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Bruno Manser Fonds
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updated 2001-01-31

Sarawak

Background Informations

1. Letter from Penan-Leaders to the Chief Minister
2. Letter from the Penan-Leaders to the world community
3. Report from the Penan-Homelands
4. The Penan reject German forestry project
5. Three villains destroy Penan habitat
6. The Penan account of their situation
7. With tears of sorrow and rage - message of the Penan
8. The Cry of the Penan
9. In 1998 Bruno Manser tried to get back to Sarawak legally
10. Latest blockade

1. Letter from the Penan for the Chief minister of Sarawak

Ulu Limbang, march 1999

Honoured Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud

We, the Penan, live in big problems: Samling and LLT-Company, who work on your command to exploit our forest in Ulu Limbang, have destroyed our clear drinking-water, our foo-resources and our graveyards.

We ask you to act like our father who cares for his children: Please, withdraw the logging-licences within all Penan-homelands and protect our virgin-forest, who gives us life.

Thank you.

We send greetings to you and your wife

T.K. Along Segá, Ulu Limbang
T.K. Uian Ngang, Long Keneng
T.K. Kayan Etek, Long Adang
T.K. Aweng Tewai, Long Pusit
Lakei Suti Megut, Meli-it/Magoh

2. Letter from Penan-Leaders to the world community

Penan Villages
Of 16 Long houses
Ulu Baram
98500 Sarawak/Malaysia

September 1998

To all who are sympathetic to the struggle of the Penan People

With respect to the above matter, we, the leaders of the Penan Community of Sarawak wish to say a few words.

To all who are sympathetic and who support our Penan struggles regarding land problems in the Penan villages of the Sungai Baram, Limbang and Magoh, we wish to inform you that the sitation is getting more serious each day because of the on-going logging activities in Sarawak.

We have been facing this problem for more than ten years now and it will not be solved as long as there is no end to logging activities which are trespassing into our land. Therefore, we appeal to the world community to support us in our struggle by writing appeal and support letters to the Malaysian Government especially the State Government of Sarawak. asking that they recognize the rights of the Penan to the forest and land, and that all logging concessions in the Penan lands be withdrawn and cancelled.

In our struggle since 1986, several hundred Penans and other Dayaks have been arrested and jailed by the police.

Because of uncontrolled logging activities, our lands have been greatly reduced and the forest and rivers destroyed. Outsiders have entered our lands at will and robbed us of our rights to the forest and our properties. Nevertheless, we are committed not to surrender and to continue our struggle because without the forest and rivers we are unable to continue our traditional way of life.

Therefore, we, the undersigned, wish to authorize and give our support to Bruno Manser to voice our concerns on the issues of our struggle to the world community. We trust and are certain that he will bring forward all our problems facing us now. We, the leaders of the Penan Community give our full support to Bruno Manser in this struggle.

Once again we, the Penan Community of Sarawak wish to appeal for support from the world community.

Thank you

The Leaders of the Penan community of Sarawak

3. Report from Penan-homeland, Sarawak (21.03.99)

The Chief Minister (CM) of Sarawak, Taib Mahmud, granted SAMLING Co. one third of Sarawaks' forests as concessioned land. Eye-witnesses reported the following:

Violence conducted against peaceful Penan peoples

The trial arranged for the 10.03.99 against four Penan who had been arrested after an encounter with Samling Co. workers in March 1997 has been postponed at short notice without further reason given. (reported by BMF). One of the above-mentioned Penan Hennison Bujang from Long Benali, reports:

"About 70 Penan had gathered at the Segita river to hold talks with the Samling company about our forest. The headmen from Long Benali, Long Sait, Long Sepatai, Long Kerong and representatives from Long Lamai, Baa Lai, Long Kerameu and Tutoh were all present. Suddenly the police arrived with workers from Samling Co. and started pointing their rifles at us. I spoke: " Your customs are not ours. We do not want a war. We have come here with our wives and children to talk in peace."

"This is no time for talking !" retorted the chief of police whilst strangling me and commanding our arrest. The police released the safety catches on their rifles at which men, women and children alike fled, some of them panicking and injuring themselves. My uncle was thrown to the ground, his blow pipe and quiver smashed into pieces, blood ran over his face and a policeman started kicking him. My glasses were torn from my face and trodden into the ground and I was beaten until blood ran down my nose and mouth. Four of us were dragged away to the car, where we were handcuffed to the bumper. I was repeatedly punched. One gun-barrel was pointed at my belly, another one at my forehead. I was only waiting for the bang."

