Fresh confrontations near Mulu National Park, natives block logging machinery from clearing forest

Fresh protests at Mulu National Park as Penans, Berawans and Tirings minority natives forced plantation workers and tractors and excavators from uprooting the forests. Pic by native leader Willie Kajan

MIRI: Fresh confrontations have erupted between native communities and workers of an oil palm company at the fringes of Mulu National Park in northern Sarawak.

Penan, Berawan and Tering minority ethnic groups have forcefully stopped tractors and excavators from the oil palm plantation company from cutting down and extracting trees adjacent to Mulu.

The protesting natives forcefully blocked the plantation workers from operating and also used big ropes to tie up the heavy machineries.

Berawan community leader Willie Kajan alerted The Star to the fresh protests that occurred on Sunday (March 17).

"We found out that the plantation workers had resumed cutting down trees at the forests next to Mulu and digging up the land.

"The state politicians said there was a directive to the plantation company to halt all forms of land clearing there until further notice.

"But we on the ground found that the workers of the plantation company had not followed the directive.

"Logging operations are still in full swing near Mulu, contrary to what the politicians said.

"We, the natives of Mulu, have no choice but to forcefully stop the plantation workers and their logging machineries," he said.

Kajan said thousands of trees had already been felled by the plantation company to clear some 4,400ha of forest to set up an oil palm estate.

He said Mulu Penan chief Ukau Lupung had even travelled all the way to Kuching last week to meet the Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) management.

"Lupung had asked the NREB if any Environmental Impact Assessment was ever done on the impact to Mulu but the NREB refused to show him any EIA report," said Kajan.

The Mulu natives want the plantation workers to leave the Mulu vicinity and remove the heavy machineries immediately, he said.

The plantation workers will not be allowed to continue chopping down trees and clearing the forests there, he added.

Mulu National Park is a world heritage site that is home to the largest cave systems on the planet.

Located 200km inland from Miri, Mulu is also home to many species of animals and plants found only in Sarawak.

The Mulu natives had erected human blockades against the plantation workers since last month.