The Director General of the Burundian Office for Environmental Protection (OBPE) in collaboration with the administrator of the municipality of Giheta raided on Monday, July 5, 2021, the premises of the IRAZ (Institute of Agronomic and Zootechnical Research) which is located on the hill of Mashitsi, Giheta commune in Gitega province.

The objective of the descent was to see the clean cuts that were being made in the IRAZ compounds without prior authorization from the Ministry responsible for the environment in its remit.

The CEO of OBPE, arriving on the ground, indicated that the situation was unpleasant because the trees were cut systematically in order to search for coal. After visiting the site, Berchmas Hatungimana, the CEO of OBPE, said that they carried out an inventory of the trees that were cut down. The trees cut down have a value of 25 million Burundian francs, they said.

The CEO of OBPE also said that when the Ministry in charge of the environment gives an authorization to cut trees, it reserves a copy for the OBPE to follow up. IRAZ did not have prior authorization to cut these trees. This is also the reason for the descent to be able to see the damage that was caused by this cut qualified as illicit, hammered the DG.

The CEO of OBPE deplores the behavior shown by the officials who are maintaining the activities of IRAZ for the time being, who have given themselves permission to cut trees without authorization.

He took this opportunity to announce to the population of Gitega province that since July 1, 2021, permits for the transport of forest products will be issued by the OBPE management in Gitega. And all transport must be sanctioned by a transport authorization, whether in the city of Gitega and whether in the municipalities of Gitega to the city of Gitega.

The CEO of OBPE Berchmas Hatungimana warned anyone caught without this prior authorization will be sanctioned in accordance with the law in force which is there for the protection of the environment.