26SOLD DOWN THE RIVERBayaka Pygmy communities and conflict between Bayaka and incomers. Incoming trappersaccuse <strong>the</strong> Bayaka who live in hunting camps of stealing animals from <strong>the</strong>ir snares – <strong>the</strong>Bayaka usually hunt with nets – accusations that have <strong>le</strong>d to <strong>the</strong> Bayaka being jai<strong>le</strong>d, beaten orkil<strong>le</strong>d. 41 Logging also destroys <strong>the</strong> Sapelli and Ayous trees where kinin caterpillars live, animportant food source for local peop<strong>le</strong>. 42 The Bayaka are losing many of <strong>the</strong>ir forest skills,including traditional hunting techniques that require time and commitment to master; trainingopportunities in such skills are also being lost. 43Tab<strong>le</strong> 3: Concession holdersin CAR at end of 1999Companies logging <strong>the</strong> forests of <strong>the</strong> Central African RepublicEuropean companies and capital have dominated <strong>the</strong> forestry sector in CAR. The recentarrival of WTK of Malaysia has marked a change from this pattern, although SESAM, <strong>the</strong>company WTK acquired in <strong>the</strong> late 1990s, retains some French capital. Concessionaires havechanged since 1997, when <strong>the</strong> map (see page 36) and accompanying concession data (seeAppendix) was produced, and <strong>the</strong> area under concession has increased. Tab<strong>le</strong> 3 shows <strong>the</strong>most recent data availab<strong>le</strong> on concessionaires.Company Source of Finance Area of Operation Size of Concession Date Concession(hectares)AllocatedIFB French Batalimo (Lobaye) Sciere 119,000 24th August 1994(Industrie Forestiere de Batalimo)IFB French Ngotto (Lobaye) 148,000 7th March 1996(Industrie Forestiere de Batalimo)SCAD Syrian-CAR Loko (Sc. + Deroul.) 296,306 7th March 1996(Société Centrafricaine de Deroulage)Lobaye / Dolobo (Scierie)LobayeSESAM Malaysian (major) Salo (Sangha-Mbaere) 106,700 21st July 1991(Société d'Exploitation de la Sangha-Mbaere) and French ScierieSESAM Malaysian (major) Nola (Sangha-Mbaere) 306,600 2nd November 1995(Société d'Exploitation de la Sangha-Mbaere) and French ScierieSEFCA Lebanese Mbaere 1 (Sciplac) Scierie 381,026 17th July 1998(Société d'Exploitation Forestiere Centrafricaine)Mambe<strong>le</strong> (Sangha-Mbaere) ScierieThanry Centrafrique French Bamban 228,000 29th May 1996Scierie hautement mecaniseeColombe Foret Société Nouvel<strong>le</strong> Lebanese with CAR president Mambere-Kadei 652,221 7th July 1998Sangha-MambereSOFOKAD French – CAR Sosso Nakombo 131,200 15th January 1999(Soc. Forest. de la Kadei)Ndounga Meub<strong>le</strong>s CAR Bouaca (Ombella-Mpoko) 127,013 26th June 1996Scierie Mobi<strong>le</strong>SBB French Bayanga 307,600 19th April 1999(Soc. Des Bois de Bayanga)SEPFC CAR Nola 275,000 5th June 1999(Soc. d'Exploit. Et de Promot. Des Forets Centraf.)PTC (Pan Africa Trading Centrafrique) - Mambere-Kadei 100,000 19th October 1999TOTAL 3,178,666Source: Ministère de l’Environnement, des Eaux, Forêts, Chasses et Pêches, Fiche Signalétique des Sociétés Forestières en Centrafrique
CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE) 27Congo (Brazzavil<strong>le</strong>)Political, social and economic frameworkTHE REPUBLIC OF CONGO is often referred to as Congo (Brazzavil<strong>le</strong>) inorder to avoid confusion with neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo,formerly Zaire (see page 32). The country has a small stretch of coast on <strong>the</strong> AtlanticOcean between Gabon and Angola; its inland borders are with Cameroon to <strong>the</strong> north, <strong>the</strong>Central African Republic to <strong>the</strong> north-east and <strong>the</strong> Democratic Republic of Congo to <strong>the</strong>south-east. The country has a total area of 342,000 square kilometres, 60% of which iscovered by rainforests. 1 Over half <strong>the</strong> 2.7 million inhabitants of Congo (Brazzavil<strong>le</strong>) live in <strong>the</strong>cities in <strong>the</strong> south of <strong>the</strong> country. 2 GNP per capita in 1997 was US$ 660 and life expectancywas 51 years. 3 Most of <strong>the</strong> rainforests are in <strong>the</strong> scarcely-populated and remote north of <strong>the</strong>country (which represents 57% of Congo’s territory but has just 230,500 inhabitants). 