Abstract
“Conflict timber” is a term that has only come into use recently, yet the broader phenomenon—the financing of violent conflict through the exploitation of natural resources—has a long history. For the purposes of this study, conflict timber is de- fined as wood that has been traded or taxed at some point in the chain of custody by armed groups, be they rebel factions or state militaries, or by a civilian administration involved in armed conflict2 to finance hostilities or otherwise perpetuate conflict.3 The connection between the timber trade and the finance of war has garnered international attention recently because of its role in several prolonged and destructive conflicts in Asia and Africa. Timber has most prominently figured in conflicts that have affected Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Cambodia, as described in the chapter by Le Billon (Chapter 2), but it has also played a role in conflicts in Myanmar (Burma), Guinea, and Sierra Leone.4 Here we examine the basic characteristics of the conflict timber phenomenon and reviewoptions available for preventing and controlling its occurrence.
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PRICE, S., DONOVAN, D., JONG, W.D. (2007). CONFRONTING CONFLICT TIMBER. In: Jong, W.D., Donovan, D., Abe, KI. (eds) Extreme Conflict and Tropical Forests. WORLD FORESTS, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5462-4_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5462-4_7
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