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By Draxon Maloya.

Malawi (News of The South) – Reunion Timber Millers Union have finally forced a shut down of all operations in the vipsya plantations on Thursday and started staging demonstrations and vigils aimed at forcing government to listen to their concerns.

The sew millers who are demanding equal opportunities with foreign investors in the sharing of forest resources were expected to meet the Mining, Forestry and Natural Resources esources minister, Binton Kuntsaira on tuesday but the meeting did not take place.

The Union leaders felt government is not serious enough to adress their grievances hence a decision to shut down all operations in the plantation, demonstrate and start their vigils at the Chikangawa Firest offices.

The Union president Paul Nthambazale said, ten year is a long time for a caring government administration to handle issues that are impinging on its people.

”We can’t go on with this hide and seek, this is has been outstanding for ten years now but government seem not to be serious enough, so let operations in the plantations be on hold until we get a response from them,

” This office is not serving the interests of the ordinary Malawians (citizenry) whose forefathers planted these trees in the plantations, so let it be closed until we get a response from government, ” Nthambazale said

Efforts to talk to the responsible minister Binton Kumtsaira and the ministry’s spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa proved futile despite numerous times this reporter called them.

Meanwhile, the timber millers have threatened to take unspecified action if government will not respond to the demands by monday, but they were quick to rule out the possibility of destroying trees.

” If we dont get any response by Monday, then come and see what will be the next course of action,

” But we cant destriy trees, we are a law abiding citizenry, but if they dont respond then we shall engange the next gear of our vigils, come on Monday and see, ” he said.

One of the businessmen in the city of Mzuzu who operate a hardware shop, Franklin Nyirongo complained that the shutdown of operations in the Vipsya plantation is negatively impacting on businesses in town.

”People working in the plantations gives us business you know they buy oils and other spares here, so this impasse is greatly affecting our businesses as well, ” Nyirongo said.

The Vipsya plantation was established in 1945 by a British national only identified as Boardman who got a concession from Chief Kabunduli.

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