The policeman started threatening me:

"You teach the people to obstruct the workers here and making the government look bad! We know your type!"

"This all happened around 4:00pm. We were taken down the valley on a bumpy road, the rifle still aimed to fire at me. On several occasions the police stopped, hit me round the face, punched me in the stomach and pulled my hair out until I collapsed. We arrived in Miri at midnight, where we were immediately locked up. After a short while we were taken out of our cells and beaten again. As I tried to help one of the others who had collapsed I was kicked and karate chopped in the neck. Due to the fact that my hands were bound I was only just able to stop myself from cracking my head against the wall as I fell. They then dragged me up the stairs by my hair. While taking photos of us they jested. "Now you'll be known everywhere!" and prodded me in the stomach.
The following day we were interrogated and found guilty of stealing a chain-saw and setting fire to a bulldozer. We protested our innocence. After that we were taken to Marudi. Handcuffed, we were thrown to the cell floor. We had to sleep on the cold concrete floor without a shirt or blanket. I shared my very meagre ration of spicy noodles and bitter coffee with an old prisoner on whom I took pity. I was interrogated two to three times daily, and each time I pleaded not guilty. By the third day I had lost any imaginable appetite. After nine days I was feeling extremely weak and suffering from stomach pains. I pleaded for a doctor, but was accused of feigning illness. On the way back from the interrogation I stopped to drink from a water tap but was driven away."

"In the meantime our relatives had been looking for us everywhere in Miri, but in vain. Then a member of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) visited me and asked me about my troubles: "You don't look well at all, we need to get you to a hospital!" he told me."

"Two policemen took me to a hospital where I was greeted by Doctor Pengiran under whom I had taken a course in medicine. " What on earth are you doing here?" he asked me puzzled. He tried to assure the police that I was a good person, he knew me after all. But the damage had already been done, the police had already mistreated me."

"Finally we were released with a summons before court 8 months later. After that we received a summons to Marudi again. When we arrived there however, there was nobody to take care of us. We were merely told that the appointment had been postponed to the 10.03.99. Nobody reimbursed us for our travel or eating expenses. I must add that I have participated in numerous blockades and have never broken the peace with the workers of the logging company, managers, or government officials with whom I have communicated."

SAMLING Co. repudiates human rights:

* The right to clean drinking water.

With a total of 96 families (approx. 450 people) Long Lamai is the largest Penan settlement in the Baram region. Years ago the government sent the Penan settlers water pipes, which were installed by the Penan themselves at the Python creek. Then came the Samling company however intending to log the whole area. The Penan defended themselves but despite the protests Samling destroyed the water supply. At that time the Penan held three policemen back from throwing tear gas. Due to the fact that all clear drinking water sources near to the settlement have been polluted by Samling, some 96 families now have to drink dirty water. In Ulu Limbang, Samling Company is not only polluting the dringking water of the nomadic Penan with mud, due to erosion by timber-mining, but also with poison: Timberstocks in the field are treated heavily with insectizides.

During the dry period in 1998 a fire broke out in the logging camp on the Metepá-river which spread eastwards wiping out half of the Penan territory from Long Lamai as well as areas of the Kenyáh/Saben from Long Banga. Numerous species were burnt alive including porcupines, deers, stags, pangolins, martens, squirrels, macaques, birds, snakes and in addition the river stank frightfully of dead fish.

* The GTZ (German technichal cooperation) - together with Samling Company and the Sarawak Forestry Dept. (FOMISS project, comm. BMF) - is pushing the Penan to give up their land to loggers.

On several occasions representatives from the GTZ came pestering us to sign a contract. Henry Chan (socio-economic adviser of the project, comm. BMF) told us: " A part of your forest will go to the government, a part to the company and a part to you." However we are not prepared to share our territory. Why don't the foreigners who come from downrivers in search of our land carry out their projects within their own territories?
We told him:

"If your project is as good as you say it is, then materialise it there where the people want it. Carry it out in the logged areas of Apo/Tutoh and we will witness just how good it is."

"There are not enough trees to log there"

"That's not our problem" was our reply.

In the meantime the Penan of Long Mubui have been pushed to accept the project within their territory in return for a new long house and likewise the headman from Long Beruang in return for a financial sum.

