Real and present dangers

Rainbow is seen over the rain forest in Baram region in Sarawak state, Malaysia, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007. The U.N.s network of climate scientists, which shared this years Nobel Peace Prize with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, released four major reports in 2007, saying man-made global warming was incontrovertible and nations must sharply reduce emissions of heat-trapping emissions from industry, transport and agriculture. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

THE Sarawak government is about to venture onto a journey of no return – judging from the way it is going ahead with plans to clear 34,000ha of forests, uproot 20,000 people and drown an area half the size of Singapore island to construct the Baram Dam in the interior of northern Sarawak.

A resident who hails from a Baram settlement yesterday said in a worried tone that he was afraid their fate would be sealed.