Haumeni...not many: renewed plunder and mismanagement in the Timorese sandalwood industry

Abstract

[Introduction]: In the contemporary context, as in the past, what limits further development and conservation of sandalwood stands has less to do with the bio-physical aspects of plant husbandry, and much more to do with the politics of control and effective regulatory conditions for managing the resource. In the following paper I explore some of these aspects of sandalwood politics and argue that one key problem facing the development of a sustainable sandalwood industry in Timor is the monopoly State control of the commodity itself. Unless and until the Provincial Government relinquishes and devolves its control over the diminishing resource there is little likelihood of restoring sandalwood to its central historical place in the economics of Timor island. In the absence of progressive policy change local farming communities, who have been the historical producers of the fragrant wood, will continue to be denied their rightful inheritance.