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Decoding ten years of the Tartweh-Drapoh forest conflict – the deception, actors and victims
By: Liberia Forest Media Watch (LFMW)
Published: January 8, 2022
Countries: Liberia
Document type: Briefing note
Document ID: 9121
View count: 1258
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Decoding ten years of the Tartweh-Drapoh forest conflict – the deception, actors and victims

Claims and counterclaims about who is right or wrong in the Tartweh-Drapoh community forest conflict in Liberia continue to grow, as the community languishes in abject poverty. Despite Liberia Forest Media Watch (LFMW) detailed investigations and wide range of sources, it could not conclude who is responsible for the long-running conflict, due to the involvement of multiple parties, including local government officials and legislators, with varying interests. However, this brief contains sufficient information about the history of the conflict and violations of forest laws and regulations vis-à-vis challenges with community forest in Liberia.

Ultimately, it hints at the role of competing logging companies, working behind the scenes to divide the community and use local elites to gain the logging contract, along with an absence of the forest authority or any other outside, objective mediator supporting the community enough for it to make free, informed choices about the future of its forest.