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Police Investigation Fails to Uncover Logging Violations
Larisa Paremuzyan
hetq
13:13, September 30, 2011
Lori Regional Prosecutor Karen Shahbazyan directed units of the
Tumanyan police to conduct an investigation regarding illegal logging
after Hetq first broke the story on August 2 (Who's Behind Large-Scale
Logging in Jiliza?).
An investigative team was duly organized and Lieutenant Colonel Ashot
Titanyan was appointed to head it.
The team later filed a report stating that there was no need to launch
a criminal case.
But the report filed is full of holes. Not only was the team unaware
that it is prohibited to transport lumber for fuel from the forest
without a permit, it seems their investigation merely included a visit
to the Jiliza and Dsegh forest wardens' offices where they were given
copies of said permits.
In the original August 2 Hetq article, we reported that the men
cutting down trees failed to provide any identification or papers.
`We are private contractors and can't say anything more,' they told
Hetq reporters at the time.
Another bunch of loggers a bit further up the road told Hetq reporters
that they were out picking raspberries. The fact that we spotted newly
cut trees alongside the road and in the back of their truck made us
more than suspicious. We even spotted the portable electric tree saw
they were using.
This group also couldn't produce any permits.
Hetq also reported that no one from the forestry office was anywhere
to be seen while all this was taken place. These guys were logging the
forest without a care in the world.
At the time, Jiliza Forestry Service Director Aram Baroyan stated that
`the hapless warden, just a young guy, ran off after spotting the
reporters.'
Tom Matevosyan, the Chief Forestry Warden for the Lorout District,
told Hetq and other reporters that the required transportation permits
were back at the Dsegh Office and suggested that we go and take a
look.
When we agreed, Matevosyan withdrew the offer.
In its draft report, the police investigative team noted that
`sanitary pruning and general maintenance' was being carried out in
Jiliza and Dsegh as directed by the Director of the ArmForest State
Agency.
The report fails to explain what relevance the sanitary pruning
ordered by ArmForest has with the transportation of lumber without
proper permits.
It seems to us that Lieutenant Colonel Ashot Titanyan based his report
solely on testimony given by the forestry wardens and officials
responsible for the infractions in the first place.
From: A. Papazian
Larisa Paremuzyan
hetq
13:13, September 30, 2011
Lori Regional Prosecutor Karen Shahbazyan directed units of the
Tumanyan police to conduct an investigation regarding illegal logging
after Hetq first broke the story on August 2 (Who's Behind Large-Scale
Logging in Jiliza?).
An investigative team was duly organized and Lieutenant Colonel Ashot
Titanyan was appointed to head it.
The team later filed a report stating that there was no need to launch
a criminal case.
But the report filed is full of holes. Not only was the team unaware
that it is prohibited to transport lumber for fuel from the forest
without a permit, it seems their investigation merely included a visit
to the Jiliza and Dsegh forest wardens' offices where they were given
copies of said permits.
In the original August 2 Hetq article, we reported that the men
cutting down trees failed to provide any identification or papers.
`We are private contractors and can't say anything more,' they told
Hetq reporters at the time.
Another bunch of loggers a bit further up the road told Hetq reporters
that they were out picking raspberries. The fact that we spotted newly
cut trees alongside the road and in the back of their truck made us
more than suspicious. We even spotted the portable electric tree saw
they were using.
This group also couldn't produce any permits.
Hetq also reported that no one from the forestry office was anywhere
to be seen while all this was taken place. These guys were logging the
forest without a care in the world.
At the time, Jiliza Forestry Service Director Aram Baroyan stated that
`the hapless warden, just a young guy, ran off after spotting the
reporters.'
Tom Matevosyan, the Chief Forestry Warden for the Lorout District,
told Hetq and other reporters that the required transportation permits
were back at the Dsegh Office and suggested that we go and take a
look.
When we agreed, Matevosyan withdrew the offer.
In its draft report, the police investigative team noted that
`sanitary pruning and general maintenance' was being carried out in
Jiliza and Dsegh as directed by the Director of the ArmForest State
Agency.
The report fails to explain what relevance the sanitary pruning
ordered by ArmForest has with the transportation of lumber without
proper permits.
It seems to us that Lieutenant Colonel Ashot Titanyan based his report
solely on testimony given by the forestry wardens and officials
responsible for the infractions in the first place.
From: A. Papazian