Whereas Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island,
and home to up to 150,000 species of unique flora and fauna;
Whereas during the last 20 years, with the support of the
U.S. Government and others, Madagascar has made substantial progress in
stopping environmental degradation, effectively managing natural resources and
preserving its unique biodiversity;
Whereas these natural resources provide essential benefits
and services for the basic needs of the majority of Madagascar's people,
three-quarters of whom live in rural areas and two-thirds of whom live on less
than $2 per day;
Whereas these natural resources also provide economic
development in the tourism sector, drawing an estimated $390,000,000 per
year;
Whereas the Obama Administration has condemned Marc
Ravalomanana's forced resignation as President of the Republic of Madagascar,
and Andry Rajoelina's installation as de facto head of state, as tantamount to
a coup d’etat, undemocratic, and contrary to the rule of law;
Whereas in March 2009, the Obama Administration announced
a suspension of non-humanitarian assistance to the de facto Andry Rajoelina
government;
Whereas, given that 2/3 of people
live off the natural resources, decreased assistance for conservation efforts
is having dire humanitarian consequences;
Whereas the African Union and the Southern African
Development Community have suspended Madagascar's participation until
constitutional order is restored;
Whereas in October 2009, the World Wide Fund (WWF),
Conservation International, and the Wildlife Conservation Society condemned an
interministerial order issued by the current administration granting sweeping
authorization to export raw and semi-processed hard wood as legaliz[ing]
the sale of illegally cut and collected wood onto the market; allow[ing] for
the potential embezzlement of funds in the name of environmental protection and
constitut[ing] a legal incentive for further corruption in the forestry
sector
;
Whereas the following natural resource degradation is
occurring under the de facto government's watch—
(1)open and
organized plundering of precious wood from natural forests, including World
Heritage Sites such as Marojejy and Masoala National Parks;
(2)intimidation and
menace of legitimate local community management structures, and expropriation
of revenue and benefits from them, causing suffering and impoverishment;
(3)intensified
smuggling of endemic and protected species and species parts and/or products to
the national and international markets;
(4)proliferation of
destructive practices such as illegal mining and slash-and-burn agriculture
within protected areas and environmentally sensitive areas;
(5)degradation of
forests, pushing some rosewood and ebony species to the brink of extinction;
and
(6)the degradation
of the resource base upon which rural communities depend representing an
immediate and future threat to local governance, local incomes, and food
security; and
Whereas the vast majority of this precious wood is
destined for global export markets: Now, therefore, be it
That the House of Representatives—
(1)calls on people of
Madagascar to immediately undertake a democratic, consensual process to restore
constitutional governance, culminating in free, fair and peaceful
elections;
(2)strongly condemns
the illegal extraction of Madagascar's natural resources and its impact on
biodiversity and livelihoods of rural communities, including illegal logging,
smuggling of wild species, and illegal mining;
(3)supports action by
competent authorities and the people of Madagascar to stop this illegal
devastation and bring those perpetrating these crimes to justice;
(4)calls upon
importing countries to intensify their inspection and monitoring processes to
ensure that they do not contribute to the demand for illegally sourced precious
woods from Madagascar; and
(5)calls upon
consumers of rosewood and ebony products to check their origin, and boycott
those made of Malagasy wood, until constitutional order is restored.