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updated 2001-12-17
Sarawak, August 2000
INTERNATIONAL APPEAL TO SUPPORT PENAN PLIGHT IN SARAWAK
BY SAHABAT ALAM MALAYSIAPlease send supporting letters
Penans Protest Against Logging in River Apoh/Tutoh in Baram Region
More than hundred semi-settled Penans comprising men and women from various Penan settlements living in the interior area of Sungai Apoh/Tutoh in the Baram region, Sarawak, East Malaysia, gathered at Long Kevok to stage a non-violent protest against on-going logging activities in their communal lands and forests.
The Penan tribe is known to be a peace loving community and their numbers are fast dwindling, with only about 9,000 of them left in the Sarawak interior.
On 11th August 2000, the Penan community form the Apoh/Tutoh settlements erected a wooden barricade on a logging road belonging to Lajung Lumber Sdn. Bhd., a subsidiary company of Rimbunan Hijau Sdn. Bhd., Shin Yang Sdn. Bhd, and Raywood Sdn. Bhd.
The blockade was set up to stop the logging companies from freely transporting and extracting timbers from their forest areas in the upper Sungai Apoh/Tutoh.
They resorted to this action after the companies continued to ignore their rights of access to their natural forest resources. Their numerous complaints to the authorities and the logging companies regarding their claims to the forest resources and the problems caused by logging have fallen on deaf ears. Having no other alternative and being compelled to bring attention to their plight, the Penan natives have resorted to staging this protest, which is still continuing.
Their Grievances
Some of their grievances are as follows:
Both companies Rimbunan Hijau and Shin Yang acted very arrogantly in relation to their claims. They have simply bulldozed their planted fruit trees and grave-yards without paying anything for the losses and damage that they have suffered.
They also do not render any assistance to the Penan community who seek their help to send those who are ill to the nearest clinic in Long Bedian in cases of emergency.
The companies simply encroached into their Communal Forest Reserves and carry out logging activities here, without any consultation and consideration for their source of livelihood.
Why Blockade
The Penan protestors at the blockade claim that the road blockade is their way to call on the companies representatives to come and meet with them to listen to their problems. Otherwise, the companies ignore their plight.
The Penan community will continue with the blockade until their problems are resolved and they receive assurances from higher authorities.
Police sent to protest site
Four police-men from the Marudi Police Station and one person from Long Lama Police Station were sent to the blockade site on the 13 of August. So far, no arrests have taken place.
The photographs enclosed were taken on the first day of the blockade, 11th August, and the group photograph only shows small groups of Penans gathered at the blockade site because some of them turned up at the blockade site on the following day, on August 12.
This report was received by the SAM office in Marudi when 4 members from the Penan tribe came to inform us on August 15, 2000. These natives are returning to the blockade site this morning to join the protests.
Supporting Letters
Kindly send your letters of support to the following persons urging them to exercise restraint in dealing with the Penans at the blockade site. Urge them to address the problems of these natives who are struggling for their livelihood and who ask the logging companies to respect their Native Customary Rights (NCR) to the forest resources and their sacred sites.
The Penans appeal to the concerned logging companies and the responsible authorities:
- Immediately stop all logging activities on our NCR-land claims
- Recognize and respect our Native Customary Rights and land claims
- Pay compensation for the damages and losses caused by the logging
- Provide medical service.
Dear reader, kindly forward your own letter of support for the Penan appeal to: |
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Please send copies of your supporting letters to SAM, so that they can be forwarded to the Penan communities, and also to the Malaysian Embassy in your country. Find the contacts on www.smpke.jpm.my/govern/diplomatic.html
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For further information, please contact SAM`s Marudi OfficeP.O.Box 216 Marudi 98058 Baram, Sarawak e-mail:sammarudi@yahoo.com Tel/Fax: (++60) 85-756973 or SAM headquarters in Penang27, Lorong Maktab, 10250 You can also email us at meenaco@pd.jaring.my |
Sample-letter:
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Sender's address Place/date Landrights of the PenanYour Excellency Today I have received a plea for help from the Penan of Sarawak. They have started a blockade of the road on August 11th to stop the logging of their forest. Involved are the following 3 logging companies: Rimbunan Hijau Sdn. Bhd.; Shin Yang Sdn. Bhd. and Rawood Sdn. Bhd. These 3 companies are working on land which has been occupied and used since many generations by the Penan. They need this forest land for their survival. This land and forest produce everything the Penan need since generations. All 3 companies are destroying the fruit gardens and the cementaries of the Penan, and ignore the traditions and land rights of the first inhabitants of Sarawak. I am very concerned about this. I have heard that the Penan are a peaceful, friendly people. It therefore seems very wrong that they are being 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 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! Please, may I ask you to treat the Penan the same as all the other citizens of your beautiful country, to recognize and protect their rights. Will you please take to heart and follow the request of the Penan to
Please, may I urge you to act now in the interest of the indigenous people of Sarawak, to allow them to live their lives in peace and dignity. Thanking you very much for consideration of my request. Yours sincerely |