GROUPS of natives from the Penan and Kenyah ethnic communities living deep in central Sarawak have set up human-blockades to prevent workers from chopping down trees which the natives claimed are part of their ancestral land.
The blockades were along the timber roads near the Long Urun settlement, located in the upper reaches of Belaga River in the deep pockets of Belaga district in central Sarawak.
Sarawak PKR Senator Abun Sui Anyit said he has been informed of the mass anti-logging protests in the area.
"These natives from the Penan and Kenyah communities have blocked the timber workers from cutting down more trees.
"The timber company has a logging licence in upper Belaga issued by the state government but the logging permit was supposed to be valid only until 2017.
"The natives said despite the expiry of the logging permit, the timber company had continued destroying huge areas of forests until today.
"The natives said they have no choice but to resort to staging human blockades as these forests are their ancestral land.
"These natives had protested against the blatant logging and reported to the land and survey department, state forests authorities and the state government.
"However, their plights were ignored continuously and they have taken to mass protests to vent their frustrations," Abun told reporters.
He called on the state government to swiftly assist the affected natives and look into their grouses before the protests escalate.
Abun, who is also Sarawak Pakatan Harapan information chief, said the logging in the upper Sungai Belaga region has ravaged huge areas of forests already.
So far, the protests by the Penans and Kenyahs near Long Urun have been peaceful with no physical confrontation with any timber workers, he said.
The protestors are blocking the timber workers and heavy machinery from cutting down any more trees. - December 29, 2024
