Juntas for goalposts
Who would have thought the standoff between Buddhist monks and the Burmese military would have affected UK flooring contractors? TiC looks at how opposition to an oppressive regime will affect timber specification.
THE standoff between Burmese monks and the troops of the country’s military junta has produced the most striking images of this year. Tens of thousands of monks held daily protests following a heavy-handed intervention on a peaceful pro-democracy rally.
Although there has been little international intervention in the situation, the consequences of the standoff in Burma have impacted on the UK timber industry. As TiC went to press, the European Union (EU) has introduced sanctions against the Burmese government, which include a ban on timber imports. The sanctions introduced on 19 November made it illegal to trade in timber from Burma or import it through other countries.
How will these sanctions affect designers and specifiers in the UK? And how far-reaching will their effects be upon the Burmese government?
Mission of Burma
Anna Roberts, acting director of pro-democracy protest group, Burma Campaign UK, told TiC the sanctions were a welcome move from an EU that has so far been slow to respond to the situation.
“It’s a very positive development,” she said. “For the first time the EU has introduced measures that will have an impact on the regime in that country.”
Before the move, pro-democracy campaigners accused the EU of providing an economic crutch for the Burmese government. Burmese military leaders saw the Euro as its currency of international commerce after the US imposed sanctions in 2003. Perhaps uncharacteristically, Europe dragged its heels in dealing with the situation.
“The EU is catching up,” said Roberts. “It has had a very weak position on Burma for a long time but with the regime’s crack down on Burmese monks and the protestors over September and October it has really pushed it to the top of the agenda.
“Only the US has made this much of a move so far, and it has just tightened its sanctions on timber even more.”
The US had previously banned direct imports from Burma, but has now extended sanctions to include imports from other countries. The EU ban incorporates these new sanctions.
“When the US did introduce the ban there was a loophole that it was only direct imports,” Robinson said. “Now it has closed that loophole. It doesn’t matter if the regime sends the timber through other countries like Thailand, the ban stretches to include third countries.”
Teak and you shall find
What will the effect of a ban on Burmese timber have on its government, and will it greatly affect the supplies of various timber species in the UK?
Burma has been regarded as a supplier of the best quality teak, which is excellent when used in flooring, although it can be found in sheet materials as well. However, the Burmese timber industry has lain under the strict control of the militaristic government.
“Timber is a really big earner for the regime in Burma,” Robinson said. “The country Is one of the major sources of teak in particular, and the regime dominates the Industry along with oil, gas and gems. For the first time these sanctions will hit the regime where it counts.”
However, there is some doubt that the sanctions will guarantee that no Burmese timber enters the country. For example, clear guides on the use of legal and certified timber haven’t avoided Local Authorities ending up with egg on their faces after using timber sourced from countries with dubious track records such as Papua New Guinea. Timber products slipped through the net when they were shipped into the country via processors in China.
Robinson warned specifiers to carry out rigorous checks on the origins of their timber products. “Within the timber industry there are ways of certifying and checking sources,” she said. “It’s up to the companies to make sure their suppliers have the correct certification to prove where their timber comes from.”
Liz Betser of the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) said the ban needs some clarification for specifiers.
“The main question is how long it’s going to take and whether there’s any timber being shipped over on the water at the moment,” she said. “We support the ban and we and our members don’t have a problem with it. The only thing we’re not sure about is when it comes in.”
A dirty campaign
Many TTF members have relied on the federation as an important representative, especially regarding the Burma Campaign UK’s “Dirty List” of UK importers. The campaign has compiled a list of companies with dealings in Burma, which it has published on its website. At time of press, the list identifies more than 15 companies, which Burma Campaign UK claims to either import or process timber logged in the country. It also cites international construction firms with projects in Burma.
TiC has liaised between some of these companies and the Burma Campaign. The UK suppliers we spoke to generally felt the campaign had been slow to update its list and remove their names.
Bob Harvey of Flatau Dick said the company has repeatedly contacted the campaign to say it no longer stocks Burmese timber. “We are on this list but we have gone to them through the TTF to get our name removed,” he said. “We’re really not sure what they want from us.” Despite advice from TiC, the Burma Campaign still listed Flatau Dick on its wesite.
James Latham was removed from the Dirty List during TiC’s investigation. Prior to its delisting, director Chris Sutton issued a statement claiming the company no longer trades with Burmese mills. He said: “Sustainability is an issue which is very important to Lathams, and we endeavour wherever possible to source timber from legally verified suppliers. James Latham recognizes its responsibility to the environment, and was the first to sign up to the TTF’s Responsible Purchasing Policy.”
Sue Marsh of Mel Flooring said there has been a shortage of Burmese teak in recent
times, especially among flooring contractors who find it difficult to find replacement products for renovation jobs. The timber has a warm colour and was popular in mosaic and wood block flooring.
“I have had a lot of people calling me up working on domestic jobs, but I’ve also had other flooring contractors calling when they have got a repair to do and need 1m2 or 2m2 and trying to find some still in stock,” she said. “We’ve still got a little teak mosaic which is used in a lot of schools and houses which were built in the 1940s.”
Marsh explained that contractors often want small quantities of replacement timber while they restore timber flooring. “When timber flooring fell out of fashion it was covered up with carpet,” she said. “Now people are ripping up the carpet, finding they have a beautiful floor underneath and want to repair it.”
She recommended that flooring contractors find replacement hardwoods. “I would advise
people carrying out repairs to maybe use oak and then stain it. It wouldn’t look great, but otherwise you would have to pull the whole floor up.”
Whatever replacements contractors decide upon, the bottom line is that Burmese teak, seen as being of the highest quality, will be unavailable to European specifiers.
The great question still hanging over the EU sanctions of teak is how enforceable they will be. Betser explains: “People in the trade have been discussing how it’s going to work and how they’re going to know if timber is actually from Burma. They are also talking about what has been put in place to check it isn’t coming through and how much impact it’s going to have.”
The answer will probably lie in talking to organisations such as the TTF and in providing clear evidence of chain of custody, in schemes such as the Forest Stewardship Council, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification or the US Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
European specifiers will have to get used to finding alternatives to Burmese timber while the militaristic government and pro-democracy protestors remain at loggerheads.
