An interim taskforce—a collaborative effort between representatives
from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation,
the private timber sector and civil society organizations (CSOs)
advocating for legal timber production—has been dealing with the issue
since January 2015.
If Burma becomes the member country in the EU-FLEGT, “problems and
misunderstandings could be overcome,” said U Aye Cho Thaung, the deputy
general manager of the Myanmar Timber Enterprise, referring to last
week’s Swedish court ruling that exported teak from Burma was harvested illegally.
FLEGT members have to ensure that they are following the Volunteer
Partnership Agreement (VPA) process in combating illegal logging during
the production and processing of timber, and also adhering to effective
forest governance. Member benefits include direct export to the EU
market. There are 28 member countries that have signed the VPA,
including—in Southeast Asia—Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia and
Indonesia.
Membership would be “proof” that Burma’s timber business is changing
and adhering to international standards, and that shift “would improve
the image of the State,” in addition to reaping economic benefits, said U
Barber Cho, who was a consultant with the Myanmar Forest Certificate
Committee (MFCC). He added that Burma’s timber trade with EU companies
stands at less than US$100 million.
Becoming a VPA member country of the EU-FLEGT is not an easy process.
Environmentalist and director of EcoDev U Win Myo Thu explained that it
requires transparency on the part of the government. In the meantime,
EcoDev has initiated awareness raising activities about the FLEGT within
civil society.
“The government needs to prove to the European Union that timber
production is legal, as well as provide open access for CSOs and third
party organizations to check whether timber products have been legally
harvested and [that the process] is not violating the human rights of
the local population,” U Win Myo told The Irrawaddy.
Ethnic minority communities in remote regions in particular have
faced rights abuses related to logging and the production of timber. A
half-century of civil war and military rule, which gave way to
widespread land confiscation and timber harvest in the name of
agricultural cultivation, have contributed to the vulnerability of these
populations throughout Burma.
In verifying the legality of timber extraction and in ensuring the
state’s standing in the international community, U Win Myo Thu said the
government “should willingly accept the role of CSOs” in
counter-checking, which previous governments did not allow.
If the respective authorities are unwilling to make changes
recommended by third parties, the process for recognition as an FLEGT
member could take more than a decade, he added.
Forested areas across the country are not all under the control of
the central government, as many are located in regions home to Burma’s
many ethnic nationality groups, including those in the northern part of
the country where fighting has been ongoing between government forces
and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).
On Nov. 20, a joint offensive
against the Burma Army by the KIA, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army,
the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan
Army—calling themselves the Northern Alliance—raised questions about the
direction in which peace talks will continue. U Barber Cho said that
becoming a member state in the EU-FLEGT is of “parallel importance” to
the current peace process and upcoming political dialogue.
“If we do not have a firm political dialogue framework which
guarantees shared interests concerning natural resources, this effort
[to be a VPA country within the EU-FLEGT] could go on for more than five
years,” he said.
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