Penan NCR lands encroached by logging firm again

By Community Reps

Keruan

2002-03-21 | Penan communities in Ulu Baram is facing logging activities encroaching into the people's forests and NCR lands again. The company, Interhill, had encroached into the same people's forests and land in 2000 when the affected people managed to prevent the company from entering the areas by setting up blockades.

15 March 2002 - Penan communities in Ulu Baram is facing logging activities encroaching into the people's forests and NCR lands again. The company, Interhill, had encroached into the same people's forests and land in 2000 when the affected people managed to prevent the company from entering the areas by setting up blockades.

Beginning March, the company tried entering the people's areas and the affected communities with others from the surrounding areas then approached the company representatives at the logging camp to discuss the matter. However, the people were turned away by the Manager of the camp who refused to discuss the matter.

Community people left disappointed but vowed to not give up and will approach the company manager at the camp again to try to discuss the matter. The people have also vowed to defend their rights against the logging activities encroaching into their forests and NCR lands.

"We will try again to discuss the matter with the camp manager and to let the manager know that the logging activities have already reached the community's forests and we want the company to know that we live here since a long time ago," a community elder said.

Incidentally, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) had visited the area in October 2001 as a follow-up to the report lodged by the Penan communities with the Commission in September 2000. However, during that visit, the company's activities had not reached the people's lands.