Geasphere Swaziland- Analysis of Timber Related Fires Timber Plantations Cost Lives
by Nhlanhla Msweli (GeaSphere Swaziland)
Adding to the national crisis caused by drought the country experienced unprecedented fires in the timber planting areas. The fires raged for more than seven days in late July. Whiles the industry is mourning the loss of profits, the people of Piggs Peak are mourning destroyed livelihoods. UNICEF has recently released a situational report dated 7 July 2007 which lays the bases for this paper. Dubbed by the Swaziland Fire Department as “the biggest in Swazi history,” the fires impacted three of the country's four regions – Hhohho, Manzini and Shiselweni.
On
1 August 2007, the Prime Minister declared a second national disaster due to the devastating fires.
Beginning on Sunday 22 July, the fires were propelled by high winds and already-dry conditions. The fires began in two major timber forests, the Mondi Forest Plantation and the Peak Timber Company Forest Plantation, both in the Hhohho region. The forests surround Pigg's Peak, the main town in the area and home to the area's main referral hospital. Pushed by harsh winds, the fires moved at incredible speeds and could not be controlled by company fire teams or the national fire department. The winds helped fires jump fire breaks, fields and even roads. Government sent in the police and the army with water tankers, and helicopters from neighboring South Africa were also called in. The fires continued to burn however, for several more days.
Human and Social Impact
Two people perished in the fires and many others suffered burns and other injuries. Fourteen people were admitted to hospitals for burns. In addition, fires are associated with increased particle matter (PM), as such, an increase in respiratory infection is expected among those living close to the affected areas. Ongoing investigations hope to uncover the source of the fires, although arson has been mentioned as a possible cause. Baphalali Swaziland Red Cross reports that 160 homes were burned or destroyed by the fires, 90 in Pigg's Peak and 53 in Mbabane, the nation's capital. Another fire, which originated in South Africa, was fanned by high winds and spread over the border into Swaziland, burning 24 homes. Nearly 1,000 people have been left homeless by the fires and require shelter, food, clothing and other assistance.
Many livestock suffered burns and some cattle and goats perished in the fires.
Both Mondi Forest and Peak Timber companies lost 80 per cent of their tree plantations. One mill was damaged at Peak Timber Company and infrastructure systems that supply potable water to employees was damaged at Mondi. The company is now facing challenges with providing potable water to the worker community inside the plantations. While the companies are likely to employ additional workers in the immediate future to assist in harvesting trees and clearing the damaged forests, it is believed that after a few months the firm will undertake massive retrenchments. Many of the 1,200 people employed at Mondi will lose their jobs and it is estimated that it will take approximately 10 years for the forestry industry to recover from the effects of the disaster.
Sappi Usuthu, Swaziland's leading pulp producer is located 80 kilometres south of Pigg's Peak. However, the Sappi Forests were not spared. Sappi lost trees covering more than 4,000 hectares or 7.5 per cent of the company's planted area. The damage will have significant effects on the sustainability and economic survival of the company.
Several other businesses in and around Pigg's Peak were damaged, including Shop Rite, a major supermarket, and several guesthouses and warehouses. Damages to business have not yet been totalled; however destruction to homes and business throughout the country are estimated to be in millions of Emalangeni. Telephone and power lines in the affected areas were also damaged. In addition, some schools were burned or damaged and many children lost school books and uniforms Gerasphere Responds On the 18 of August I attended a meeting called by the disaster task team in one of the affected areas, which was to discuss the causes of the fire and relief mechanisms .In the cause of the meeting I gathered that a large number of the people who attended were working in the plantations, directly or indirectly. Rumors were already flying as to what was the exact cause of the fire, others blamed unhappy workers who were due to down their tools in the eve of the fires, others blamed arsonist, and the current understanding is that the matter is under investigation hence we do not want to speculate as to what was the cause, but what we know is that a large number of employees were not happy about their wages and condition of service.
Geasphere has repeatedly and will continue to campaign against timber plantations and its impacts. Scientific research has long linked timber Plantations with fires that have long lasting consequences for poor communities. It is a known fact that Timber harvesting, through its effects on forest structure, local microclimate and fuels accumulation, has increased fire severity more than any other recent human activity.”
Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project, 1996, Final Report to Congress.
Logged areas generally showed a strong association with increased rate of fire spread and flame length, thereby suggesting that tree harvesting could affect the potential fire behavior within landscapes. In general, rate of spread and flame length was positively correlated with the proportion of area logged in the sample watersheds. This is one of the reasons we call for the abolishment of these monoculture plantations.
Our experience is that these plantations have not benefited local communities instead they have brought pain and servitude. As we speak hundreds of families have no food, clothing and valuable property. Of course the companies would not take responsibility, but were quick to come out with quick fix solution, SAPPI is reportedly promising cash donations to families. But our view is that no amount of money can restore the lost grasslands, Biodiversity, graze lands and food security as long as the commercialized plantations rein supreme.
Those interviewed after the meeting showed little concern to what had happened blaming the company for the situation. They complained that the company and contractors were exploiting them. “Even thought we may loose our jobs but sometimes you feel like its okay after all what are we getting, can you survive on R500 monthly salary its impossible”. In the meeting some people were very vocal in voicing their anger particularly aimed at Mondi for not having effective fire management strategies. This view is denied by the company; however the company has pledged to improve in the near future.” Geasphere has long held the view that the industry is exploitative, maybe chickens have come home to roost.
However we must make it clear that we do not support arsonist activities, at the same time the company must bear the cost for the damaged caused in the area.
Interestingly the Police were on standby just in case they were needed.
The state apart form promising food and shelter handouts is not prepared to face the industry, in terms of legislation and we are yet to see if the promises will materialize. To my disappointment the meeting focused much on relief aid issues. I was hoping that it will discuss broader issues. It is worth noting that the history of timber plantation in Swaziland possible elsewhere can not be written without mentioning fires. However the time has come for the industry to take responsibility of ruining people lives particularly those residing next to the plantations, Geasphere Swaziland will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders and hope to build peoples, resistance around issues of timber plantations.
Impacts of timber plantations on rural people of Swaziland
Nhlanhla Msweli - Geasphere Swaziland
Introduction
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I GREET YOU ALL IN THESE DAY OF THE 13 November 03. My work has been made easy by the organizers of this event, I have been asked to talk about something that I'm deeply concerned about, something that, I have first hand information of, something that me and my people experience every day, if I was asked to deliver a serious academic paper maybe I would have had difficulty, but giving an account of how the people mainly of Bhunya and peak speak and the surrounding area have been suffering for the past 55 years because of timber plantation should not be very difficult. Because of the time I have been given I shall not be able to comprehensively discuss all the issues.
Origins of timber in Swaziland
Timber plantations was introduced In Swaziland more than 55 years ago by south African based conglomerate Sappi, which is well known to most or all of you in these house, another, power house in timber plantation which has been housed in Swaziland for many years is Mondi. SAPPI Usuthu pulp as it is popularly known operates in the south part of Swaziland producing approximately 180 000 to 200 000 tons of pulp. It is said that they are the second largest producer of unbleached Kraft pulp, used too make cement bags, crepe paper and car filter systems, the questions that arises from such facts is that how would a subsidiary be able to achieve such results in a small country like Swaziland. About 90% of Swaziland pulp is sold to southeast Asia, coincidentally timber plantations has been the second industrial activity in the kingdom after sugar and already these two crops are a disaster for a country like Swaziland, where they are still feudal social relations, Because they turn to destroy the community by amassing vast land and destroying the community life that has been part of our culture for years. The fact that they also rely on international markets to survive, has negative impacts for economic stability.
Timber plantations
Timber plantations are well known for their socio-environmental problems, Swaziland has not been exempted from those problems. From a political perspective it still pains some of us that South African exploitative capitalist were allowed and are still allowed to export their history of labor exploitation, super profits, unsustainability in to powerless neighboring countries, it is said that Swaziland has got one of the largest man made forest, although not being a forest because timber plantains are not renewable, thanks, to Sappi and Mondi that today about a fifth of land, that was productive, used to grow food and for cattle grazing, grew grass to build houses has been turned into a money making forest. assisted by cheap labor the company has managed to be one of the productive subsidiary of Sappi grows timber at the expense of the grass culture, cattle, and sustainable farming of the Swazi people.
