Recommendations contained on pages 1 & 2 global witness A Conflict of Interests The uncertain future of Burma’s forests A Briefing Document by Global Witness. October 2003 Recommendations 1 RECOMMENDATIONS ● Make all data relating to the importation of timber from Burma publicly available; including volumes, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY value, and origin. The international community should bear a ● Facilitate a forest sector review and forest value responsibility for guaranteeing the fundamental rights assessment, to determine how to protect and of all the people of Burma. It is essential that the sustainably manage all of Burma’s forests in the best international community encourages the State Peace interests of the people of Burma. This should and Development Council (SPDC) and all insurgent include a forest cover survey and meaningful public groups currently involved in armed conflict to instigate consultation. a nationwide ceasefire as a first step towards peace. ● Assist all ceasefire groups to carry out The SPDC, the National League for Democracy Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (NLD) and other political parties, insurgents and (ESIAs) for all development projects, and any ceasefire groups must engage in a dialogue to bring about commercial activities involving the exploitation of an equitable, long-term solution to the conflicts and to natural resources. Such a process should include effect the transition to civilian rule. The international meaningful public consultation. community should encourage the development of civil ● Help rebuild society at a local level through the society through its participation in the decision making promotion of educational projects including process, and promote transparency and freedom of environmental awareness, encourage the information at all levels. continuation of sustainable resource use and It is also essential that natural resource exploitation, protection, and support grassroots environmental one of the main causes of conflict and environmental initiatives. destruction (both of which undermine the prospect of ● Take unilateral, bilateral or multilateral action to future sustainable developmenta), is adequately addressed. make it illegal to import conflict timber (see page 49) and timber that has been logged, transported or THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD: traded illegally and to punish those companies and ● Increase the provision of aid directly to the people of individuals involved.b The country where the timber Burma, following stakeholder consultation, in a way was logged should be clearly labelled; this should that prevents its diversion and that does not include processed wood products. perpetuate military rule and human rights abuse. ● Encourage the United Nations Security Council to ● Provide support for Burmese independent NGOs, recognise conflict resources as natural resources that in the form of technical assistance, to raise their should be banned from international trade. capacity to administer their humanitarian ● Make money earmarked for forest conservation programmes and to manage increasing levels of and rehabilitation projects in China and Thailand foreign funding. contingent upon the cessation of destructive ● Assess objectively the impact of current sanctions, logging practices by Chinese and Thai companies in and of proposed sanctions as they arise, so that other countries. decisions are made from a fully informed standpoint. ● Consider the provision of assistance for planning THE SPDC a demobilisation programme to reduce the size The current situation regarding the exploitation of of the armed forces and other groups of Burma’s forests is inseparable from the wider combatants, when appropriate in the context of political process in Burma. Destructive and future peace initiatives. unsustainable logging, as exemplified by Chinese logging companies operating in Kachin State, is IN RELATION TO THE EQUITABLE AND inextricably linked to many things, including SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF BURMA’S conflict, SPDC management FORESTS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY of internal and foreign relations through the control SHOULD: of access to natural resources, coercive, ● Ensure that timber imported from Burma does not non-transparent and poorly planned ceasefire fund conflict, or lead to human rights abuse or arrangements, and corruption. The large standing increased poverty, and that it is harvested from a army, the dire state of the formal economy, and legal, sustainably managed source and produced in inadequate and inequitable application of forest accordance with Burma’s international obligations. legislation exacerbates the situation. a According to the World Commission on Environment and Development, sustainable development is: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” b A particular consignment should be considered illegal when the timber has been harvested, transported, or traded in violation of relevant laws and regulations. 1 A CONFLICT OF INTERESTS Recommendations IN RELATION TO THE EQUITABLE AND ● Ensure the equitable distribution of the benefits of SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF BURMA’S any development project, or commercial activity, FORESTS, THE SPDC SHOULD: involving the exploitation of natural resources in ● Implement the results of the proposed forest sector ceasefire areas. review and forest value assessment, increase ● Give full support and access to grassroots initiatives transparency and accountability. This should that aim to protect the environment, and to other include the cessation of all unsustainable logging sustainable development activities at a community level. practices and logging that is detrimental to the best interests of the peoples of Burma. NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES ● Ensure the formal participation of local The demand for natural resources in China and Thailand communities in the decision-making process has fuelled conflict and environmental destruction in relating to forest conservation and exploitation. Burma. Logging in Burma by Chinese and Thai ● Abide by international environmental commitments companies has provided these companies with a cover including the Convention on International Trade in for cutting timber illegally in their own countries, too. Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Peace, stability, sustainable development, and (CITES). environmental security in Burma are in China and ● Ensure forest related legislation is implemented Thailand’s best interests. China and Thailand should equitably. play a positive future role in national reconciliation in ● Make public the terms relating to the control of Burma, and ensure that the development of their economies is not detrimental to Burma’s people. natural resources in all ceasefire agreements. ● Ratify and adhere to the International Labour CHINA SHOULD: Organisation (ILO) Convention relating to ● Immediately stop logging in Burma pending the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent results of the proposed Forest Value Assessment and Countries (ILO No.169), in particular as this relates ESIAs for all commercial and development projects to the plunder of natural resources. relating to natural resource exploitation. Priority ● Allow free access for community development and should be given to a cessation of activity on the environmental initiatives, particularly in the ethnic N’Mai Hku Project (see page 104). minority areas. ● Stop the importation of logs and processed timber across the China-Burma border. CEASEFIRE GROUPS Ceasefire groups bear a responsibility for ending the THAILAND SHOULD: unsustainable exploitation of forests and other ● Stop the importation of logs and processed timber resources in the areas they control. Widespread forest across the Thai-Burma border. loss, the result of poor management and corruption, is leading to serious environmental and social problems, CHINA AND THAILAND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH and will ultimately undermine development in the THEIR COMMITMENTS MADE IN THE ceasefire areas. SEPTEMBER 2001 FOREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GOVERNANCE (FLEG) DECLARATION, IN RELATION TO THE EQUITABLE AND SHOULD: SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF BURMA’S ● Play a more proactive role in the Regional Task FORESTS THE CEASEFIRE GROUPS SHOULD: Force on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance ● Consider the suspension of development projects established to advance the objectives of the FLEG and commercial operations that are unsustainable or Declaration. are of questionable economic or social value ● Take immediate action to strengthen bilateral pending the results of the proposed Forest Value collaboration with the Burmese Forestry Assessment and ESIAs for all projects relating to Department, and the forestry administrations of natural resource exploitation. ceasefire groups, to address violations of forest law ● Implement the results of the proposed forest and forest crime, in particular illegal logging, value assessments and ESIAs and ensure associated trade and corruption. meaningful public consultation in the decision- ● Develop mechanisms for the effective exchange making process related to the future extraction of of experience relating to forest protection and forestry, natural resources under their control. This should and information including log and timber import data. include the development of a Forest Policy, ● Encourage the participation of the Burmese which should be made available to the public, and Forestry Department, and the forestry increased transparency