2006年VOA标准英语-Liberia Prepares for Rebirth of Logging Industr

By Kari Barber
Dakar
19 December 2006

Liberia is preparing to allow logging, following a three-year, U.N.-sanctioned export ban.  The post-war government has passed new logging legislation intended to prevent corruption¹ and mismanagement, but some conservation experts say it is unclear how the law will be implemented² and what role local communities will play.  Kari Barber reports from our West Africa bureau in Dakar. 

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

In June, the U.N. Security Council lifted its three-year sanctions on logging in Liberia.  The ban was removed on the condition that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's administration would create a new law to regulate logging companies.  The new legislation was implemented in June.  

Under the previous Charles Taylor administration, logging provided about half of Liberia's revenue.  A U.N. panel of experts accused Taylor of using logging revenue to supply arms for civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Forests were being harvested at rates far exceeding sustainable levels, and concessions³ were based on patronage⁴, not fair bidding, according to timber experts. 

Timber specialist Art Blundell was on the U.N. panel that recommended the ban.  He says the three-year halt allowed experts to review the logging sector⁵. 

Blundell says none of the more than 70 logging companies operating in Liberia had proper documentation and legal status to operate. 

"They were not paying taxes; there were gross human rights violations⁶; there were violations of environmental regulations, so it was clear that business as usual was not conducive⁷ to the future of the country," he said.  "That is why it was so crucial there was this new law and a new start to the sector."

Under the new law, requirements include proper planning to decide what areas should be logged, competitive bidding, provisions to make sure logging company security forces do not operate as militias⁸, transparency of financial reporting, tracking logs from harvest to export, and consultations⁹ with local communities.

The government says 30 percent of money earned from leased timber concessions will go to nearby areas for schools, health needs and other social services.

Blundell says the law is a big step forward, but it is only as good as its implementation¹⁰.  He says how local communities will receive their promised benefits is still unclear.

"In the past the money was meant to go back to the communities, and the communities never saw it," he added.  "The law requires the money to go back to the communities although it does not specify¹¹ exactly how it should happen.  But that will be taken up in a regulations that governs that, so there is an opportunity for those to be modified to make sure they work."

Stephen Vandermark, of the environmental group Fauna¹² and Flora¹³, says that although the new forestry¹⁴ law recognizes local communities should be involved in dialogue with logging companies, it does not specify how. 

"At this point in time it is not obligatory¹⁵ for a logging company to actively¹⁶ engage with a local community, and it is not clearly defined how logging companies could engage with local communities and how local communities could have, for instance, right of use and right of resources in communal¹⁷ forests and logging concessions," he said.

Vandermark says creating the law and lifting the ban were essential to the revitalization of Liberia's economy.  Now, he says, international organizations need to be diligent¹⁸ in monitoring the process and continuing to push for responsible use of Liberia's timber.

"They do need the lifting of the timber sanctions quite urgently," he added.  "The question, of course, is whether the international community will continue to lobby for a forestry act that will allow for more sustainable management of the forests in Liberia."

Before the ban, the experts say logging grossed about $100 million in revenue each year.

1 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

2 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

3 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

4 patronage   

n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场

参考例句：

• Though it was not yet noon,there was considerable patronage.虽然时间未到中午，店中已有许多顾客惠顾。
• I am sorry to say that my patronage ends with this.很抱歉，我的赞助只能到此为止。

5 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

6 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

7 conducive   

adj.有益的，有助的

参考例句：

• This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
• Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

8 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

9 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

11 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

12 fauna   

n.(一个地区或时代的)所有动物，动物区系

参考例句：

• This National Park is an area with unique fauna and flora.该国家公园区域内具有独特的动物种群和植物种群。
• Fauna is a biological notion means all the animal life in a particular region or period. 动物群是一个生物学的概念，指的是一个特定时期或者地区的所有动物。

13 flora   

n.(某一地区的)植物群

参考例句：

• The subtropical island has a remarkably rich native flora.这个亚热带岛屿有相当丰富的乡土植物种类。
• All flora need water and light.一切草木都需要水和阳光。

14 forestry   

n.森林学；林业

参考例句：

• At present, the Chinese forestry is being at a significant transforming period. 当前, 我国的林业正处于一个重大的转折时期。
• Anhua is one of the key forestry counties in Hunan province. 安化县是湖南省重点林区县之一。

15 obligatory   

adj.强制性的，义务的，必须的

参考例句：

• It is obligatory for us to obey the laws.我们必须守法。
• It is obligatory on every citizen to safeguard our great motherland.保卫我们伟大的祖国是每一个公民应尽的义务。

16 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

17 communal   

adj.公有的，公共的，公社的，公社制的

参考例句：

• There was a communal toilet on the landing for the four flats.在楼梯平台上有一处公共卫生间供4套公寓使用。
• The toilets and other communal facilities were in a shocking state.厕所及其他公共设施的状况极其糟糕。

18 diligent   

adj.勤勉的，勤奋的

参考例句：

• He is the more diligent of the two boys.他是这两个男孩中较用功的一个。
• She is diligent and keeps herself busy all the time.她真勤快，一会儿也不闲着。