Two Penan villagers - a father and son - from Baram, northern Sarawak, have been arrested and detained in police custody in Marudi last week, allegedly for assaulting workers from a logging company.

Marudi-based Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) field officer Jok Jau Evong told malaysiakini by phone that a Penan villager, Semali Sait, and his father, Sait Kiling, are on remand order which expires tomorrow.

"We were informed that the two are currently held under remand in the Marudi police station," said Jok Jau ( photo )

The duo are from Baram's Long Lunyim community in Sungai Pelutan.

"However, we believe that the Long Lunyim community has not been adequately informed of the reasons for the arrests which understandably have caused them much emotional and financial stress."

Jok Jau said the duo had denied claims of having assaulted the workers. He identified the logging company as a subsidiary of the Rimbunan Hijau Group.

A press statement signed by SAM president SM Mohamed Idris and faxed to malaysiakini in Kuching said: "We have come to understand that the Long Lunyim community has been firm in not allowing logging activities from being carried out on their temuda (ancestral) land without the people's free, prior and informed consent."

Suhakam intervention urged

Mohamed Idris urged the police to clearly disclose the grounds for the arrests to their immediate family members and other concerned parties and to show that sufficient investigation had been carried out prior to their arrests.

He also urged the police to seriously consider shortening the remand period of their detention.

"There is no need to prolong the individuals' detention, who have been in police custody since last week, unless there are clear and compelling reasons to do so, which in turn must be conveyed to their immediate families and other concerned parties."

The environmental non-governmental organisation also asked the authorities to ensure that the villagers are not harassed or intimidated for their opposition to logging activities on their customary rights land.

"The detention of the two persons has clearly disrupted Long Lunyim's farming activities as the planting season has just begun," lamented Mohamed Idris.

The SAM statement also urged the Human Rights Commission, or Suhakam, to investigate the latest incident.

"The constitution of Malaysia accords every citizen his or her right to livelihood and if Long Lunyim community's decision to protect their land from logging activities is the reasons for the arrests, SAM then calls for their unconditional release."