Liberia, the most forested country in West Africa, has a long history of illegal logging, which the country’s regulator, the Forestry Development Authority, has repeatedly struggled to address.
So it raised eyebrows when Rudolph Merab, whose companies were twice found to be involved in illegal logging, was recently named to lead the FDA. One of Merab’s companies was also mentioned in the trial of Carlos Taylora former president of Liberia who was convicted of war crimes during the civil war in neighboring Sierra Leone.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Merab for the first time answered questions about his past and detailed his plans to manage Liberia’s forests, promising to increase timber exports and reduce regulations.
“Commercial logging has always helped the country,” said Merab, interviewed by phone in late April, adding that more sawmills were needed so that freshly cut trees could be processed in Liberia before being exported.
Liberia, a country of more than 5 million people, borders Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast and has a long coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. Despite a recent past that includes civil war and chronic problems with illegal logging, many of its tropical forests remain lush and intact.
Merab hinted that twice as many trees could be felled compared to Liberia’s previous peak without endangering its rainforests, which are home to endangered West African chimpanzees and forest elephants. Liberia’s previous largest annual timber exports were 1.4 million cubic meters (1.83 cubic yards), he said, while 3 million cubic meters (3.92 million cubic yards) would be sustainable. That would be equivalent to about 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools filled with wood.
Last year, AP revealed $3 million worth of timber was illegally harvested under then-FDA Managing Director Mike Doryen. He presided over a shade system for illegal log exports, in which up to 70% of the wood was exported unofficially, according to a dossier compiled by the UK Foreign Office. Doryen denied any wrongdoing.
The United Kingdom and the European Union, both major donors to the conservation of Liberia’s forests, hoped that a change of government would usher in a new era. Former president and ex-footballer George Weah, who appointed Doryen and refused to fire him despite constant diplomatic pressure, was removed from office last year. That meant a new head of the FDA.
Merab’s appointment by President Joseph Boakai in February was met with criticism from environmentalists. Requests to the president’s office seeking comment on Merab’s appointment were not answered.
“Fifteen years ago, there was real hope that a newly reformed Liberian forestry sector could become a shining example of how to manage rainforests legally and sustainably,” said Sam Lawson, founding director of the nonprofit Earthsight and wood specialist who trained new FDA employees. when the organization was reformed in the 2000s “This latest news is the nail in the coffin of those hopes.”
As president of a trade group, the Liberia Timber Association, Merab sharply criticized a $150 million deal between Liberia and Norway that aimed to protect remaining forests. He argued that this threatened the timber industry and said he would leave “no stone unturned” in challenging it.
In logging since the 1980s, one of Merab’s companies, Liberia Wood Management Corporation, appeared at Taylor’s trial, condemned for helping the rebels during the Sierra Leone civil war. Taylor’s activities were partially financed by the sale of what was called “blood wood”.
While on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity, Taylor was accused by prosecutors of channeling support to the rebels through LWMC, something the former president denied. A 2001 UN report states that LWMC was attacked by opposing rebels “to discourage them from doing business with Charles Taylor.”
Merab told the AP that he had “been involved” with Taylor, but did not elaborate. LWMC did business with the Republic of Liberia, not Taylor, Merab said.
“I was never involved in arms trafficking. I was one of those affected by this,” said Merab. “We never participated in the war, we never supported any member of the war.”
Merab also questioned previous administrations’ determinations that his companies were involved in illegal logging. In 2005, a Liberian government review concluded that LWMC’s sizeable logging concessions were illegal. The company’s contract did not comply with the rule of law or labor laws and had back taxes of $1.4 million, the review found. The company’s concessions were later cancelled.
The findings were “completely incorrect,” Merab said. “Since I started logging, I have worked within the limits of the law.”
Merab said there was no court ruling that concluded illegality, but rather an executive order from then-president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf made without evidence. Merab said some taxes were owed, but it was a smaller amount than claimed.
In 2012, a scandal hit another Merab company, Bodeco. A government investigation found that his contract had “many inconsistencies” and was “void for illegality.” Bodeco has had more than 90,000 hectares (347 square miles) of logging licenses revoked.
The company “knew or should have known that it was executing a contract with material falsehoods,” concluded the analysis.
Merab said Bodeco’s concessions were awarded by the government, which later backtracked, and due process was not followed to cancel them.
“If the Liberian government gives something,” he said, “and later, because they felt under pressure, they said ‘No, (they) were illegal,’ who is to blame?”
As forestry chief, Merab said he would work to reduce regulations.
“Sometimes regulations become too burdensome and stifle productivity,” he said. “The same thing happens with laws. Sometimes the law becomes very repressive.”
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