Consequences Of The Taliban Upsurge (20072009)

The consequences of the 200709 upheaval caused by the upsurge of the Taliban in the area also left great negative marks on the forestry sector. The situation was exploited by the timber mafia, who cleared vast portions and chunks of forests by wholesale fellings of trees. The Taliban received their share on local levels at different rates and proportions. At a later stage, on Jan 29, 2009, the Taliban high command announced a total ban on the felling of forest trees for two months but firewood was allowed. It was also announced that those who cut forests and green trees would be arrested and the Taliban were asked to oversee the forests of their respective areas and apprehend anybody who disobeyed this order. However, it was also stated that after the stipulated period, arrangements for meeting the bona fide needs of the people would be made.

On Jan 31, 2009, they made an announcement to the effect that: (1) timber smuggling is going on through the Nawagai forest checkpost; (2) the forest department staff receives payments and allows the smuggling; (3) no doubt, the forests are greatly damaged by the forest department staff; (4) they receive great bribes; (5) having received rupees in billions, they have destroyed the forests; and (6) they are responsible for the destruction of the forests. So we ask the forest department staff not to allow the smuggling at the checkposts, not to receive bribes, and not to destroy the forests. We will bring them to book. They have amassed a lot of money.

The Taliban moreover stated that they have writ and government in Swat. They warned all those who cut trees in the forests, to desist, otherwise they will be taken to task — a person in the village Tarugay and the miscreants in Chenkulai were mentioned by name. They also had, on May 31, 2008, announced a fine of Rs100,000 per tree felled without authorization in Sakhra Valley. However, all these fiats proved of no avail as it was too late to check these rampant fellings as they had been allowed to go unhindered too long and a number of persons remained involved in illicit timber trade at local levels in the guise of the Taliban.

In November 2007, a journalist, Ali Hazrat Bacha, who visited the area, reported: “Taking advantage of the turbulent situation in Swat district, the timber mafia has accelerated its antiforest activities, ruthlessly cutting trees in the valley and sharing the windfall with the militants.” He gave details about the situation and stated that “the badlyhit forests belong” to the Matta Tehsil, Malam Jabba, Kabal Tehsil, and Marghuzar Valley. He pointed out that the Nikpi Khel (Kabal Tehsil) area “has been almost denuded by these smugglers.” Commenting on the role of the forest department, he stated: “The forest department has left the forests at the mercy of the timber mafia and militants. Checkpoints of the department are no longer functional even in the areas where law and order situation is under control.” He further said that though the Jambel Valley was ‘almost safe for the staff of the forest department, but smuggling of timber is continuing allegedly in connivance with officials concerned.’

A study of forest management and accompanying issues in Swat from 1915-1969

Analysing the situation after about a year, Ali Hazrat Bacha stated: “[The] forests of Swat are nowadays at the mercy of militants who have fixed their share with the timber mafia and given them a free hand to cut trees wherever they can, officials and locals said.” He gave details of the depredations wrought by the timber mafia in all parts of Swat and Shangla in collaboration with the militants, and mentioned that the most badly affected areas were: Shawar and Roringar in Matta Tehsil area; Pia, Chel Beshigram, and TiratShagram in Madyan police area; Madani area of Kalam; Mian Bela, Penawrai, Manarai, and other areas of Kabal Tehsil area; Malam Jabba area in Swat; and the forests of Alpurai, Lilawnrai and Bazarkot areas of Shangla.

The security forces too, caused huge damages to the forests by indiscriminate shelling by mortars and artillery and missile attacks by jet aeroplanes over the hills and forested areas — in the course of the three phases of Operation RahiHaq (20072009), and Operation RahiRast (2009). Moreover, they cut trees on the plea of security concerns. This act of the security forces was also in violation of Islamic laws of war and of the Environmental Protection Act of 1997.

