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Extracted from
Malaysiakini
Iban farmers
fight eviction from NCR land
Tony
Thien
Aug 15,
Iban farmers in Ulu Sebauh, about 40km from Bintulu town, will set
up a blockade to prevent a private developer from demolishing their houses and
taking over their land when an eviction notice expires on Aug 22.
At a meeting over the weekend, the villagers from Rumah Nor
decided this as a course of action against the notice issued by the
property-based company.
The company was invited to send representatives, but no one turned up at the
meeting chaired by the longhouse chief Nor Nyawai.
The village and several representatives of the longhouse were at the centre of
landmark legal battle launched in 2001 against the state government and a paper
and pulp company, to defend their rights over native customary rights land.
The company claims that the farmers are illegally occupying three parcels of
land it now owns with titles issued by the government. But the Ibans counter
that the land is part of their pemakai
menoa (territorial domain), which has not been challenged in court.
Native land rights lawyer Baru Bian told malaysiakini he had advised the Ibans
to lodge a police report following receipt of the eviction notices.
The Ibans have instructed their lawyers to apply for an injunction to stop the
company from demolishing their property.
Baru also said he has learnt that the three lots of land have been alienated to
the company as part of the site of an urban growth centre.
Last week, the tuai rumah
(village chief) led 64 people from his longhouse to lodge a report at the
Bintulu police station over the company’s threat to demolish their houses.
Among them was the longhouse security and development committee chairperson
Sekalai Ling. Also present was the DAP state assemblyperson for Kidurong, Chiew
Chin Sing.
The delegation also went to the Land and Survey Department office to find out
the address of the company.
Chiew said any commercial development should give due regard and recognition to
native customary rights over land.