Government sets up forestry protection unit

The Central African Republic (CAR) has established an armed protection unit, known as the Brigade Mixte d'Intervention et de Verification, to guard against the exploitation of forests in the country, state-owned Radio Centrafrique reported on Tuesday. The unit is also mandated to fight corruption and fiscal fraud in the forestry sector, the radio reported, citing a document the minister for forestry, water, hunting and fishing, Lt-Col. Michel Sallet, signed on Tuesday. The unit comprises army officers who are specialised in forest protection, gendarmerie officers who are specialised in legal matters (officiers de police judiciaire) as well as customs, public finance and tax officials. The unit will assign field agents to verify that the registers of timber firms accurately reflect their operations. The unit will also ensure that these firms do not fell trees in unauthorised areas and that they pay taxes to the government. The decision to form the unit follows recommendations made during a forestry and water national conference in August 2003 and during the CAR national reconciliation forum in September-October 2003. The timber sector tops the government's sources of revenue, followed by diamonds and cotton. In 2003, the government suspended lumbering activities countrywide and carried out audits of firms that had not paid taxes for years. Colombe Foret, a firm reported to belong to former President Ange-Felix Patasse, was among those whose exploitation licence was withdrawn. Apart from policing the timber sector, the unit, whose strength was not specified, is also charged with looking for illegally imported hunting rifles, reportedly used by highway robbers. The unit will also protect the country's waters from pollution, especially in mining areas.