Penan headman threatened with arrest over oil palm protest — BMF
KUCHING: Swiss- based nongovernmental organisation ( NGO) Bruno Manser Fund ( BMF) is claiming that police have threatened to arrest an indigenous leader over an oil palm protest in Mulu.
In a press release yesterday, BMF called on the authorities to stop all intimidations against indigenous leaders and to respect community land rights, after Penan headman Ukau Lupong was allegedly threatened with arrest by the Special Branch.
“The Malaysian authorities are trying to stifle a conflict with indigenous communities over a massive oil palm plantation with arrest threats, following the case of indigenous communities who are at loggerheads with the government over a 4,400-hectare oil palm development in the rainforest in the state near Ukau’s village, Bateu Bungan.
“According to community reports, officers of the Special Branch threatened last week to arrest Ukau Lupong, an indigenous Penan leader, over protests against the planned plantation on native lands in the Mulu region.
“The threat was issued on the occasion of a meeting between community leaders with local government officials on Feb 14 this year,” stated the NGO.
According to BMF, Ukau is one of the organisers of a protest letter signed by 268 indigenous Penan and Berawan villagers to Malaysian authorities.
It said the communities are calling on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to immediately end the destruction of their forest lands by a local oil palm company.
It added the communities also had started to stage blockades to physically prevent the oil palm company from entering their territory.
“Bateu Bungan is a Penan village located on the edge of the Unesco-protected Mulu National Park.
“The planned oil palm plantation threatens the villagers’ livelihoods and is feared to cut off an important wildlife corridor near the Mulu National Park,” said BMF.