Writing about the losses incurred by some journalists as a result of the militancy and military actions, Rahimullah Yusufzai — a senior journalist, analyst, and resident editor of the English daily The News International — relates the story about Behroz Khan, of village Balo Khan, Buner: “His family suffered another huge loss when its privately owned forest was burnt down by the security forces fearing the forest could be used by the militants as a hideout. The forest was the family’s labour of love because every tree had been tended.”

Elaborating on the point of the destruction wrought by the military operations and the security forces to the forests, Rahimullah Yusufzai writes:

While on the subject of forests, it would take a while to calculate the losses inflicted upon the environment as a result of the militancy and military operations in Buner, Swat, Dir, Shangla and the rest of Malakand Division. Stretches of forests caught fire and turned into ashes when artillery shelled or bombed [shells or bombs] landed there. The fires thus started have raged uncontrollably in the forests in summers. Villagers in the Salarzai area in Buner and in the bordering villages in Mardan district narrate how the thick forest in Namser on the Buner side and in Sangahu towards Mardan was burned this summer [2009] following a military action against the militants.

A preliminary official report has stated (in the beginning of 2009) about the damages:

In absence of proper mobility, checking heavy damage has reportedly been made by the local offenders/militants in Malam Jabba, Miandam, Lalku, Shawar, Beha Roringar and Shahdherai blocks of Swat Forest Division, Pia Chel and Beshigram blocks of Kalam Forest Division and Bazarkot, Alpuri [Alpurai], Pagorai and Lilownai [Lilawnrai] blocks of Alpuri Forest Division. The Forests of Malam Jabba, Manglawar, Shawar, Beha and Roringar blocks of Swat Forest Division and Alpuri, Bazarkot and Pagorai blocks of Alpuri Forest Division have received severe damage/burnt due to heavy firing which took place in these forests areas between the militants and security forces.

The report has given the total forest damage as “726589 Cft (Standing Volume)” for Swat Forest Division, “143787 Cft (Standing Volume)” for Kalam Forest Division, and “51392 Cft (Standing Volume)” for Alpurai Forest Division as well as ‘300 Acres’ block plantation in Swat Forest Division.

Even after the reestablishment of the writ of the government, the illegal cutting of the forests is continuing, according to some sources with the blessings and consent of some elements of the forest department. The news in the local newspapers and the author’s personal observation testify that the illegal chopping and deforestation is going on till this day (in late 2014).

Some Aspects In Light Of The NWFP Forest Ordinance, 2002

The new system of Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) and reforms were introduced due to foreign funded projects, initiatives and drives by the Dutch, Swiss, and the Asian Development Bank. The forest department did not oppose these moves as donor agencies and their funding were involved and also because they were too influential and powerful. But they soon stopped financing these programmes and left them in their incipient stages.

Moreover, a JFMC is a subcommittee of a Village Development Committee (VDC), though their interests may clash sometimes. Since VDCs have to also work in other spheres like agriculture, thus when they become ineffective the JFMCs cannot work properly either. So far the participatory system is not applied in all the government departments, therefore its sustainability only in the forest department is a difficult proposition. For this, a broadbased structure is needed. It is a process of social change which always takes time. Economic interests too are imperative, without which any change is difficult if not impossible.

Moreover, some mafias tried to sabotage the system. According to Saifullah Khan (hailing from Alai) the timber mafia has been the main, rather the sole reason for failure of the joint forest management system. However, Dr Babar Shahbaz has stated: “The qualitative data indicated that the lower staff in the forest department never accepted the new approach and they perceived that their authority and ‘source of income’ were threatened.” And that: “The qualitative remarks above indicate that some of the actors within the state (forest department) were trying to create obstacles to the workings of new institutions.” Interestingly, on the basis of his field work and research, Dr Babar Shahbaz has said: “It can be cautiously concluded that the participatory forest management initiatives have reduced bribery and illegal cutting, but have given way to a black market.”

The above excerpt is taken from the chapter ‘Post-Swat State Period (1969-2014)’.

Excerpted with permission from
Land and Forest Governance in Swat
By Sultan-i-Rome
Oxford University Press
ISBN 978-0199066902
595pp.

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, June 12th, 2016