina, park rangers abandoned their positions and armed bands raided Marojejy and Masoala National Parks for the rosewood and ebony trees. The armed gangs are being paid to log the forest by Chinese traders. The statement reads, "we believe the recent, dramatic escalation in illegal logging is directly linked to the irresponsible actions by mafia-like groups and governance challenges linked with a fragile institutional context that makes enforcement of existing laws and regulations difficult.” As well as devastating Madagascar’s unique environments and biodiversity, the illegal logging is exacerbating poverty in the country, according to the statement. The Malagasy people only marginally benefit financially from the illegal trade, since the money goes to the traders not Madagascar’s rural poor. An annonymous source has told Mongabay.com that local villagers have avoided logging themselves for fear of prosecution. "We are troubled that Madagascar’s image, nationally and internationally, as a country committed to the protection of its unique biodiversity and natural resources is being irreparably damaged," the statement continues. There are fears that the armed gangs could spread to other protected areas, worsening the damage to Madagascar’s unique ecosystems. The statement calls for a "more proactive and aggressive" response is to address the situation. ”It is essential that the Malagasy authorities, with the support of all stakeholders, improve support to protected areas in order to preserve the extraordinary biological riches of Madagascar." Signatories of the statement are the French, German, Japanese, Norwegian, Swiss, and USA embassies. The document was also signed by KfW Entwicklungsbank, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the US Agency for International Development, the World Bank, and conservation organizations, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society, and World Wildlife Fund. Related articles Rainforest pillage continues in Madagascar (04/16/2009) Gangs of illegal rosewood loggers continue to pillage the wildlife-rich forests of northeastern Madagascar, reports a local source. Hopeful conservation news emerges out of Madagascar political crisis (03/31/2009) A bit of hopeful conservation news has finally emerged out of the political crisis in Madagascar, report local sources. Wednesday representatives from several NGOs active in conservation in Madagascar met with a minister from island nation's new government. The minister said his top priority was putting an end to illegal logging that emerged when rangers abandoned their posts and armed gangs moved into protected areas in the wake of the political crisis. Scramble to log Madagascar's valuable rainforest trees in midst of crisis (03/23/2009) Armed gangs are logging rosewood and other valuable hardwoods from Marojejy and Masoala parks in Madagascar following abandonment of posts by rangers in the midst of the island nation's political crisis, reports marojejy.com and local sources. SHARE THIS ARTICLE:
Tags: madagascar africa jeremy hance green environment Rainforest deforestation china's demand for resources china deforestation illegal logging poverty rainforest destruction rainforest logging rainforest people protected areas wcs
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