Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed
The Hon. Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister's Office, Main Block
Prime Minister's Department, Administrative Centre
62502 Putrajaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan
MALAYSIA

Place:
Date:

Land-rights of the Penan

Your Excellency

Again and again I hear and read about the fate of the Penans and other indigenous peoples of Sarawak and how their traditional rights are disregarded.

Recently I have received a plea for help from the Penans in the Baram region. They started a road blockade on August 11th to stop the logging of their forest. Three logging companies (Rimbunan Hijau Sdn. Bhd., Shin Yang Sdn. Bhd., Raywood Sdn. Bhd.) work on land which has been occupied and used for many generations by the Penans. This forested land produces everything the Penans need and must not be encroached upon without prior consent of the people.

Although in the meantime the blockade has been abandoned, I am very concerned about what happened. The Penans are a peaceful, friendly people. It therefore seems very strange that they are forced to resort to desperate measures such as road blockades to fight for their survival.

As indigenous people of Sarawak, the Penan have land rights to all the areas they traditionally live in. I am very concerned to learn that all their petitions and pleas have been ignored by the relevant government authorities. This can not be right!

May I ask you to recognise and protect the Penans' rights and their forest. Will you please follow the request of the Penans to

1. Immediately stop all logging activities in the forests traditionally owned by the Penans
2. Recognise and protect the traditional and land rights of the Penans.
3. See to it that all the damages caused by the logging companies till now are refunded.

Thanking you very much for considering my request and allowing the indigenous peoples of your country to live in peace and dignity.

Yours sincerely