MUKAH, (27 July 2001) - Four natives from the Iban community in Sungai Pelugau, Upper Balingian have been arrested by the Police yesterday evening for protesting against an oil palm plantation company which is trespassing into the community's customary land.

The four arrested were Usang Ak Labit, Semuel Ak Gental from Rumah Garai, Luis Ak Libau and Tuai Rumah Siew Ak Libau from Rumah Siew. They are currently being remanded at the Mukah Police Station for investigation. It was not known what charges were brought against the natives and how long they are to be remanded, as the police in the Mukah Police Station refrain their families and relatives to meet them. It was also not known whether the Police have brought the four before the Magistrate for further remand.

The four arrested are members of the 10 Iban longhouse community that are protesting against Rosebay Enterprise Sdn. Bhd. claiming that the company has been trespassing since 1997 into the their customary land and clear-cutting their communal forest for the purpose of setting-up an oil palm plantation without their prior informed consent.

No compensation whatsoever was given to the community by the company for damaging and extracting timber from the community's native customary land even though numerous protest were made by the community.

The community has even filed a representative legal action against the company, the Superintendent of Land and Survey Sibu Division and the Government of Sarawak in 1999 challenging the legality of the Provisional Lease. The case is still pending in the Sibu High Court.

The 10 longhouses that are protesting are Rumah Garai, Rumah Siew, Rumah Memuas, Rumah Ngindang, Rumah Gedong, Rumah Chendai, Rumah Kuching, Rumah Tabor, Rumah Encharang and Rumah Lipu all in Upper Balingian of Mukah District in Sibu Division, Sarawak.