Cyclists transporting wood from the forest in Western Equatoria.
Photo by Ollivier Girard/CIFOR.
September 10, 2024
Authorities in Morobo County of Central Equatoria State have launched a fight against deforestation particularly in the SPLAM-IO dominated areas.
New County Commissioner Charles Data launched the campaign on September 4, following the massive harvesting of logs and timber and charcoal burning over one year in Panyume Payam for sale in Uganda.
Alarmed local residents petition the Commissioner to take action in mid-August.
The Morobo County Executive Director, Bosco Daniel Wani, said most of those involved in the logging and burning of charcoal operated in the SPLM-IO dominated Panyume.
“Panyume to the border is controlled by the IO forces who consider themselves independent. When we tell them not to cut the trees, they say the government does not give them food and they were not on salaries,” he said.
The Koboko District (Uganda) Border Customs Manager, Simon Mwesigwa, said they received legitimate documents for the movement of the items and urged the Morobo County authorities to be cautious in dealing with the situation, given the complexity in the political matrix.
“We say, give us a list of people who are taking logs and charcoal. We have been receiving legitimate documents they use to export the logs and charcoal, so I want to request the honorable commissioner to give us guidance because we don’t want to cause diplomatic issues that Uganda is denying entry to goods from South Sudan,” he said.
Data said several unsuccessful attempts had been made to conserve the trees, but that the issue had been forwarded to the office of the State Governor.
Morobo County has been restive in the recent past. Early this year, three youth were arrested and detained by suspected IO generals for allegedly objecting to the cutting of the trees.
Efforts to reach the SPLM-IO officials in Panyume for comment were unsuccessful.
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