Source: Long Benali/Long Kuren/Baa Lai, Feb.1999

* Poaching Companies

Workers from Samling, WTK, LLT and a so called "Raut"-Company are continuing to poach. The gorge near the Patáh-mouth (Magoh) has been electrically fished of its stocks. They took four sacks full of fish back with them to the valley, but only took the biggest ones. Dead fish as thick as one's arm were left floating down the river. Samling were also seen shooting wild boar from their vehicles but then not bothering to fetch the kill as they claimed that the area was too steep.
Incidentally there has been a ban on hunting since 1987 for all non-settlers in Ulu Baram/Ulu Limbang in order to protect the resources of the natives.

Who is threatening the nomads?

After a meeting with the manager and the Loggers of Raut-Company at Batu Iran, inside our promised Biosphere-reserve, they gave 5 shots into the air, while we were leaving. At our next meeting there with people from the Forestry Department, their boss Pusui, a chinese, shot from 2 meters distance twice directly above our heads. We were terrified and our ears were hurting for hours. This was about a year ago."

Source: Lakei Suti, Nomad from the Magoh, february 1999

4. Penan reject German forestry project

The German organization for technical cooperation (Gesellschaft fuer Technische Zusammenarbeit, GTZ) has signed a contract with Samling Co. and the Forestry Department of Sarawak for the sustainable use of a 1,680 km² lumbering concession (FOMISS project). It mainly consists of untouched virgin forest in native Penan territory which now, with help from the Germans, shall be exploited with bulldozers and chain saws within 10 years. Under the threat that the jungle has to give up its wood one way or ano ther, the Penan are forced to agree with the project. Although a moratorium of three years for completing an inventory has been agreed upon, Samling has continued logging in several places.

A concerned Penan stated,

"We have been trying to save our jung le for so many years, how many of us have been arrested!¹ Some have even paid with their lives!² Our forest provides us with everything which we need for living. We are used to living with our own problems at the foot of the mountain - if only you would not disturb us! Don't force us to have to beg for food from you down in the valley! We reject the German project as it would restrict our living space."

The responsible German federal Ministry (BMZ) requires that tropical forestry projects be carried out in appropriate areas. Primary forests should only be included for the purpose of protecting them or for special investigations.³ In total contradiction to this, the GTZ encourages the development of virgin forest. Should German taxpayers' money be misused for development which takes from the Penan exactly what they would never give up: the trees in their forest!? Write your opinion to the minister,

Mrs Heidemarie Wieczorez-Zeul
BMZ, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 40
53113 Bonn, Germany
Tel +49(0228)535 3312
Fax +49(0228)535 3325

Request the German government not to support, under any circumstancies, roadbuilding and/or commercial logging in virgin forests. Request that German development aid projects should only encourage sustainable forestry practices in secondary forests and degraded areas - in clear agreement with the local population. The GTZ could very well offer aid in Sarawak. The BMF has suggested during two personal meetings and also in written form that the GTZ use their unquestioned technical knowledge on "reduced impact logging" in secondary forests and to respect the traditional landrights of the indigenous people.

Samling Co. is Sarawak's largest lumbering company and has received about 15,000 km² of forest as a gift. Most of the forests bordering onto the FOMISS area have already been selectively logged downvalley and ar e almost asking for sustainable management. FOMISS should realize its longterm project there. The GTZ has yet to return a constructive answer to this suggestion.

¹ Over 700 since 1987.
² A 4-year-old child died during an attack with tear gas; there were four unsolved murders; a 12-year-old Penan girl was raped by members of the Police Field Force.
³ BMZ, Entwicklungspolitik, Sektorkonzept Tropenwald, Nr. 014, 1992.

5. Three villains destroy the Penan homeland

Three lumbering companies are destroying the land where the Penan live. Their names are Ravenscourt, Lee Ling Timber (formerly LTL) and WTK Co., the oldest logging company in Sarawak with headquarters in Miri. It is allowed to plunder 4,000 km² of forest which it had received as a gift, whereas the native population not only remains emptyhanded but is also being intimidated: during a meeting with the nomads of the Magoh area who threatenend to blockade an approach road, the Chinese WTK forestry boss Pusui shot a salvo of 20 shots from two meters' distance directly over the heads of Lakei Suti and his friends. Lee Ling Timber paid various settled Penan headmen a regular monthly income as well as MY 25,000 per year to distribute. In return they promised not to undertake anything against the lumbering activities. Many Penan have refused to accept their share but are too tired after the many arrests to continue carrying on non-violent resistance.

