Indigenous Kenyahs Protest Against Logging Activities of Samling Timber Company In Baram Region

 

 

Upper Baram, Miri: More than hundred (100) indigenous Kenyah peoples from various longhouse communities living in the interior of Telang Usan (Kedaya Telang Usan) area in the Baram region of the State of Sarawak, East Malaysia, gathered at upper Moh River to stage a non-violent protest against logging operations of Samling Timber Company.

 

On 19^th May 2008, the Indigenous Kenyah from six (6) longhouse communities, namely Long Moh, Long Je'eh, Long Bela'ong, Long Sawan, Long Silat and Long Mekabar started with the blockade. The blockade is set on the major logging roads used by Samling Timber Company to carry out its logging activities within the communal lands and forest area of the Kenyahs of Kedaya Telang Usan in Baram Region. The site of the blockade is about 300 KM northeast from Miri town.

 

The blockade is set up to stop the logging company, Samling from freely extracting and transporting timbers from their forest areas in the upper Sungai Sebua, Sungai Jekitan and Sungai Moh area. The blockade is also to halt illegal logging activities carried by Samling within their communal land area. Samling has deliberately carried out illegal felling of trees such Tapang, Menggris, Belian and Engkabang (illipenut).

 

For the last three (3) weeks since the blockade was erected, Samling's logging activities have been temporarily ceased. Hundreds of timber logs that had been felled are stacked up along the sides of the logging road. The Kenyahs have stopped all the logging trucks and other logging machineries from entering and transporting timbers from the area. They have written a letter to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) to requesting SFC to carry out an urgent physical inspection of all logs that have been illegally felled by Samling in the area. They also called upon SFC to stop Samling from carrying out its operation until all inspection of timber logs have been duly done and completed.

 

Ever since Samling started its logging operations in upper Baram area the indigenous peoples communities have severely suffered the environmental impacts of logging activities. The company simply encroached into their Communal land and Forest areas to carry out logging activities, without any consultation and consideration for their source of livelihood. They resorted to this action after the company continued to ignore their demands and rights of access and benefits 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 and deaf ears.

 

The Kenyahs have forwarded some reasonably demands for social benefits and development of the community as they are the right stakeholders that should be fairly benefit from forest resources in their area. However, these demands have been totally ignored by Samling. Having no other alternative and being compelled to bring attention to their plight, the indigenous Kenyahs of Kedaya Telang Usan area in Baram Region have resorted to staging this protest which is still continuing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Call for consultation

 

The Kenyahs at the blockade claim that the road blockade is their way to call on the        company representatives and the government/authorities to have consultation and meet with them to listen to their problems and demands. Otherwise, the Samling Timber Company will continue to ignore their demands and plights.

 

Personnel of SFC and Police sent to protest site

 

On 29^th May 2008, upon received complaints from Samling, a group of personnel from the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) had been to the blockade site to remove the wooden barricades. However, they were being restrained from dismantle the blockade. Having failed to do so, the SFC has filed an action and had being granted the Warrant of Arrest by the Magistrate Court in Miri.

 

The Police personnel from the Marudi Police Station have been ordered to the blockade site to enforce the Warrant of Arrest on the14th June 2008. So far, no arrests have taken place.    

 

 

 

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