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First National Conference on Forestry, Intervention by Chairman Kaysone Phomvihane (1989) Back to : Index
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Dear comrades, Our 1st National Conference on Forestry has reached complete unanimity over the general urgent views, directives and measures in repairing and developing the forests, preserving the environment of our land. Since the IV Party Congress (December 1986) until now, that is since more than two years, in order to realize the policies of socialist construction and development outlined by the Congress, we have elaborated them by working out development strategies in conformity to programs with different goals and of which the second: "Limitation and progress towards the cessation of slash and burn, rearrange the forests in all aspects, preservation of environment" among the five big programs of great importance and significance for the survival and development of our nation. Experiences in localities and grassroots in the past few years have helped us to understand even better that the policies outlined by the Congress are judicious. As the Congress has withdrawn lessons from such experiences we have therefore been able to draw more detailed positions, directives and measures on the problems of forestry and environment which will serve as basis for planning the nation's both long and short term construction and development. Forestry problems in our country are most complex and difficult, and urge us to outline plans and policies, firm and strict measures, and endeavor to implement them in quite a long span of time, As conclusions to this conference, I would like to underline certain problems as follows: Views: We consider the forests as natural resources of greatest importance. Our forests are useful in protection and supply, but the most important of all is their utilities in the preservation of land and water, adjustment of the weather, the preservation of agriculture, environment, living beings, the factor of national economic development, namely the fundamental power for the future industrial development in the long run of our nation. Forests are linked to our people's living conditions, not only in the mountains but also in the plains and towns. At the same time, forests are also closely connected to defense and security in the cause of national preservation. But our forests are being heavily destroyed lately, namely in the past years, because we have been careless in their management, allowed indiscriminate exploitation in order to touse and export wood. The practice of slash and burn in several places has increased instead of decreasing, thus generating sources of poverty, land erosion, increasing bald hills rapidly and the climate abnormal changes... The time has come when we must reaffirm that our forest resources is decreasing, and that we must resolutely stop indiscriminate felling of trees and draw up a plan for the cessation of the slash and burn, establish settlements and sedentary professions for the people, farms of reforestation and adopt a resolute idea that we must convert forestry from exploitation by destruction as in the past to the preservation, reforestation and development of forest capital. This is the general plans and national basic policy, which reflects our resolute strategy from now on. In the near future, we must resolutely cease indiscriminate felling, and authorization from now on will be given by the center, the Council of the Ministers will take into consideration and proceed to its strict implementation. From now on, localities must not rely on wood to create budgetary sources, but must look for other rational sources, as promoting the planting and exploitation of valuable forestry products, short term industrial trees, animal husbandry...They must clearly distinguish the state management from the business management in the field of forestry. All economic sectors must abide by the laws and policies on forestry. It should be understood that by granting land and forests resources for the people to manage and use does not mean anything can be done at will, that people can fell and destroy them indiscriminately, but the state must advise them how to preserve, maintain and reforest, connecting the forests to cultivation and animal rearing, recommend on ways of livelihood in the forest, collecting and developing forestry products and useful animals, so that the forestry resources, after granting to the people, should be preserved and better developed. The exploitation and utilization of forestry resources granted to each family and each village, namely firewood and wood for the construction of dwellings, will be authorized in the area of their own management, but must be strictly abide by the regulations and laws. The sector of forestry must strictly control while educating them. As for the state management on forestry at different levels, namely the state forestry enterprises must strictly inspect units back in view of turning to a more efficient management. That is to stop all indiscriminate felling and destruction, bring about balance between reforestation and the exploitation. forested areas must be contracted to each cadre and citizen living with the forests in order to provide a responsibility for each area, namely in forest preservation, maintenance and reforestation, combining agriculture to the forestry. The state forestry companies must mainly turn to the bifrontal services: supplying seeds, seedlings, technical advising in the reforestation, preservation of forests, establishing settlements and sedentary professions to the people, constructing roads and other social securities. All work must be elaborately contracted. The state forestry enterprises must place attention on the processing, sale of products, and strictly assume the responsibility over profits and losses, obligations towards the budget within delays. The state will inspect all units in detail and those working inefficiently and indiscriminately will be suspended, while preserving and strengthening a number of efficient and capable units correctly implementing the directives. Party and administrative committees of provinces, districts and sub-districts must firmly understand the plans, policies and laws in order to correctly supervise the forestry sector. Soldiers, security forces must act as examples in the implementation of all plans, policies and laws related to forestry, contribute actively to this course, and so do the monks. The different sectors must coordinate closely with the sector of forestry in order to implement the general plans and measures on forestry, with the aim of bringing firm changes in our forests. The cause of forest preservation and arrangement, and the protection of environment is a long term great cause for the people, for each citizen to organize and educate others to clearly understand the position and the political line of the Party and State to successfully implement in common with the aim of increasingly developing our nation, and bringing further well-being to our people. I declare the 1st National
Conference on Forestry closed.
Acknowledgement: Translation by Vientiane International Consultants. Disclaimer: APCEL and its Partners -- IUCN and UNEP -- have tried to ensure the accuracy, reliability and completeness of the information in this database; however, neither APCEL nor its Partners guarantee the accuracy, reliability or completeness of this information. If you encounter an error, please notify us by e-mail at lawapcel@nus.edu.sg.
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