The company Ravenscourt is ravaging in the region of Ulu Limbang, which had already been proposed as a national park in 1984 due to its high species diversity. To date, this nature preserve has not yet been established (Pulong Tau National Park, 1,640 km²). Bulldozers are already churning up the ground at the foot of Gunung Murud, the highest mountain in Sarawak (2,560m) and at the foot of Batu Lawi, the most beautiful legendary jagged cliff rising out of the land - both are home to the Penan nomads as well as the clouded leopard. The companies pollute the "Baa Pina Uwut", the "river of the many sago palms", one of the last remaining clear streams in the actual heart of Penan country. The immediate future will show whether these companies will change from villains into rescuers - by stopping the exploitation of the virgin forest within their concession. Will Ravenscourt dare to take the first step?

6. The Penan account of their Situation (13/12/98)

According to the Elders, the Penan peoples originated from Baram since hundreds of years ago. At that time, there were neither any other races in the Baram area nor any governments existed. But there were badak sumbu (or rhinoceros, the most popular animal found in the Baram area then) and other animals in this place. The area was also covered with thick forests.

Much later, the Sultan of Brunei ruled over Sarawak and established the first government. Then in 1838, the Sultan gave James Brooke, a British trader, a portion of Sarawak for helping to defeat his enemies from wrestling power from him. Three years later, in 1841, James Brooke acquired the whole of Sarawak through manipulation and imposition of taxes on the people. When the people protested, James Brooke made used of the local Dayaks to fight against the other indigenous groups who refused to pay taxes, etc. By then, other indigenous groups such as the Kenyah, Kayan, Kelabit have entered the Baram area. The Kenyah originated from Usun Apau in Central Borneo while the Kelabit came from various places in Upper Limbang-Brunei such as Sungai Ruap, Batu Lawi, Temburong and Lawas. They settled down in the Baram area to seek refuge from enemy attacks during the headhunting period. (The history of Sarawak is too long to detailed here, but briefly, James Brooke and his descendents continued to rule Sarawak until 1943, followed by British colonialists from 1943 to 1963, with an interruption during 1945-46 when the Japanese occupied the state. In 1965, Sarawak together with Sabah were incorporated into the Federation of Malaysia).

The government instituted modern laws that contradicted the adat, or native customary laws. For instance, the Penan rights over lands and forests in Baram since hundreds of years ago were not recognised under these modern laws. However, in accordance wi th the Penan customary law, they have full rights over the land and areas in Baram. In order to protect their ancestral rights, our leaders and hundreds of people are willing to face arrests and imprisonment to protect our rights.

Yet the government passed laws that allow them to issue licenses to the timber companies for logging purposes and plantation companies to open up large areas for oil palm cultivation, thereby destroying the forest, polluting the rivers and air (e.g. burning the forests for land clearing resulted in the haze), etc.

The government has also passed laws prohibiting the killing of protected animals, for example under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) and wrongdoers would be fined or jailed. Yet, the government continue to issue timber licenses to companies which allow them to encroach into virgin forests to log the area, damaging the forests and wildlife and their habitats. More importantly, trees that provide food for both humans and wildlife are destroyed.

In view of the above, the Penan Community Leaders reiterated that their customary rights be respected and that they be given the right to pass their own laws regarding forest resources and animals, since they have a deep understanding of the protection, management and conservation of the forest and natural resources. They know how to manage the forest and harvest the forestry resources in a sustainable way, so there is no need for the government and outside agencies to teach the indigenous people! Instead, the government and outsiders should learn from the indigenous peoples!

The Penan peoples assert that:

"Our ancestral lands are given from god since we are born in Upper Baram and are kept in the hearts of our fore parents until today. Our rights and land can only be taken away by God alone when we enter the next world. But we never surrender our rights to human beings who easily forget their promises to us.
Our museum is the cave, mountain, rivers; and our history are the animals, sago, and traditional medicine. We have our own banks, supermarket, and fishponds, water pipes and livestock are already existing. God creates the earth for us to live, takes care of the plants and also creates the animals. Yet God allows us to live freely, to own and take care of God's creation. We can only share all these with the poor and those who can care of them because the creatures of God exist only once.
We know that human beings are good in destroying the forest and the rivers and animals but they cannot create them. Money and property can be created by human beings but they are not as beautiful as God's creation."

