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Extracted from
Malaysiakini
Allow us to continue farming, Ibans appeal
Tony
Thien | Jun 28,
An Iban longhouse community in Suai, Niah is appealing to a
timber-cum-plantation company to not enforce a court injunction to stop the
community from entering a land used for three decades by the community for
farming.
MCPX
In return,
the longhouse community would promise the company, Butera Semari Sdn Bhd, that
they would not clear new land and limit their activities to the longhouse and
their farmlands in Sungai Sebalayan.
Technically,
until the court junction is set aside or dissolved the Ibans cannot go back to
the longhouse and their farms as the company has threatened to cite them for
contempt if they do so.
The appeal was made yesterday following a meeting with government officials in
Miri chaired by Miri Division Deputy Resident Boniface Atang and attended by
representatives from the district office, police and land office.
The Sungai Sebalayan Ibans were led by longhouse chief Pee Millo Datu and
accompanied by lawyer
The meeting was held following a demonstration held by the residents, backed by
Protesters displayed banners decrying their eviction from their native land,
one of which reads, “Our land, our right, our life”.
Federal Reserve Unit personnel were watching from a distance. There were no
untoward incidents reported.
Second
meeting scheduled
Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) secretary-general
“They want to know from the authorities where they could stay now,” said
Nicholas.
The Sungai Sebalayan Ibans were initially from Sarikei but were forced from
their former homes during the height of the communist insurgency.
They were later granted permission by the authorities to settle in Sungai
Sebalayan.
A second meeting is scheduled next Tuesday. Representatives from Butera Semari
are expected to attend the meeting and respond to the Sungai Sebalayan Iban’s appeals.
Ngau has been given three weeks by the courts to raise objections against the
injunction.
