Bruno Manser Fonds
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updated 2001-01-31
Receive in March 1999
Report from Penan-Homeland, Sarawak
CM 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 was postponed at short notice without further reason. One of them, 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 head men from Long Benali, Long Sait, Long Sepati, Long Kerong and representatives from Long Lamai, Baa Lai, Long Keramen 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 in the stomach. I was only waiting for the bang."
The policeman started threatening me: " You're obstructing the workers here and making the government look bad! We know your type!"
"This all happened at 4:00pm. We were taken down into 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 power 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 protested my innocence. 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 Alahm 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 bach. Then came the Samling company however intending to log the whole area. The Penan defended themselves but despite the protests Samling still 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. During the dry period in 1998 a fire broke out in the logging camp on the Metepáh-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 assistance) - together with Samling Company and the Sarawak Forestry Dept. (FOMISS project) - is forcing 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 the valley 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" they responded.
" That's not our problem" was our reply.
In the meantime the Penan of Long Mabui have been forced to accept the project within their territory in return for a new long house and likewise the head man from Long Beruang in return for a financial sum.
Source: Long Benali/Long Kuren/Baa Lai, Feb.1999