UN sounds alarm bells on exploitation of resources by Kiir’s gov’t and SPLM-IO
Right, Former Vice-president and Chairman of the SPLM-IO, Dr. Riek Machar Teny and Left, South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit (Photo:Supplied)
Nov 27th, 2019 (SSNN)-The United Nations Panel of Experts has accused rival forces, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) of making illicit profits from the country’s natural resources, by illegally harvesting teak trees and exporting them to Uganda for sale.
“As the Panel previously reported, the leadership of both SPLA-IO and the SSPDF have continued to exploit and trade in timber in areas under their control in the former Central Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria States. Rather than participating in the cantonment or barracking process, as required under the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, the armed groups have continued to generate revenues through the illegal harvest, sale and taxation of teak and mahogany. Furthermore, the activities of the armed groups have displaced local communities, some of which have fled to Uganda.”
Adding that, “The Panel corroborated the fact that since early May 2017 at the earliest, SPLA-IO has profited from the illegal exploitation of and trade in timber in KajoKaji county, Yei River State.”
The report accused the main armed opposition group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-IO (SPLA-IO), of generating revenues by selling teak and using the money to buy ammunition to fight the war.
“Revenues received by SPLA-IO were partly used to purchase small batches of ammunition and medical supplies.
The Panel received credible information indicating that Major General Moses Lokujo of SPLA-IO division 2B had been directly involved in the taxation of teak and mahogany illegally harvested in Liwolo, Kariwa, Kendire, Kala, Ajio, Lora Manglotore, Bori, Lowili and Katire payams, which are areas under his control. He has also been active in the transit of logs to the borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda,” the report disclosed.
“In May 2017, Major General Lokujo logged teak and mahogany around KajoKaji, forcing local communities to accept his forces’ exploitation of timber in the area. Community representatives to whom the Panel spoke confirmed that the cutting of trees for SPLA-IO had ruined the communities’ economies, leaving local people with no income. In addition, the forces harassed community members who refused to follow orders, leading many to flee to refugee camps in Uganda.”
“The SPLA-IO compelled timber harvesting companies and traders logging and transiting to pay for protection. Traders have mostly used the main transit route from Kajo-Kaji to Uganda, along the Koboko-Yumbe-Oraba road. The Panel has corroborated information that timber traders paid SPLA-IO up to $600 for the right to log and $800 to transport logs through their territories. The price of 1 m3 of teak in Yei River State has been in the range of $65 to $100, depending on the length and width,” the UN Experts said.
On the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF)
The UN Panel of Experts similarly pointed an accusing finger at high-ranking commanders of the SSPDF and identified a number of senior officers who benefited from selling teak logs and taxing logging companies in different parts of the Equatoria region.
“The Panel has received additional information that SSPDF commanders in Pageri county (Pageri and Moli payams) and Ajaci county (Palwar and Owiny Kibul payams) in the former Eastern Equatoria State have exploited the trade in timber since April 2017.
The UN identified some officers who were responsible for allowing logging companies to harvest and transport teak logs to Uganda.
“In Pageri county, SSPDF and especially units of its Tiger Division deployed in Moli actively cut timber and taxed logging companies for permission to harvest and transport timber.”
“The Panel corroborated the fact that the final beneficiary of the illegal logging was the head of administration and finance for SSPDF, Major General Johnson Juma. The Panel continues to investigate the pricing of and trade in timber in territories controlled by SSPDF.”
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