About 200 orang ulu families who refused to vacate their traditional land to pave the way for the RM9 billion Bakun hydro-electric dam project in 1998 are now willing to move, but not to the government-sponsored resettlement area in Sungai Asap.

Instead these families, who now face the risk of floods when the dam construction begins, want the Sarawak state authorities to find them another alternative site on higher ground.

The families, from four locales (Batu Kalo, Long Bulan, Long Lawun and Long Jawe), are among the 10,000 people affected by the controversial dam project. The government offered a resettlement scheme for them in Sungai Asap, about 30km from the dam site.

The dam project, after a short hiatus following the 1997/98 financial crisis, resumed on Aug 1 and ground clearing operations are underway.

Traditional attachment

According to a local non-governmental organisation (NGO) leader Sem Kiong Angin, the families told him that they were willing to move to a higher ground, but ruled out joining the resettlement scheme in Sungai Asap.

Sem said the families had recently met with the Belaga district officer to identify possible alternatives.

"They recently went to see the Belaga District Officer to enquire about the reservoir perimeter line. They want the line to be identified so that they can decide for themselves the higher ground they will move to without having to go to Sungai Asap," he added.

Last Friday, the families were advised by the Sarawak state government to look for an alternative place as construction works at the dam would endanger their safety if they continue to stay at their present location.

These groups have refused to move due to their deep cultural and traditional attachment to the land. They have also claimed that the land offered at the resettlement scheme ignored their native rights to hunt and fish as they like.

NGOs blamed

The government blamed the NGO's for influencing these natives from not moving. The natives who still remain within the Bakun dam project area are from the Kayan tribe (57 families), Kentah (136) and Ukit (5).

Sam, who is chairperson of the Belaga Indigenous People Development Centre and leader of the new NGO network called PR Jaringan, said: "Unless the government provides them a new area, away from Sungai Asap, they are unlikely to move."

"I don't actually know why, but I gather that since they had refused in the first place to join the rest of about 10,000 who have moved to Sungai Asap you could say the reasons are either traditional or political or both," he added without elaborating.

The Bakun dam is expected to generate 2,400 megawatts of electricity upon its completion in 2007. The dam is constructed by Malaysia-China Hydro Joint Venture, a consortium of six companies led by Sime Engineering Sdn Bhd and its Chinese partners, China National Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Corp.