Five Penan communities in Malaysian state of Sarawak on Borneo have filed a suit against the Malaysian government and three forestry companies operating in the Penan territory. Decades of illegal logging have destroyed most of the Penen's original forest home, and they are fighting to keep what remains. In the suit, to be heard by the High Court of Sarawak and Sabah, the Penan are demanding title to 300 square miles of their lands, a cessation of logging there, and damages. The suit is the latest development in an ongoing campaign by Cultural Survival's Global Response program.
Five rainforest communities of Malaysia's Middle Baram region are suing the Sarawak state government and the Malaysian timber giant Samling for non-respect of their native customary rights. They are demanding land titles for an area of 80'000 hectares, the nullification of four timber and planted-forest licences, plus compensation for damages.
With the proclamation of the park on the island of Borneo, 17 Penan communities are challenging the Sarawak state government that has given away these lands to a logging company.
As Malaysia commemorates its 46th anniversary, 15 indigenous Sarawakians were detained and later released by Kuching police on September 16th, 2009 for trying to send a memorandum of protest to the Sarawak Chief Minister. Among those arrested were Mark Bujang (BRIMAS), Raymond Abin (BRIMAS) and Hellan Empaing (WADESA), all leaders of the Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia) as well as representatives from the Kayan, Kenyah and Penan communities of Sarawak.
In particular, the Penan aim to stop planned plantation projects. Where the valuable trees have logged out, the companies are starting to clear the land for oil palm, acacia and eucalyptus plantations.
We are very happy to learn that the Penan communities of Sarawak's Upper Baram region have won the SUARAM Human Rights Award 2008. The Penan were chosne by the Malaysian human rights organisation Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM - www.suaram.net) among six nominees, together with the now-banned Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF).
For more than two decades, traditional Penan indigenous communities have fought to prevent logging companies from destroying their rainforest world in Sarawak, Malaysia. Neither logging companies nor military nor government officials have been able to persuade or buy off the traditional leaders or headmen, who insist on their people’s “native customary rights” to live in and protect their forest.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.