Bruno Manser Fonds
Heuberg 25
4051 Basel
Switzerland
phone +41 61 261 94 74
fax +41 61 261 94 73
updated 2001-01-31
Basel, 31 January 2001 - Attachment 1
Press Release
Interview Paleu
Person: Paleu
Resident of: Magoh Biosphere Reserve, Kubaan River
Relationship: Accompanied Bruno on 24./25.05.00,
participated in 2nd searchoperation
Site of interview: Ulu Limbang
Date: 24.12.2000
Team-Leader (TL): When and where did you meet with Bruno ?
Paleu (P): Sometime in July.
TL: And where?
P: On this side of the high mountain (meaning the divide between Bareo and Sungai Kubaan).
TL: Above Lg. Semirang or already lower down?
P: Above the waterfall near the divide. Between Bareo and Lg. Semirang.
TL: Did anyone accompany Bruno?
P: No, no.
TL: Was he really alone?
P: Yes.
TL: Other people have told us of a Kelabit who accompanied Bruno?
P: I really saw nobody.
TL: Can you remember what time you met Bruno?
P: No, I don't know.
TL: Was it still morning or already afternoon?
P: In the morning.
TL: Early in the morning?
P: Maybe around 10 o'clock.
TL: Where did you go after you met?
P: I went to Bareo.
TL: And Bruno?
P: To Lg. Semirang.
TL: Alone?
P: Yes. Bruno asked me whether I could help him carry his things. I asked Bruno to leave his baggage here and to go on to Lg. Semirang. I then came back from Bareo on the same day in the evening (I was bringing Belian poles to Bareo) and met Bruno in Lg. Semirang.
We spent the night together in the hunting shelter of the Kelabit at Lg. Semirang.
TL: You only spent one night there?
P: Yes. The next morning we undertook the climb.
TL: How long did the climb take?
P: We only arrived at the summit at 13.00 h as we were rather slow due to my little son.
TL: What happened on the summit? Did you go back immediately?
P: After we reached the top Bruno told me that he knows the way from here on and that I should return with the child.
TL: So you arrived, rested for a short while and then Bruno went straight on?
P: Yes, it was a very normal farewell. Bruno said I should return, he could continue alone from here.
TL: Did Bruno spend the night on the summit?
P: No, he walked on straight away.
TL: Did Bruno say where he wanted to go?
P: He said that he first wanted to go to Batu Lawi and then to the Nyakit River.
TL: Did Bruno tell you that he wanted to climb Batu Lawi?
P: I think he said something to that effect. But I don't know whether he really climbed up.
TL: Did Bruno find the way by himself or did you show it to him when you climbed up from Lg. Semirang?
P: He went ahead. He said he'd find the way to Batu Lawi with the map.