By John Pangkakatana
Jacob Samo of Bairaman Village is one of those prominent landowners taking a strong stand against foreign logging company Gilford Investment destroying their land in the hard-hit remote West Pomio, East New Britain Province, reports the Post Courier.
By John Pangkatana
Many “unanswered questions” were believed to have forced an extension to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the acquisition of Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) in West Pomio, East New Britain Province.
This is due to revelations about forged signatures and lack of consent by women witnesses at the close of the inquiry at Vunapope, Kokopo on Friday.
A LAWYER assisting the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in the New Ireland Province was physically assaulted by a group of men who ambushed his vehicle on his way back from visiting an SABL site on Saturday, reports the Post Courier.
It is now reported to be the second assault case to have happened during the Commission of Inquiry in the province, the first assault also occurred earlier that day to a witness from New Hanover Island who gave evidence last Thursday.
The National newspaper has been cautioned not to be biased in its reporting over the Commission of Inquiry into Special Agriculture Business Leases in the Pomio District of East New Britain Province, reports the Post Courier.
By Belinda Kora, PNGFM news
Serious allegations of biased dealings have been raised by Pomio Landowner representative, Norbert Pames, against the East New Britain Provincial Government and the Pomio District Administrator, Mr Pomaleu Lagisan, on its lack of action and concern over the land grabs that is currently occurring in the Pomio District.
By John Pangkatana
LOCAL women leaders say their simple way of life is not the same anymore since logging company Gilford Limited set up camp at Drina Village, West Pomio-Mamusi LLG in the East New Britain Province last year.
The situation on the ground has further escalated since Greenpeace environmental ship MV Esperanza supported local landowners to bring their plight to the international audience with their presence in Jacquinot Bay last week.
Landowners in East Sepik are fuming over a report that close to 117, 000 hectares of their land is being taken over and owned by two Malaysians under a Special Agriculture and Business Lease or SABL, reports NBC news.
Lawyer representing the landowners Herbert Wally of BS Lai Lawyers says that the agreement was signed in Port Moresby without the landowners consent, and they only learnt of it just three weeks ago after sighting documents.
By Luana Paniu
At least two locals in New Hanover were seriously wounded when police discharged their firearms and shot them in the ankle, resulting in their hospitalisation. In what can be described as a vicious attack on human rights, the Commission of Inquiry into SABL were given insight into atrocities occurring on the picturesque island.
An insider within Tutumang Development Limited today spilled the beans on how he was used and manipulated by the company to ‘sweet-talk’ landowners into signing the fraudulent land deals involving the SABL on New Hanover, reports Nolene Likas for NBC news.
Councilor of Ward 17 in the Lavongai Local Level Government where the SABL are located, Mr. Kamsal Maraleu told the Commission of Inquiry that he was a major player in what transpired amongst the directors of Tutumang.
More than 2,000 emails have been sent to the government over the last five days calling for a suspension of logging within disputed Special Agriculture lease areas.
“This response to is the biggest we have ever seen to an on-line petition”, says Effrey Dademo, Program Manager for ACT NOW! “People from all over the world have been getting involved”.
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