Ibans from seven longhouses from the Sri Aman Division, about 200kms from Kuching, are going to court next week to stop a timber company from logging in what they claim is their pemakai menoa or native customary rights (NCR) land.

The pemakai menoa covers an area of a thousand acres, covering one-fifth of the area under a logging licence issued to a company named Kotasar Enterprise.

Lawyer Baru Bian, representing the Ibans, told malaysiakini that he had received instructions to file the suit next week against the licencee, the state government and forestry director.

The plaintiffs - eight all in all - represent the Iban longhouses in Abok Pulau Batu, Abok Sanjan, Abok Tambawai, Abok Lubok,Abok Sungai Tapang and Kampung Sungai Tenggang.

The timber company has been operating for more than two years, and the Ibans said if the logging activities were allowed to continue it would also affect their water catchment area, the operation of a recently-completed community-based micro mini hydro scheme and a government-approved community-based fish breeding scheme.

The hydro project with a limited capacity is already supplying electricity to one longhouse of about 200 people in Abok Mawang and the capacity will be gradually increased to 200 kilowatts to cater to more longhouses in and around the area.

On the fish-breeding project, more than 10,000 fries were released and a spokesperson for the participating longhouses said when harvested in two years time they expect to generate an income of about RM500,000.

Meanwhile, one of the plaintiffs Jacob Imang was to appear in the Sri Aman magistrate court in connection with a case of alleged arson of mobile timber camps belonging to the same company, but this was postponed to July 23 pending completion of police investigations.

Imang, a former senior education officer turned businessman, and two others were arrested after the alleged arson two months ago and were remanded in police custody for eight days before they were released.