Tree harvesters cry foul
The farmers, who are making a living from selling their timber, feel the ministry is targeting them, while illegal sand miners escape justice, to a certain extent.
Kavango East timber harvesters say the environment ministry is discriminating against them.
They were reacting to a ministry statement last week which said all tree-felling activities being conducted without an environmental clearance certificate (ECC) should be halted.
Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said further they will, in collaboration with the police, strengthen their efforts at key roadblocks to target those transporting timber without an ECC.
The farmers, who are making a living from selling their timber, feel the ministry is targeting them, while illegal sand miners escape justice, to a certain extent.
“Why target only those transporting timber? Why are we being singled out? After all, we operated with permits, while those others mining sand illegally have been and are continuing to do so without permission,” farmers, who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
“Everyone should be targeted.”
When contacted for comment, Muyunda said it was unlikely that a sand mining truck would pass a roadblock.
“The thing with sand mining is that if you are mining sand in Rundu you will not go and pass at the roadblock at Mururani; it is unlikely that you will pass at any roadblock, because you are providing sand locally, but for timber, these people do pass roadblocks,” Muyunda said.
He said the ministry is working around-the-clock with the other stakeholders to clamp down on all illegal activities that pose a threat to the environment. The tree harvesters also wanted to know why the ministry did not consult them prior to the sudden halting of their activities. They cited last month's meeting that took place in Ongwediva, in which the ministry met with sand mining stakeholders.
“The environmental commissioner and his team have been going to the north on several occasions this year for the issue of illegal sand mining. Last month the minister himself went there. The question is: why don't they come to us and then we can discuss the issue? This is pure victimisation.”
This year the environmental commissioner's office gave illegal sand miners a grace period during which they could mine sand while obtaining an ECC.
The tree harvesters say they should also be given a grace period in which to obtain ECCs.
Muyunda said timber harvesting cannot be allowed to continue and there would be no grace period.
“The thing is with timber, the concern of the ministry is the damage to the environment, and this is something you cannot put on hold. You cannot continue to destroy the environment while you sort out your issues. We cannot take that risk,” Muyunda added.
KENYA KAMBOWE
They were reacting to a ministry statement last week which said all tree-felling activities being conducted without an environmental clearance certificate (ECC) should be halted.
Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said further they will, in collaboration with the police, strengthen their efforts at key roadblocks to target those transporting timber without an ECC.
The farmers, who are making a living from selling their timber, feel the ministry is targeting them, while illegal sand miners escape justice, to a certain extent.
“Why target only those transporting timber? Why are we being singled out? After all, we operated with permits, while those others mining sand illegally have been and are continuing to do so without permission,” farmers, who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
“Everyone should be targeted.”
When contacted for comment, Muyunda said it was unlikely that a sand mining truck would pass a roadblock.
“The thing with sand mining is that if you are mining sand in Rundu you will not go and pass at the roadblock at Mururani; it is unlikely that you will pass at any roadblock, because you are providing sand locally, but for timber, these people do pass roadblocks,” Muyunda said.
He said the ministry is working around-the-clock with the other stakeholders to clamp down on all illegal activities that pose a threat to the environment. The tree harvesters also wanted to know why the ministry did not consult them prior to the sudden halting of their activities. They cited last month's meeting that took place in Ongwediva, in which the ministry met with sand mining stakeholders.
“The environmental commissioner and his team have been going to the north on several occasions this year for the issue of illegal sand mining. Last month the minister himself went there. The question is: why don't they come to us and then we can discuss the issue? This is pure victimisation.”
This year the environmental commissioner's office gave illegal sand miners a grace period during which they could mine sand while obtaining an ECC.
The tree harvesters say they should also be given a grace period in which to obtain ECCs.
Muyunda said timber harvesting cannot be allowed to continue and there would be no grace period.
“The thing is with timber, the concern of the ministry is the damage to the environment, and this is something you cannot put on hold. You cannot continue to destroy the environment while you sort out your issues. We cannot take that risk,” Muyunda added.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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