Loggers defying court ban: NGO

Community advocacy organisation, Act Now!, has reported that over 30 large-scale logging projects appear to be operating in defiance of a Court ban issued by Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi in June 2021

In its research, the non-government organisation (NGO) discovered that together, the logging operations accounted for 40 percent of Papua New Guinea’s total log exports in the twelve months from July 2021.

“The Court order calls for ‘an immediate ban’ on any logging in Timber Rights Purchase (TRP) areas until the Forest Authority, and a number of other government agencies, provide the court with a series of detailed reports on all logging operations in the country,” outlined Act Now!

“The Court Order was issued by DCJ Kandakasi, PNG’s second highest ranking judge. He is adjudicating in a legal case brought by landowners from Umboi Island in Morobe Province, challenging the legality of logging on their customary land.

“The Court Order requires the PNGFA to provide a report on all logging and forest clearance operations with a detailed account of the area logged, the number of trees felled, the environmental and social impacts, the remedial action taken on environmental damage and its effectiveness and the tangible development improvements delivered for local communities.

“Yet, despite the ban, Act Now has identified 31 logging operations in 29 TRP areas that have exported logs since the ban was imposed.

“In the first twelve-months after the ban, PNGFA records show 1,179,588 cubic metres of logs, valued at US$120 million (K422 million), were exported from the TRP areas by twenty-six foreign owned logging companies.

“As well as the apparent breach of the court order, the log exports illustrate the lack of commitment from the PNGFA to effecting the government's policy to wind down log exports so they stop completely by 2025.”

Author: 
Loop Author