The destruction of a Sg Sekabai Iban village in Tatau, Bintulu by the state Land and Survey Department has been strongly condemned by local and foreign native rights NGOs.

On Monday the authorities demolished 25 homes, allegedly without any notice, with the occupants' belongings still inside.

It is learnt that the operation was undertaken after Tatau Land Sdn Bhd obtained a court order to evict the villagers, who claim native customary rights (NCR) to the land.

In a statement today, Miri-based Sarawak Native Customary Land Rights Network (Tahabas) described the act as ‘barbaric'.

" sekabai tatau demolition 210110 despair Most of the occupants were left without any place to live right now and all their belongings were also intentionally destroyed by the enforcement (team).

"In Haiti peoples and properties were destroyed by a natural disaster but strangely in Sarawak we are 'causing human disaster' to our own peoples without mercy," they said.

Longhouse chief to sue

According to Tahabas, the villagers will dig in at their village to prevent the demolition team from levelling the remaining 30 houses.

The Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund (BMF)also condemned the Sarawak authorities for the "arbitrary destruction" of the village.

"We call on the international community to pressure Malaysia to respect the human rights of Sarawak's native population," said BMF in a statement.

sekabai tatau demolition 210110 nor nyawai Prominent NCR lawyer Baru Bian told Malaysiakini that Tatau Land recently applied for an eviction order in view of their possession of a provisional lease.

He said his client, Sg Sekadai village longhouse leader Nor Nyawai ( picture: right ) whose house was also flattened, will be challenging Tatau Land in court soon.

Pictures courtesy of BMF.