Unfortunately and as it is often the case, one week after the announcement of COHDEFOR’s intervention, illegal logging increased, mainly in Olancho and the Biosphere Reserve of Río Plátano. Honduran human rights commissioner, Ramón Custodio has denounced the severity of the problem and there are daily reports of violent confrontations between the communities and the loggers. In a desperate move to defend the forest, community and environmental activists have taken matters into their own hands. They have evicted the loggers, blocked roads and stopped trucks transporting timber, and even set on fire one of the sawmills. Tensions have risen between armed loggers and community activists. Military police have been sent to the area to try and prevent the conflicts from turning violent.

President Maduro traveled to Olancho and personally witnessed the flow of trucks loaded with timber authorized by COHDEFOR.

To date, the Instancia de Compromiso Ambiental has met twice. The results of the first two meetings have been promising.

• The president set up a commission to investigate COHDEFOR as well as suspend its right to issue licenses or to perform any other official act. As a result, General Director, Gustavo Morales and other personnel were also suspended. Shortly after, Morales, was forced to resign from his position.

The institution has agreed to:

• Review the management plans, in order to suspend or annul those with irregularities.
• Implement on site investigations.

With regard to the new forestry law:

• A commitment from President Maduro to ask the National Congress to withdraw the new forestry law currently in the legislative process.
• Plans to set up a commission to revise and reform current forestry legislation.

With regard to the conflict in the department of Olancho:

• The president will instruct the appropriate institution that no more management plans will be approved in the country, until its necessary.

With regard to mining:

• Publish the registry of concessions indicating the current state of exploration and exploitation of mines at the national level.
• Prepare a draft bill of the Reform Law or of the current Mining Law.
• The Secretary of Natural Resources and Environment (SERNA) will issue a Ministerial Agreement with the objective of implementing sustainable means relatives to mining development at the national level.

Finally, with regard to implementing a ban on logging, MAO and co-organizers of the March persist in achieving this forestry measure. A popular but desperate measure, the prospect of a ban in logging has spurred national and international concerns and controversy. The government’s environmental commission has expressed its lack of support to a complete logging ban. It has considered the possibility of moratoriums, but is leaning towards restructuring the logging industry rather than going for a complete ban on logging. Some international NGOs have shared their concerns with CIP and urged us to be cautious and advise the organizers of the March to reconsider this demand.

TRIP REPORT HOME
BACKGROUND
CIP’S OBJECTIVES IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE MARCH FOR LIFE
A PRELUDE TO THE SECOND MARCH FOR LIFE, JUNE 24-30, 2004
HIGHLIGHTS
CIP'S EVENTS
RESULTS
PROGRAM STAFF AND COLLABORATORS
CIP’S STRATEGY AND NEXT STEPS FOR THE PROGRAM