Investigations

Investigating what happens on the ground provides essential information on the real situation on resource extraction. The lack of field work can undermine policies and monitoring systems devised and implemented remotely. Field findings can allow corrective action that makes monitoring of the resource more effective. This essential part of monitoring is however often overlooked due to the specific skills and active commitment it requires, and to the dangerous environment where it is carried out.

Investigations in the field form an important part of REM's work. Each investigation is planned using numerous contacts and the collection of documents. REM identifies objectives and a strategy to start its operations in the field, using the investigative experience of its staff to prioritise action. Throughout any investigation, targets and objectives are constantly reassessed. The flexibility of this approach leads to a high rate of detection of illegal activities, but also where opportunities for corruption may arise. The techniques of monitoring and investigation focus on gathering hard evidence and subsequently supporting effective law enforcement.

Investigating timber extraction

The list below is not exhaustive. It presents some of the key steps followed during investigations at field level:

Before going in the field...

The forest and related legal framework is assessed against different sectoral policies, local and national regulations in broad consultation to check consistency against international commitments concerning forests.

Official details of cutting permits are investigated including:
Official maps to determine who is entitled to cut trees where.
Dates of validity of titles to identify the exact area where a company is authorised to log during the period investigated.
Technical regulations ie norms of exploitation and other legal requirements to cut trees.

Other official documents are compiled to complement this basic information.

Reports or rumours of illegal activities are gathered from the private sector, government officials and civil society and their accuracy verified.

In the Field...

Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Video are used to plot activities in the field against officials maps and check whether logging is carried out inside or outside legal limits. The application of norms and procedure is checked on the ground with foresters.

Meetings with members of the government, private sector, local and international NGOs, IPOs and local populations are organised to gather further evidence and comments from different sources.

Additional research including in relevant Ministries is made to complement findings in the field.

...and Ministries...

Elements of investigations are compiled to produce a detailed, coherent and comprehensive field report based on solid documentation gathered on the ground.

...Conclusion of the investigations

Other stages of law enforcement monitoring can begin. Cases are tracked through the administrative and judicial processes using established procedures and legislation as standards against which progress can be measured.
...

Covert and open investigations

In some cases, for example external monitoring, investigations may be carried out under cover. REM's team has however specialised in an official role of active monitor of government law enforcement services and chooses to document cases and processes in an open manner wherever it can.

There are no covert operations within the structure of independent monitoring projects in collaboration with governments. This approach provides a powerful tool to governments and international agencies to inform policy. Documenting how official procedures are applied in its presence, REM seeks clarification where necessary during the investigation, which helps us identify clearly where there is a lack of governance or lack of capacity requiring training or equipment, and pinpoints where action can be taken. Within the framework presented in the independent monitoring section, REM seeks access to official information as well as other sources. This means that we can produce information on illegalities, as per a usual investigation, but also additional information on governance and law enforcement.

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