Closing remarks

Information for this paper is based on a Statement prepared by the Penan Community Leaders during the inter-village meeting held from November 29 - 30, 1998.

The Penan Community Leaders wish to convey their kind regards to all the World's Indigenous Peoples who are in similar situations as themselves.

13/12/98 On behalf of all the Penan leaders.

7. With tears of sorrow and rage

Message from the Penan, January 1997

We talked with members of the timber company at the end of the logging road. After that, lying in wait along the path, they beat Abung to death and threw his body in the river. Abung was a courageous speaker.

We had been reminded that there should be no blood letting. But the police came and used tear gas bombs against us, and threatened to use more. If we as Penan only talk, in the end we will be murdered. But not a hair on the head of the police will be harmed. If they come again and bulldoze our huts, I will no longer say that we were once told to remain peaceful. Regardless of whether I defend our cause or not, they do not respect us. And in the end, we could all be killed. If they disturb the resting place of my grandparents, my father and my mother, who are buried here, they will pay with their blood! Even if government officials come here and proclaim "such and such is the law", I will do as they do and follow my own heart. Whoever attacks us, I will attack in turn. And if outsiders come to us, and call themselves "soldiers, they are people like you and me. I am also a "soldier", hunting for animals in the thickness of the mountain rainforest. Here there are no enemies. They are only coming to destroy our people. How many times have my brothers been imprisoned?

And the lumbermen? They are continually molesting our women and wives. If we talk to them, they respond by saying "Don't worry, we are just doing our work". They treat us like dogs. The logging companies are worse than the devil ! They are are brainless, their heads are filled with earth. And if one refers to the "law", they do not listen, and speak instead of the law of their world which is invalid. Even the squirrel "Telle" has a law: If you chase him from your plantings, he scampers away. Not so the logging companies. Regardless of what you say, they don't listen. They only listen if you really kill them! If we erect a blockade here, they destroy something somewhere else in the meantime. And our rivers which they are polluting? In return they give us piles of medicine. For what? When I hear the droning of a bulldozer, I have tears in my eyes, sorrowful when I think of our destroyed forest, and so enraged that I could kill them.

I am no king and one knows that I have the quickest temper of all. I, who looks like a burnt gibbon in the rain, am ashamed. Our land is only a small one.

Please help us!

8. The Cry of the Penan

The earth's oldest tropical forest, estimated 160 million years old, is off the South China Sea on the island of Borneo. In the Malaysian state of Sarawak one of the planet's last nomadic people live: the Penan. Although roughly 9000 of them lead a sendentary life today, still about 260 Penan live as nomads. There are twentysix other tribes called the Dayak numbering 800'000 or half of the population of Sarawak.

The Dayak live in longhouses whereas the Penan live in huts on stilts in the heart of the forest. They live from hunting wild boars, deer and monkeys and from gathering sago. The sedentary tribes grow rice and fish to supplement their diet. Nomads exchange with sedentary tribes goods like wild rubber, resin, rattan-handycraft, blowpipes and "Gaharu" (Aloewood) for salt, tools and other objects.

Recently their territory has been restricted due to the excessive policy of the Malaysian timber industry. On the loggingroad traders, cash-economy, tape-recorders, sunglasses and the "mainstream of development" find their way into the heart of the forest now. In 1976 the harvesting of tropical wood was about 4.4 million square metres, in 1986 about 13 million square metres and 19 million square metres in 1992. Such a removal of wood is unjustified according to the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO). Several scientific studies point out the mass destruction of 65% of the once virgin rainforest. Giant trees are cut down leaving gaping holes in the canopy. Bulldozers plough through to clear for roads leaving unrepairable scars in the once untouched jungle. These and logged watersheds lead under the heavy rainfalls to an increasing erosion. The once limpid waters are now murky and polluted. The fish are disappearing. The wildgamestock, sagogrounds and wild fruittrees are dwindling.

For the inhabitants of the forests the consequnces are dramatic: Pollution of drinking water, famine and socio-cultural disarray. By transforming secure virgin forests into firetraps, logging is also responsible for the big forest fires and their health-threattening haze, which cannot be stopped at national boundaries.

