Sri Aman, Sarawak - After the arrest and release of 15 indigenous people in Sarawak on Malaysia Day, another 15 indigenous Iban have been reported arrested in the Pantu District in Sarawak, for the alleged crime of harvesting oil palm fruits that have been grown on their native land. This was done in response to a police complaint filed by trespassing company Pelita-Tetangga Akrab.
The logging company Interhill has once again invaded indigenous Penan forests and NCR (native customary rights) lands. Interhill had invaded the same lands in 2000 but Penan succeeded in preventing the company from entering into their forests. The Penan are vowed not to give up trying to reach an agreement with the company officials concerning this matter.
Ba Jawi community sues logging group Samling and the Sarawak state government in order to protect 15,000 hectares of high-conservation-value tropical rainforest
Ba Jawi (Sarawak), MALAYSIA. The Penan community of Ba Jawi in Sarawak's Upper Baram region has today lodged a collective action lawsuit against Malaysian timber giant Samling and the state government of Sarawak over 15,000 hectares of primary rainforest in order to protect their livelihood from being destroyed by logging.
Logging giant threatens to suspend all transport services for locals unless Penan retract sexual abuse allegations
Ministry of Finance excludes Samling Global from the Norwegian Government Pension Fund
OSLO, NORWAY. One of the world's largest institutional investors, the Norwegian Government Pension Fund, has sold all its 16 million shares of Malaysian timber giant Samling Global, worth 1.2 million US $, as a consequence of a groundbreaking decision announced today by the Norwegian Ministry of Finance.
Sarawak authorities must act to protect victims and stop colluding with the logging companies
Two logging road blockades erected by Penan communities have caused a Malaysian timber giant, Samling, to withdraw its bulldozers from the Penan's rainforests on the upper reaches of the Akah river in Malaysian Borneo.
The blockades had been erected in March 2010 near the villages of Long Sabai and Ba Kerameu at two strategic locations. The communities had announced that the Penan were willing to fight for the conservation of their last virgin jungle.
Five rainforest communities of Malaysia's Middle Baram region are suing the Sarawak state government and the Malaysian timber giant Samling for non-respect of their native customary rights. They are demanding land titles for an area of 80'000 hectares, the nullification of four timber and planted-forest licences, plus compensation for damages.
With the proclamation of the park on the island of Borneo, 17 Penan communities are challenging the Sarawak state government that has given away these lands to a logging company.
As Malaysia commemorates its 46th anniversary, 15 indigenous Sarawakians were detained and later released by Kuching police on September 16th, 2009 for trying to send a memorandum of protest to the Sarawak Chief Minister. Among those arrested were Mark Bujang (BRIMAS), Raymond Abin (BRIMAS) and Hellan Empaing (WADESA), all leaders of the Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia) as well as representatives from the Kayan, Kenyah and Penan communities of Sarawak.
In particular, the Penan aim to stop planned plantation projects. Where the valuable trees have logged out, the companies are starting to clear the land for oil palm, acacia and eucalyptus plantations.
We are very happy to learn that the Penan communities of Sarawak's Upper Baram region have won the SUARAM Human Rights Award 2008. The Penan were chosne by the Malaysian human rights organisation Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM - www.suaram.net) among six nominees, together with the now-banned Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF).
Reconocimiento de tierra
Reconocemos que nuestra sede está en la tierra de Massachusetts, en Cambridge, MA, y agradecemos a los administradores Indígenas pasados, actuales y futuros de este territorio.