Evictions
Timber forests have been created by means of evictions in Swaziland. It is the land that used to be home to hundreds of people. These people were given as little as R1000 for vast land as part of their compensation then pushed away in the mountains. Where they were given places that are not conducive for human survival, if you drive through Bhunya you are shocked o see where the people are staying, they are staying in Rock Mountains. The companies have done nothing to try and meet the socio-economic demands of the people, their stock which was a source of income and livelihood disappeared because of disappearing grasslands of and drinking water, the companies have failed to even make a bore whole for the community of Tiyeni. This is proof that timber plantation is not meant to meet the needs of the people and improve the standard of living for communities.
Swaziland is among the worse because there is not a single meaningful legislation that is there which could be used to challenge the failure of the corporations on issues of the environment and effects on people lives. The principle of investing back into the community is non-existent to the capitalist exploiting Swazi labour. We have had to rely on mass mobilization only to fight back which is often crushed by the mighty, collaborating regime of Mswati the dictatorial king. Recently Sappi Usuthu announced that they will be investing 238 million Rand in expansion programs, and we know that it means more evictions, more soil erosion, more pollution of the air and the rivers next to the mills and more suffering to the rural people Mswati the judiciary, executive, and legislator has already endorsed these plans ignorantly so or lack of interest to the welfare of the people. Ours is to look closely and strategies ways of fighting back. Evictions means loss of land, land means poverty, Zimbabwe will a perfect example.
Labour
Sappi Usuthu used to employ about 8 to 10 thousand people but it has already retrenched half of those people today it command 3000 workers of which only 700 hundred are full employees of the company, half of the company services have been privatized, in a much published scandal in Usuthu they paid two of their senior executive bonuses equal to the two hundred workers that they were retrenching at the same time and the workers money was to be taxed until they fought and won that case, Sappi is known to be one of the least paying companies in Swaziland at shop flow level and with appalling working conditions, hence it had the strongest union until it was undermined by the process of privatization and the oppressive government. The issue here is that timber plantation companies in Swaziland no longer provide employment security for the people that it displaced from their land causing poverty, when they do, it I casual jobs, that are very exploitative in their nature. about 60% of the people in Bhunya are not employed at the moment.
Pollution
Both the peaks peak and Bhunya processing plants account for quite a lot of the water and air pollution in Swaziland, their organizations are simply not accountable to any one in terms of their environmental responsibility. For the past two years they have not given out a report on their environmental assessment. The people of living nearby have continuously raise problems from drinking the water from the next by river which Sappi use for dumping its refuse. The government of Swaziland has been quite because it is a stooge of South African capital as long as they give little tax which they use for royal celebrations its fine, the people can die from timber plantations effects. More research still need to be done in this area to get the real impact of the pollution by timber plantation in Swaziland
Poverty
In as much as we can not directly say that these is how much it cost the people of Swaziland, to grow timber in their country, Visavi, its good we can link timber plantation to the poverty that is experienced on the ground, evicting people from their land is fatal, paying them peanuts is exploitation, not being environmentally responsibly is wrong, and not taking any responsibility for damages done on the environment is not being concerned at all.
Civil society response
The people that are mostly effected have responded, when the companies were not paying them enough, and retrenching them they formed the timber plantation concerned group, its role was to mobilize people to engage the companies and government on all the issues raised above, because most of the time they are not listened to they turn to be more violent, in many cases they burn down the trees, they have also mobilized for more support from other organization that is why we as SCAPEI, are playing the role of linking them with other organization, in trying to build their capacity to systematically challenge these issues and give them hope for a better future and also trying to capacitate them by mobilizing funds and doing research to strengthen our case.
The Timber Plantations: Impacts, Future Visions and Global Trends' event was hosted by GEASPHERE in association with the TimberWatch Coalition www.timberwatch.org.za