Yet the government remained complacent so far. Both Taib Mahmud, the Chief Minister has given away logging licences for most of Sarawaks forests as gifts to his political allies and friends. One third is in the hands of his own family-clan. Politic al circles are closely linked to the lumber industry. And here is where the destruction of the rainforests of Sarawak begins. European governments and the private sector claim that the poverty of the region justifies cutting down trees. In reality, timb er dealers care little about the native tribes nor about timber legislation. All they care about is profits.

Other forests are bound to be massacred. Malaysian firms have already obtained the right to exploit forests in Papua New Guinea, in the Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, in Cambodia and Laos, in Guyuana, Brésil, Belize, Suriname, in Liberia, Cameroon and in the Demoncratic Republic of Congo.

For years the Penan and Dayak tribes have shown only passive resistence. But increasingly they have had to resort to road blocks in order for their protest to be heard. Although tree felling has temporarily halted, local authorities have retaliated by destroying barracades, dwellings, fields and even sepulchres. Over 700 tribal people have been incarcerated for their peaceful opposition against the logging industry, and their reaction have earned some two weeks to nine months in prison. In september 1993 Samling Company with some 300 soldiers, police and loggers - aided by teargas, bulldozers and helicopters - made a crack down against a Penan blockade. This sad incident where a child died was kept quiet by the Malaysian media.

For propaganda tactics the model village of Long Kevok with its sanitation and agricultural projects is shown to foreign officials and the media. Most of the four zones reserved for the Penan people - 80 km² to 525 km² in size - have neither been demarcated in the field, nor protected from beeing logged so far. As long as the Sarawak government does not recognize the traditional landrights of the indigenous peoples, any nation and company importing timber or other resources from their territories without their consent is involved in human rights violations, causing the extinction of the last virgin forests and minority cultures. Each one of us has a responsibility as investor or consumer.

The resolution of the European Parliament , demanding a moratorium on timber-imports from Sarawak (1988) has never been implemented by any government. It is the Tropical Timber Trade Organisation (ITTO) itself, who has promised to stop trade with timber from non-sustaiable resources (like the virgin forests) from the year 2000 on. If the remaining forests disappear, the Penan nomads have no chance for survival, and all Dayak living in autarcy will loose their culture and indebendent economy. We keep the hope that the government and the public will recognise the rights of the indigenous peoples and help to protect the remaining islands of virging rainforest: a treasure, no human beeing can create.

9. Bruno Manser wishes to surrender himself in Malaysia

Exerpts from an article by Ruedi Suter, July 1998

Bruno Manser from Basel had planned to parachute down over the Malaysian city of Kuching in Sarawak carrying a lamb as a symbolic present for the Chief Minister and surrender himself there. Manser, who had violated immigration laws by staying six years in the jungle with the Penan, nomadic peoples of the forest being increasingly threatened by logging, hopes that they could be saved by this act. The plan failed initially.

As Bruno Manser wanted to board Singapore Airlines flight SQ 343 on Sunday, April 5, at Zurich airport with a parachute and a 24 day- old lamb "Gumperli" (little jumper), the airline refused to transport the animal. Although he presented the papers he had been asked to procure, diplomatic pressure presumably had an influence in the matter.

The rainforest activist from Basel had planned to jump out of a small plane together with the lamb over Kuching on April 7, the day of the Hari Raya-festivities, the most important day in the Islamic religion. The symbolic lamb was to be presented to the Chief Minister of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, Abdul Taib Mahmud, during the festivities of Hari Raya Haji. Bruno Manser,"This is a gesture of peace and reconciliation. I would like to apologize for violating the immigration laws and do not want to avoid punishment. I also hope that the Malaysians will pardon me and that we can quickly find a joint solution for saving the Penan and their remaining forests." To emphasize his peaceful intentions he informed the Chief Minister in detail of his arrival, originally planned as a surprise, and asked him for permission. The only result: the airline's refusal to transport the lamb.

The nomadic Penan will die without their forest

The reason behind this operation, questionable even for sympathizers, where Manser, activist for human rights as well as the rainforest, would risk his freedom is the desperate situation of the Penan. Manser, who had lived with the nomads of the primeval forest from 1984 to 1990 and has been fighting for their rights since then, regularly receives tapes on which the Penan report their situation. At the end of 1997 the last tape arrived in Basel with the message of an elderly Penan," If you do not come quickly you will later only see our tracks. Bare land, only the rain will fall on your head, there will only be wind. And wherever you reach out with your hand not I will greet you, not I will take your hand - only rain and bare land."

