Bruno Manser Fonds
Heuberg 25
4051 Basel
Switzerland
phone +41 61 261 94 74
fax +41 61 261 94 73
updated 2001-01-31
received on May 1999
Report from the Penan
Mutang Tuo, m, Long Iman:
The companies fell also the smaller trees now, they want to replace our forest with oilpalm-plantations. (They threatened us with jail and fine when we trade wilboar and deer. But it's an income to buy salt and other items we need.)
Djayat Ayat, f, Long Leng:
If they turn our forest into oilpalm-plantations, we have no more life, as we depend on the forest for all our food, rattans and medicins. Our fish, wildboar, rattan and sago-palms will disappear, if they make oilpalm-plantations - even young trees, as thick as your finger will desappear! We want to see Taib, Bruno M., and ourseves happy...
Tingang Deng, m, Long Iman:
Twice I was arrested for protecting our forest. We had poor food, one month in jail. We ask Taib Mahmud to call back all the people entering our territory, which is not theirs. They want to start oilpalm!
Ulau Ayat, f, Long Leng, Baa Layun:
We live now in the middle of logging-companies who exploit timbers every day within our territory. They have even destroyed our fields without paying any compensation for the damage. The loggers pursue and molest us women when we pick up fruits and coll ect rattan.
Lian Sope, Long Latei:
We went to Kuching to see the Chief Minister at his residence during Hari Raya Haji. The Police brought us to their station for enquiry. We told them everything about problems with logging and oilpalm-plantations. We wanted to ask Taib Mahmud, Abang Joh ari and Alfred Jabu: "How do you heal these problems?" But the Police did not let us see them - and did not allow us to stay longer in Kuching, but forced us to leave for Miri and Marudi the next day.
Asik Nyalik, Baa Ubung
They forbid us to kill Gibbons and Hornbills - but they kill them themselves by killing the trees and the forest. check it out yourself: before the loggers came, there were plenty of Gibbons and Hornbills here. They say we will profit from having our fo rest turned into oilpalm-plantations. I do not believe them. We have seen it, when they logged our forest - they only became rich themselves, while our life turned into poverty.