Unfortunately Kevazingo is extremely rare tree species, threatened by extinction due to overexploitation. Timber from Kevazingo, which takes many years to mature, is highly valued in Asia. The Japanese and Chinese use it to make furniture, but also wooden bells and another music instruments. Since 2001 the Gabonese Government has enacted laws to protect its sacred tree, but illegal logging and corruption still continues and the tree remains the most vulnerable victim in this story.

But deep in the rain forest, the frontline of protecting the sacred tree is a dangerous fight of handcuffs and chainsaws. On Monday 19th October, in a clampdown operations, a Chinese businessman and his to local accomplices were arrested in eastern Gabon (Ogooué-Ivindo province), for illegal logging of Kevazingo.

A truck carrying a huge Kevazingo tree was stopped by the Prosecutor of the Republic accompanied by armed officers of the Judicial Police, the Gendarmerie and the ALEFI team from the specialized NGO Conservation Justice, near the Court of First Instance in Makokou. The driver and the conveyor presented the permission for collecting fallen or already dead timber issued on the name of Mr. Nze Angwe, a known logger in the province. Two days later investigators searched the place, where the tree was cut, nearly a hundred kilometers from the town. The investigation revealed that the Kevazingo tree was cut as a fresh wood by Nze Angwe, who came to the village with a Chinese national, Yang Showling, a timber trafficker. The Chinese then bought the illegally cut timber.

Now the logger, his Chinese accomplice, and the driver are arrested and remain in custody, waiting for the court hearing. For Nze Angwe, the logger, this is not his first conflict with the law. He was already arrested and prosecuted for illegal logging in May 2013. But the sacred tree attracts greed that pushes such criminals to continue to take the risks.

But the story of the Central African forest is not just of chainsaws but of complicity and corruption. Following the arrest, two accomplices came in the Prosecutor office and tried to bribe him with 4,000 US dollars attempting to release the Chinese trafficker. The prosecutor, thanks to his integrity and willpower, ordered Judicial Police to arrest them and put them in jail. They will be judged for the corruption act.

“It is not just a corruption attempt, but it is clearly and simply corruption! These two persons think they just need one or two millions to bribe Gabonese justice?”, explained the prosecutor Mr. Alain Georges Moukoko, already known for his fight against corruption in Gabon. He previously refused 100,000 US dollars from managers of SIAT Gabon company, that develops activities in palm oil, rubber tree and ranching. He also added that he will follow the legal process until the two men are sentenced following the law. "These two men will be judged, like the Chinese and his men who are used to violate the Gabonese law and are devastating forest without fearing the law”.

Prosecutor Moukoko just arrived in this Gabonese province two weeks ago and declared war on illegal logging and corruption. For those that value the spirit of the Kevazingo tree, this is good news, hoping for the criminals destroying their heritage to get behind bars.

The new Ministers for the Protection of Environment and Natural Resources, of Forests and Sea recently confirmed their willpower in Gabonese media, following Gabonese head of State in his fight to protect Gabonese biodiversity and ecosystems. Without strong and thoroughgoing fight against corruption the protection of nature is impossible.

Will modern law be able to protect ancient tradition?
Will a sacred tree withstand the storm of globalization?
For the Gabonese villagers, the answers are with the spirits of their forest.

Conservation Justice - Eagle Network