H. Res. 839 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

November 4, 2009. 

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 three-quarters of Madagascar’s people live in rural 

areas and two-thirds live on less than $2 per day, safeguarding these natural resources is essential to 

Madagascar’s continued economic growth and development; 

Whereas these natural resources contribute to economic development through the tourism sector, drawing an estimated $390,000,000 per year; 

Whereas, on March 17, 2009, Marc Ravalomanana was 

forced to resign as the democratically-elected President of 

Madagascar and Andry Rajoelina was installed as de 

facto head of state; 

Whereas, on March 20, 2009, the United States condemned 

the removal of Marc Ravalomanana and the installation 

of Andry Rajoelina as tantamount to a coup d’etat, un-
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democratic, and contrary to the rule of law, announced 

a suspension of non-humanitarian assistance, and later 

terminated compact assistance through the Millennium 

Challenge Corporation to the de facto Rajoelina government; 

Whereas two-thirds of Madagascar’s people depend on natural resources for their sustenance and livelihoods, and 

decreased assistance for conservation efforts may have 

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 Wildlife Fund (WWF), 

Conservation International, and the Wildlife Conservation 

Society condemned an interministerial order issued by the 

de facto 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 natural resource degradation occurring under the de 

facto government includes— 

(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; 
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(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 that rural 

communities depend upon represents 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 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) strongly condemns the March 2009 coup d’etat 

in Madagascar and supports the people of Madagascar 

in immediately undertaking a democratic, consensual 

process to restore constitutional governance, culminating 

in free, fair, and peaceful elections; 

(2) commends the African Union and the Southern 

African Development Community for taking strong action against anti-democratic forces in Madagascar and 

encourage their continued resolve to return Madagascar 

to the rule of law; 

(3) strongly condemns the illegal extraction of 

Madagascar’s natural resources and its impact on biodiversity and livelihoods of rural communities, including 
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illegal logging, smuggling of wild species, and illegal 

mining; 

(4) supports action by competent authorities and 

the people of Madagascar to stop this illegal devastation 

and bring those perpetrating these crimes to justice; 

(5) 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 

(6) calls upon consumers of rosewood and ebony 

products to check their origin, and boycott those made 

of Malagasy wood, until constitutional order is restored. 

Attest: 

Clerk.