Who do you trust?
A) The robbers cum theives of Barisan Najis.
B) The "good storytellers" of Penan tribespeople.
Tribes block roads toSarawak plantation developers
AFP
AFP
25 August, 2009
Hundreds of Penan tribespeople in Sarawak are blockading roads to stop forests being cleared for palm oil plantations.
Seven roadblocks are now in place, manned by Penan armed with spears and blowpipes, and loggers trucks are being prevented from reaching felling sites.
Penan chiefs say that their forest homelands are under threat from wholesale clear felling for plantations.
"Since these companies came in, life has been very hard for us," said Alah Beling, headman of the Long Belok."The forest was once our supermarket, but now it's hard to find food."
He said that the activities of the plantation companies, who want to plant palm oil trees for food production and biofuel, have also polluted local rivers and affected fishing.
Sarawak's rural development minister James Masing admitted some logging companies had "caused extensive damage". But he also maintained that the Penan were "good storytellers" and that their claims should be treated with caution.
He also said that Sarawak was committed to its goal of doubling palm oil plantation coverage to 1 million hectares.
Hundreds of Penan tribespeople in Sarawak are blockading roads to stop forests being cleared for palm oil plantations.
Seven roadblocks are now in place, manned by Penan armed with spears and blowpipes, and loggers trucks are being prevented from reaching felling sites.
Penan chiefs say that their forest homelands are under threat from wholesale clear felling for plantations.
"Since these companies came in, life has been very hard for us," said Alah Beling, headman of the Long Belok."The forest was once our supermarket, but now it's hard to find food."
He said that the activities of the plantation companies, who want to plant palm oil trees for food production and biofuel, have also polluted local rivers and affected fishing.
Sarawak's rural development minister James Masing admitted some logging companies had "caused extensive damage". But he also maintained that the Penan were "good storytellers" and that their claims should be treated with caution.
He also said that Sarawak was committed to its goal of doubling palm oil plantation coverage to 1 million hectares.
More reports here
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