4 Formuch of <strong>the</strong> rural population here, <strong>the</strong> forest and its resources are <strong>the</strong>ir main source oflivelihood.Congo (Brazzavil<strong>le</strong>) gained independence from France in 1960; it has had a turbu<strong>le</strong>nthistory both before and after independence. Between 1958 and 1979, <strong>the</strong>re were threepresidential coups and one presidential assassination. Military ru<strong>le</strong> was established in 1968.Colonel Denis Sassou Nguesso assumed power in 1979 and ru<strong>le</strong>d as a dictator until 1992,when President Lissouba was e<strong>le</strong>cted. Since <strong>the</strong>n, vio<strong>le</strong>nce and civil war have eruptedperiodically between various government and militia forces loyal ei<strong>the</strong>r to Lissouba, SassouNguesso or a former prime minister, Ko<strong>le</strong>las. During a savage five-month civil war in 1997,thousands of unarmed civilians were kil<strong>le</strong>d and 700,000 displaced (over one-quarter of <strong>the</strong>population), as <strong>the</strong>y f<strong>le</strong>d into <strong>the</strong> countryside or to neighbouring countries. Grave humanrights abuses against <strong>the</strong> civilian population were perpetrated by all sides in <strong>the</strong> conflict.Sassou Nguesso seized power again in October 1997. A new civil war broke out at <strong>the</strong> end of1998. Despite two ceasefires signed in 1999, vio<strong>le</strong>nce continued at <strong>the</strong> end of 1999. Internallydisplaced peop<strong>le</strong> returning to <strong>the</strong>ir homes in 1999 faced serious human rights abuses,including killings, disappearances, and rape. 5 A fragi<strong>le</strong> peace was restored in 2000.Congo (Brazzavil<strong>le</strong>) faces <strong>the</strong> enormous task of restoring <strong>the</strong> population’s hope in <strong>the</strong> futurefollowing <strong>the</strong> traumatic events that peop<strong>le</strong> have endured in recent years, as well as physicallyrebuilding <strong>the</strong> country. Demobilising and disarming former militia members, many of whomwere responsib<strong>le</strong> for human rights abuses, is critical to ensuring a lasting peace, and includes<strong>the</strong> daunting chal<strong>le</strong>nge of reconciliation. Establishing a government based on democratic andinclusive princip<strong>le</strong>s will be essential for laying <strong>the</strong> foundations for sustainab<strong>le</strong> developmentthat benefits all of <strong>the</strong> peop<strong>le</strong>. As a start, presidential, <strong>le</strong>gislative and local e<strong>le</strong>ctions areschedu<strong>le</strong>d for 2001.As well as <strong>the</strong> political chal<strong>le</strong>nges ahead, <strong>the</strong> country also faces <strong>the</strong> escalating monetarycosts of resettling displaced persons and rebuilding infrastructure and institutions. Forexamp<strong>le</strong>, <strong>the</strong> railway from Brazzavil<strong>le</strong> to <strong>the</strong> port of Pointe Noire is of immense importance to<strong>the</strong> country’s economy and was a strategic target during <strong>the</strong> civil war, suffering damage whichresulted in <strong>the</strong> line’s closure for a considerab<strong>le</strong> period. It is likely to be some time before it isfully operational again.Although Congo (Brazzavil<strong>le</strong>) was <strong>the</strong> fourth largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa in1999, 6 <strong>the</strong> country remains highly indebted to international financial institutions and debtarrears continue to escalate. At <strong>the</strong> end of 1999, its total external debt amounted to CFA Fr3,357 billion (US$ 4.36 billion), equiva<strong>le</strong>nt to 246% of its GDP, with arrears of CFA Fr 1,279billion (US$ 1.66 billion). 7 The country does not as yet qualify for debt relief under <strong>the</strong> HIPCinitiative, although international donors met in October 2000 to discuss <strong>the</strong> situation. Theyindicated that, if <strong>the</strong> country follows stringent macro-economic policies, includingprivatisation, developing <strong>the</strong> non-oil sectors and fiscal management, as well as commencingwork on a Poverty Reduction Strategy, this would take <strong>the</strong> country one step nearer toqualification for debt relief (see page 9 for more on HIPC). 8 As part of structural adjustmentpolicies, multilateral creditors are encouraging <strong>the</strong> development of <strong>the</strong> non-oil sectors of <strong>the</strong>economy, including forestry, and <strong>the</strong> privatisation of state-control<strong>le</strong>d institutions, includingformer forest parastatals. Timber exports represent <strong>the</strong> country’s second major source ofexport revenues after oil and <strong>the</strong> forestry sector provides 10% of formal employment. 9Forestry’s contribution to GNP increased from 1% in 1982 to 5% in 1996. 10Congo(Brazzavil<strong>le</strong>)As part ofstructuraladjustmentpolicies,multilateralcreditors areencouraging <strong>the</strong>development of<strong>the</strong> non-oil sectorsof <strong>the</strong> economy,including forestry.Forest policy and practiceOf <strong>the</strong> 21.5 million hectares of <strong>the</strong> country’s forests, approximately half of <strong>the</strong>m (12.7 millionhectares) are classified as productive forest suitab<strong>le</strong> for timber exploitation. 11 The rest areflooded or semi-flooded forests or are located in irregular terrain not amenab<strong>le</strong> to commercial
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