IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 839 

Condemning the illegal extraction of Madagascar’s natural resources. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 15, 2009 

Mr. BLUMENAUER (for himself, Mr. PAYNE, and Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the illegal extraction of Madagascar’s natural 

resources. 

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; 


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•HRES 839 IH 

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— 


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(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 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) calls on people of Madagascar to imme3 diately undertake a democratic, consensual process 

4 to restore constitutional governance, culminating in 

5 free, fair and peaceful elections; 

6 (2) strongly condemns the illegal extraction of 

7 Madagascar’s natural resources and its impact on 

8 biodiversity and livelihoods of rural communities, inVerDate Nov 24 2008 06:17 Oct 16, 2009 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR839.IH HR839

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1 cluding illegal logging, smuggling of wild species, 

2 and illegal mining; 

3 (3) supports action by competent authorities 

4 and the people of Madagascar to stop this illegal 

5 devastation and bring those perpetrating these 

6 crimes to justice; 

7 (4) calls upon importing countries to intensify 

8 their inspection and monitoring processes to ensure 

9 that they do not contribute to the demand for ille10 gally sourced precious woods from Madagascar; and 

11 (5) calls upon consumers of rosewood and 

12 ebony products to check their origin, and boycott 

13 those made of Malagasy wood, until constitutional 

14 order is restored. 

Æ 


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