By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 5: Residents of Kampung Long Tepen in Pelutan, Baram are protesting what they allege to be the illegal encroachment by a logging company into their native customary rights (NCR) land in Coupe 7.
In a statement issued today, the Long Tepen Village Action Committee claimed that ongoing forestry activities, including logging and replanting, were being carried out without the consent or proper consultation of the local community.
“These activities not only violate our rights as indigenous people who have lived on and depended on this land for generations, but they have also destroyed parts of the forest that are our source of livelihood and cultural identity,” the committee said.
As a form of resistance, the villagers are now considering erecting physical blockades at the site to symbolise their objection to what they described as unauthorised and disrespectful operations by the company.
“We will not remain silent when our rights are being trampled on without justice,” they said.
The committee revealed that they had previously held several meetings with representatives of the company to express their objections, citing long-standing agreements which they claimed have been breached.
During one such meeting, a company representative reportedly told the villagers that they had obtained an entry permit to Coupe 7 from the Miri Forest Department.
However, the villagers stressed that the permit did not represent community consent.
“We wish to make it clear that no one in our community has signed or agreed to any logging activities in our territory,” they stated.
They also alleged that previous agreements made between the company and the Kampung Long Tepen community had been violated, further eroding trust and demonstrating a disregard for their rights and expectations.
“We categorically deny any claims that suggest we have given approval for these activities. Our rights as NCR landowners have been ignored, and we feel oppressed on our own land,” they said.
The villagers accused the company of failing to honour the principles of justice and proper consultation in the management of natural resources.
As such, they called on the relevant authorities, particularly the Sarawak Forest Department, to immediately halt all logging activities in Long Tepen until the matter is resolved fairly and transparently.
“We do not reject development, but we reject encroachment,” the statement concluded, while appealing for assistance from lawyers and other parties willing to support their cause.
— DayakDaily
