Activists: Penan stopped Samling from logging conservation area
Batu Siman is located in the Upper Baram Forest Area (UBFA), a government-supported conservation initiative.
In a joint statement, Bruno Manser Fonds, The Borneo Project, and Penan organisation Keruan said local communities...
Blockades by Penan communities, this time at Batu Siman mountain in Sarawak, were said to have once again stopped logging by timber giant Samling group.
Batu Siman is located in the Upper Baram Forest Area (UBFA), a government-supported conservation initiative.
In a joint statement, Bruno Manser Fonds, The Borneo Project, and Penan organisation Keruan said local communities filed a police report on July 9 against alleged encroachment by Samling.
They said the company withdrew from the site about a week later.
The statement also quoted three headmen from Long Ajeng, Long Lamam, and Long Murung Penan villages who said, "Our communities are very proud Samling has stopped destroying the forest around the UBFA core zone."
"We hope that logging will never again encroach into any of the 18 Penan communities under the UBFA.
"As long as the company respects our rights, there will be no conflict. Thanks to all those who are concerned about our plight, who have highlighted our concerns, and lobbied locally and internationally for our rights," they said.
According to the statement, residents of the three villages erected blockades on two of Samling’s logging roads on July 16.
They said one road leads to a conservation area while another leads to a community-use zone of the UBFA.
Unlike previous barricades which were simple and could be removed, this time the villagers erected permanent structures in the form of blockade houses.
"The Penan decided to build blockade houses across the roads instead of simple barricades to signal their determination to permanently stop timber extraction. The communities and the blockades are here to stay," the statement read.
Keruan head Komeok Joe said, "We really hope Samling left the area for good this time.
"The Penan are very committed to implementing the UBFA together with the Sarawak government.
"We are looking forward to collaboratively protecting our forests," he said.
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