Extracted from Malaysiakini

Extracted from Malaysiakini.com

Dr M, take your logging companies home with you: PNG groups

4:50:08 PM Oct 25, 2003

A number of Papua New Guinea NGOs wants its government to raise the issue of illegal logging with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his visit to the Pacific island - seeing that about 80 per cent of its entire forestry trade is controlled by Malaysian companies.

The Papua New Guinea Eco Forestry Forum said that since Malaysian companies are at the forefront of the international trade on illegal logs and timber, leaders of both nations must now make clear commitments to eradicate the trade.

The groups’ statement is timed with the Malaysian leader’s final visit to PNG, which began yesterday, to highlight the problems caused by Malaysian firms in the country.

PNG Prime Minister Michael Somare has hoped that the visit will open up more economic opportunities with its regional neighbour.

Malaysia is the second largest foreign investor in the country after Australia.

PNG’s forestry laws require that logging operations must be made on a sustainable basis, in strict compliance with the forestry code of practice and other regulations, as part of protecting the rainforest diversity for its people.

Local resource owners - namely, the over 700 distinct communities that own 97 per cent of PNG territory through customary land ownership - must give informed consent to any logging operation.

Despite these requirements, said the forum, almost all logging operations in PNG fail to adhere to basic legal standards - most exported logs come from illegal sources.

"In PNG we look upon our land and resources as our lifeblood and our heritage," said the Non-Governmental Alliance Against Illegal Logging in its statement.

Sold cheaply

Sadly, said the group, with Malaysians controlling a sweeping majority of logging projects - approximately four million hectares of forest land - the people of PNG will continue to suffer, seeing no real benefits despite 20 years of logging.

"The Tiger economy of countries like Malaysia are built upon the plunder and pillage of other countries natural resources.

"A commission of inquiry has described logging companies as ‘robber barons, bribing politicians and officials’. Reports have detailed ‘human rights abuses, sexual violence, environmental damage, social disharmony and the use of illegal labour' by logging companies."

Worst of all, said the alliance, once the timber is sold cheaply to other countries, Port Moresby will in turn ask for aid from the same countries that have exploited the nation’s resources.

"Please, Dr Mahathir, take your logging companies home with you," it said.

Last May, environmental group Greenpeace Papua New Guinea accused the Malaysian timber consortium Concord Pacific of illegal logging in the guise of building a road in the country.

The NGO claimed that the consortium has since exported RM60 million worth of logs under the Kiunga-Aimbak road project, and yet there is no functional road in the area.

In the meantime, there has been extensive and well documented environmental, social and economic devastation inflicted onto the area, including non-payment of revenue owed to local landowners, claim Greenpeace.

In July this year, PNG courts granted a temporary stop order on the controversial logging project, and that Concord Pacific, its agents, or its project partners, are restrained from trespassing or remaining on the customary land.

Besides the logging industry, Malaysian companies have interests in banking, finance, and retail.