The art of logging industrially in Congo

Industrial logging companies and officials are systematically abusing community logging permits in order to bypass the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) freeze on new logging concessions, says a report by Global Witness.

The “Artisanal Logging Permits” are designed to allow Congolese communities to carry out small-scale logging in their forests. But in practice, they are being used by foreign loggers to exploit Congo’s forests on an industrial scale, primarily for buyers in China.

The report, entitled ‘The art of logging industrially in Congo’, finds 146 artisanal permits have been handed out to loggers in Bandundu Province alone since 2010.

The way the permits are issued and used typically breaches DRC’s forest law and regulations in as many as ten different ways. All of the permits seen by Global Witness explicitly grant “the authorisation to carry out industrial logging”.

DRC’s forest law states that a maximum of two artisanal permits can be issued annually to Congolese individuals equipped with a longsaw or chainsaw.

But Global Witness found that up to twelve artisanal permits are being given per year to overseas logging companies, who enter the forests with heavy machinery such as bulldozers and log loaders.

Update: 12 November 2012

Global Witness’ report entitled ‘The art of logging industrially in Congo' which outlines the abuse of artisanal logging permits in DRC, has been welcomed by the Congolese Environment Minister Bavon N’sa Mputu Elima. The Minister has issued two ministerial orders that are a first step towards tackling the problem. One of these orders suspends part of the legal text called Arrêté 011, thus clarifying that artisanal logging permits are not to be signed by the national Environment Minister but by provincial governors. The other order suspends artisanal or timber purchasing permits held by certain companies.

Global Witness has written to the minister welcoming this initial response and requesting him to revoke all permits issued in contravention of the law; to undertake an enquiry into the issuance of illegal logging permits; to ensure all timber cut under illegal permits is seized and appropriate fines issued; and to ensure that any new legal texts to tackle this issue are developed in consultation with civil society organisations.