In the territory of Faradje, located in Haut-Uele in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an alert was launched by the civil society forces vives. According to the investigations carried out by this organization, massive and illegal logging was observed between 2020 and 2024, mainly by foreign operators, the vast majority of whom are Ugandans.
The coordinator of this structure, Jean-Claude Malitano, revealed that these foreign operators use a single permit to cover the activities of several forestry operators in the region. This situation raises a series of issues, including the complicity of certain services responsible for collecting taxes, which actively participate in this illegal logging by arbitrarily taxing the local population.
Indeed, the agents of these services facilitate illegal logging by collecting unregulated taxes, and even go so far as to demand customary rights. This collusion between foreign operators and local agents not only compromises the environmental balance of the region, but also endangers the natural resources essential to the survival of local communities.
Faced with this alarming situation, Jean-Claude Malitano calls on provincial authorities to take urgent measures to restore order in the forestry sector. He proposes the creation of dedicated brigades in decentralized territorial entities to monitor and regulate logging, as well as the establishment of timber parks where taxes can be collected legally.
In addition, revelations concerning certain agents of the services involved who travel to Uganda to collect these taxes raise questions about the destination of the funds collected. It is imperative that measures be taken to investigate and put an end to these practices which are detrimental to the local economy and the environment.
In conclusion, the situation of illegal exploitation of forest resources in the Faradje territory is alarming and calls for immediate action by the competent authorities to put an end to these harmful practices. It is essential to protect forests and local communities, while ensuring sustainable exploitation of natural resources for future generations.