A group of Ibans have brought out their skulls in a declaration of ‘war’ in protest outside the Kuching High Court as it heard the natives customary rights (NCR) case yesterday.

At the courtyard’s carpark, three Iban put up at least five skulls on a brown straw mat to complete their miring ceremony to show their determination to protect their land.

Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian, who is legal counsel for the Iban community in the case said the ritual pleads for God to intervene in their favour.

“(The act of displaying the skulls) are quite special. Normally they (Iban) will only use skulls on special occasions.

“It implies that they are prepared to fight for their land (in the warrior’s spirit),” he told Malaysiakini, claiming 600 natives were present to support the protest.

Baru claimed the natives angrily scolded Sarawak legal advisor JC Fong when the latter was seen leaving the court.

“I was in the court and heard all the shouting. My lawyer told me that (the natives) had shouted at him […],” he said.

As Fong represents the state government that had amend the land code violating NCR, such a move had invited the natives’ backslash, Baru said.

Decision reserved

Federal Court has been holding its circuit hearing in Kuching on the NCR case.

The Sarawak government is appealing on Court of Appeal’s decision on 2013 recognising lands termed “pemakai menoa” and “pulau galau” as NCR land.

The two are Iban terms for uncultivated land that are important to the native communities as they relied on it to fish, forage and hunt.

However the court reserved its judgement for a future date to be fixed later.

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