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Text Box: truck. Kachins “benefit” from the logging only through the KIO’s sale of concessions and the collection of taxes at the tollgates and through money made by the local people who are involved in cutting and destroying their own forests. Chinese businessmen make their biggest profits by processing the logs in sawmills and timber factories near the border region, and exporting the products. Some Kachin businessmen join in logging concessions, but since they borrow their investment capital from Chinese companies, they have to sell them the timber for the price the companies offer. Many Kachin businessmen have been arrested for not having enough money to bribe Burmese army posts. SPDC, KIO, and NDA-K In the eyes of many, the KIO and the NDA-K are the organisations responsible for the excessive and non-sustainable logging in Kachin State. In actual practice however, the major part of income from the logging goes to the SPDC. The SPDC really controls most activities in Kachin State, and if they wanted to stop it there would be little or no logging. In one of our interviews, six timberworkers at Sampai-Jahta said that the logging was only possible through bribery of the Burmese army posts. If one doesn't pay, they can be arrested and jailed for logging, as has happened to some Chinese businessmen with insufficient funds for bribing the SPDC army. Another example of this was the Lin Fung Company, managed by Yang Hkyi Seng, and logging in Gang Dau Yang in Jahta area and Seng Mai Pa. The Chinese had to give 2 million kyat to a Burmese army officer for his “travel allowance”. One of the interviewed said: “We have to give money to every SPDC army post that demands it. These demands are random. As for the KIO, they prescribe a limit for taxes at their posts, before the logs are sent to different parts of China via Dum Bung, close to the border. The KIO collects Y 150 per ton, and Y 500 per truck. One concession from the KIO costs Y 3000 (300,000 Kyats), logging being possible between September and April in the following year. However we have to pay a personal bribe of 1-2 million kyat to a senior SPDC officer for one convoy (or consignment) and then pay sepa

Logging news from Sinlum, Law Mun, Law Dan, Hpakawn (January 2003)

(1) This area has once been very rich in biodiversity. It had thick forests and was rich in flora and fauna. Rivers and streams would flow the whole year round. But after the commercial logging started, streams are drying up in the summer and wild animals have started to disappear.

(2) Logging started in the year 2000. The logging concession is 38 miles wide and tens of thousands of acres. It includes Sinlum, Lum Ja, Munghka and Nmawk areas. In addition, some Chinese companies bribe the SPDC army camps and do logging in their territory too. Logging companies have to pay 3000 Yuan for a permit to the KIO. The KIO tollgate charges Y 500-600 for one truck load.

(3) Most of the logging is done around Sama Bum, Lagyen Bum, Langda Bum ranges. About 30-40 truck loads of about 6 tons each are transported to Dumbung in China per day.

(4) By estimation, about 4000 tons in 2002 and at least 5000-6000 tons in 2003 have been extracted.

(5) People are watching with tears, the elimination of big trees that have been growing from the time of their forefathers. But nothing can be done; the people with authority and the Chinese merchants benefit.