Such words confirm information according to which Sarawak has already clearcut 80 per cent of its primeval forests and the Penan hunter - gatherers have but two years until their vitally necessary game and fish stocks will have disappeared and the last giant trees will have been cut down.

"My whole work here means nothing for the Penan as long as the logging continues," said Manser on Saturday. Not one of the promises made by the government has been fulfilled as yet: neither self determination, a biosphere preserve, an end to logging nor the prohibition of hunting for outsiders. The attainment of these goals may yet be possible. "If not, the Penan living off the forest and its animals have no chance of survival." Al Gore and the World Bank informed

The operation had been discretely prepared in advance at the office of the Bruno Manser Fonds (BMF) with the help of countless supporters. Manser went to the US in January to inform Vice President Al Gore and the World Bank as well as the Malaysian Ambassador to the UN about the situation of the Penan and his planned return.

A course in parachuting was paid by a donation from a supporter; Swiss pilots and parachutists advised him and helped him to complete 100 jumps as well as to paint the Malaysian flag onto the parachute. A farmer from Kleinlutzel donated the lamb with which Manser, also a former shepherd, already made two jumps from a Pilatus Porter airplane - the lamb "Gumperli" seemed unimpressed.

A video of the jumps was sent together with a personal greeting to the Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, Manser asking for permission to carry out the act of reconciliation in Kuching. Such a procedure could be regarded as naive - but in the case of Manser it has brought unexpected successes in the past.

Manser has however to date not received any reply from the Chief Minister to the video and message sent on March 20 by express courier. Various faxes stating Manser's proposed arrival by a regular scheduled flight have likewise remained unanswered.Singapore Airlines in Zurich confirmed having been contacted by the Malaysian Embassy when asked by Manser. He would not be allowed to fly on to Kuching with a regular flight. Bruno Manser took it with composure,"I won't be kept from my plan of reconciliation with the Malaysians and will emphasize this with an act in Geneva this Monday, april 6^th, 1998.

10. Latest blockade

Pusa Luding, Report Long Kuren, 29/11/1998

At Long Sabai in January 1998 to June 1998 the Penan from the villages of Long Sabai and Ba Kerameu erected a wooden blockade across the road of Shin Yang Timber Company which entered and worked in the forested area of Ba Keramu and Long Sabai villages in Upper Akah and Tutoh River, Baram. The area around the village of Ba Kerameu has been almost completely encroached upon, and all the trees have been cut. Graveyards and farms have been destroyed by logging activities.

Even though the Penan residents from Long Sabai and Ba Keramu tried to prevent the company from encroachment to the area, some Kelabits from Long Lellang encouraged the company to continue working as they are receiving commission from the company monthly.

In June 1998 some Police officers from Marudi Police Station went to the site to investigate after the logging manager made a complaint against the Penan people who set up the blockade to stop the company from working for a few months. When the Police arrived at the blockade site, the Police Officer asked, "Who is your leader who asked you to set up this blockade?" The Penan headmen answered the police, "We don't have any leader who encourage us to make this blockade. But our boss who encourage us is this..." the headmen pointed to his stomach.

"Because the company encroached in to our area without any concern for us, you can see with your own eyes all the traditional medicines that we conserved for many years are destroyed by the bulldozer. Our land boundary was encroached by the company without asking the permission from Penan. That's why we erected this blockade. The blockade is one way to invite the company and the authorities to come and meet with us Penan to negotiate and solve the problem nicely." After each of the headmen had spoken, the Police asked the Penan to bring them to investigate and survey the area where the traditional herbs and plants had being affected by the bulldozers. The Penan headmen and a few others together with the Police went to the area to see. After the Police had seen that the Penan were telling the truth, the Police ordered the company not to encroach in to Penan land and the Police officer also signed a statement and asked the company to stop entering the area. The Police reminded the Penan people that if the company still continue their activities, they should please inform the Police headquarters in Marudi Baram division. From then on the company dared not to enter the area and they moved away from the boundary and continued working in Kelabit area.

During that negotiation the Penan were successful because the company has stopped entering the area until to this day. Nevertheless, we will continue to protest against logging activities to stop them from continuing to encroach.

The Penan people have protest and erected a peaceful blockades more then 10 years already but the Penan never arrested nor killing people. Instead many Penan people was kill and the lady was rape by the PFF and loggers. Penan people are peaceful loving people they never treat people badly.