Penan Calling for Help: Stop the Loggers!
Indigenous Penan people blocking access for logging company Interhill
For years, the Penan people in Malaysia have been fighting the timber company Interhill. In an attempt to stop the loggers, the natives have set up a blockade on the roads through the rainforest of Sarawak. They are now calling on Interhill and the government of this Asian country to halt their grubbing activities immediately.
Call to action“”
For many years now, Interhill Group has cashed in on logging fine woods in the rainforest of Sarawak, located in the Malayan area of Borneo Island. Money made from these logging operations is then invested in luxury real estate, for instance in building a five-star hotel and mall in the City of Kuching. The Pullman Kuching Hotels are run by French hotel operator Accor.
As a matter of fact, Accor is well informed of their business partner’s criminal activities. Back in 2009, both groups commissioned an independent study on logging activities of Interhill. Shortly thereafter, Interhill published an Action Plan for Corporate Social Responsibility. But even these minimum standards have never been observed by Interhill. Currently, the Penan have set up a blockade on the road, trying to stop Interhill from continuing to cut down trees in their rainforest territory.
The French Accor Group is one of the largest hotel operators in the world, leading the market in Europe and owning 4,229 hotels in 97 countries. Among Accor’s many hotel brands are luxury hotels such as Sofitel and Pullmann, mid-price hotels (Novotel hotels), and Ibis budget hotels.
Swiss Human Rights Organization Bruno Manser Fonds (BMF) has supported the Penan indigenous people for many years. The founder of this NGO had lived together with the Penans in the tropical rainforest for years before he suddenly went missing without a trace in 2000.
Please sign our protest letter below and tell the companies and politicians in charge to stop any grubbing activities within the Penan's rainforest immediately.
LetterTo
- Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister Sarawak, Malaysia
- H.E. Dato’ Ibrahim Abdullah, Ambassador of Malaysia in Germany
- Herr Datuk Hii Chang Pee, Managing Director of Interhill Group
- Denis Hennequin, CEO Accor-Group
Mr. Mahmud,
Mr. Abdullah,
Mr. Chang Pee
Mr. Hennequin,
once again, the Penan indigenous people have set up a blockade on the roads running through the rainforest of Sarawak. By doing so they are blocking the logging company Interhill from access to the Penan’s rainforest territory. The Penan are now calling on you to halt any grubbing activities within their rainforest immediately.
Back in 2009, Interhill and Accor commissioned an ‘Independent Study on Logging Activities of Interhill’. Shortly thereafter, Interhill published their ‘Action Plant for Corporate Social Responsibility’. But even these minimum standards defining corporate responsibility have never been observed by Interhill. And legal complaints and land-rights litigations made by the Penan before court have neither rendered any results.
The Penan are now asking the international community as well as environmentalist and human rights organizations around the globe for help to have the government, Interhill and Accor now implement and meet their fundamental requirements listed as follows:
1. The government of Sarawak must recognize the native customary rights of the Penan by withdrawing the timber companies' licenses.
2. The companies should immediately stop working on the NCR land of Long Item, Long Kawi and Ba Abang.
3. The company concerned must shutdown Camp Kabeng and clean the rivers and areas that have been polluted with toxic materials.
4. The government of Sarawak must immediately order the company to stop their workers from entering the affected villages without the permission of the kelunan pina (everyone's consent).
5. The Federal and Sarawak Governments must solve the longstanding problems of birth certificates and ICs with of Penans and with the direct participation of the Penans.
These native people have inhabited the tropical rainforest for thousands of years, living off the forest’s riches without destroying it. Both their own survival as an indigenous minority as well as that of thousands of animal and plant species are inseparably linked to preserving the rainforest.
Best regards,
Recent successes