Alleged rape incidences by loggers in Malay

The Black Flag Cafe is the place travelers come to share stories and advice. Moderated by Robert Young Pelton the author of The World's Most Dangerous Places.

Moderator: coldharvest

Alleged rape incidences by loggers in Malay

Postby DrakeS » Fri Sep 24, 2010 6:19 am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Leaked Samling document acknowledges timber group's role in sexual exploitation of Penan women
Logging giant is prohibiting all employees from entering Penan villages or providing transport to Penan without permission

MIRI, MALAYSIA, September 14, 2010 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- An internal document from Sarawak's logging giant, Samling Global (HKEX 3938), leaked to the Bruno Manser Fund, acknowledges for the first time that the timber group is concerned about the involvement of its staff in the alleged rape of native Penan girls and women in Sarawak, East Malaysia.

On 9 July 2010, Chin That Thong, General Manager of Samling's Forest Operations in Malaysia, sent a directive, entitled "Kes Rogol Wanita Penan" (Rape Case of Penan Women)", to all Samling timber camp managers, drivers and employees in the Baram river region. The letter informs the logging group's staff that they are "forbidden to visit any Penan villages or transport any Penan except with the permission of the Camp Managers concerned." Chin threatens employees who are found to have disobeyed his orders with expulsion from their jobs without compensation.

The letter was sent three days after the Malaysian Penan Support Group published a study that unearthed systematic patterns of sexual violence by loggers against native women in Sarawak's interior. While Samling had previously denied the involvement of its staff in the sexual abuse cases, this letter indirectly acknowledges that Samling staff are indeed involved and that the group management is concerned over their insufficient control of their employees' conduct. Ten days ago, Penan from the Upper Baram region complained that Samling officials had threatened to suspend all the transport services provided for them unless they retracted the sexual abuse allegations.

The leaked document provides strong evidence of the fact that the presence of Samling staff in the Penan areas constitutes a continuous threat to the native communities, and particularly to girls and women. The Bruno Manser Fund is asking the Sarawak state government to halt all logging operations in areas where Samling and other companies operate without the consent of the local communities. The Sarawak government is also being asked to provide free public transport services for the rural communities and, in particular, for schoolchildren.

Samling is a globally operating Malaysian timber conglomerate with an annual turnover of US$ 480 million. In August 2010, the Norwegian Government Pension fund excluded Samling from its portfolio because of the company�s responsibility for illegal logging and severe environmental damage.

For more information, please contact us:

Bruno Manser Fund,
Socinstrasse 37,
4051 Basel / Switzerland
http://www.bmf.ch,
info@bmf.ch,
Tel. +41 61 261 94 74

Link to the study on sexual abuse by the Penan Support Group: http://www.bmf.ch/en/news/?show=212





Copyright © 2010, World-Wire. All rights reserved.
Issuers of news releases and not World-Wire are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
DrakeS
mach
 
Posts: 1268
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 7:39 am

Re: Alleged rape incidences by loggers in Malay

Postby coldharvest » Sat Sep 25, 2010 4:57 pm

Is this your way of telling us you want to be a logger?
I know the law. And I have spent my entire life in its flagrant disregard.
User avatar
coldharvest
Abdul Rahman
 
Posts: 25677
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 2:36 am
Location: Island of Misfit Toys

Re: Alleged rape incidences by loggers in Malay

Postby Woodsman » Sat Sep 25, 2010 10:32 pm

coldharvest wrote:Is this your way of telling us you want to be a logger?


...Or a Penan woman?
Life is short. Eat, Drink & Be Merry!
User avatar
Woodsman
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 7429
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:59 pm
Location: Enchanted forests

Re: Alleged rape incidences by loggers in Malay

Postby DrakeS » Sat Sep 25, 2010 11:26 pm

PETALING JAYA: A timber company will give Penans transport if they retract allegations of sexual abuse against its workers.



Swiss-based NGO Bruno Manser Fonds (BMF) told FMT that the company, Samling Global, made the offer to Long Ajeng's headman, Jawa Nyipa.

According to BMF, Nyipa was asked to sign a statement prepared by Samling stating that the women in the region had retracted allegations of sexual abuse.

He was told that until he signed the statement, there would be no transport for the Penans in the area. Nyip refused.

According to BMF, logging companies in the Middle Baram region stopped providing transport for natives who complained about sexual abuse and rape by timber workers.

Vehicles owned by timber companies often serve as the only means of transport for indigenous people residing deep in the interior.

Roads reaching these remote jungle villages are also constructed by timber companies.

"The roads are not only in the (Upper Baram) area," said Raymond Abin, of Borneo Research Institute of Malaysia. "They are all over the places, especially where they have logging camps."

"(Samling's manager) has given a directive to all its drivers (not to pick up the Penan people)," he said, adding that he saw a copy of the order.

When asked if the Penans would retract their sexual abuse allegations, he said: "I don't think they will withdraw their statement."

Sarawak-based land rights lawyer, Paul Raja, agreed.

"They shouldn't retract (the allegations)," he said. "We are talking about the rights of the Penans."

"If these reports (of sexual abuse) are genuine, no one should be left off the hook," Raja said, adding that Samling should refrain from taking advantage of the Penans.

He also questioned the government's failure to provide transport for indigenous people.

"The government should be responsible," he said. "It cannot leave it (transport) solely to the company."

Raja added that instead of taking advantage of impoverished natives, the timber company should have been more understanding.

"It should practise special corporate social responsibility, instead of victimising them."

In July this year, cases of sexual abuse on Penan women were also uncovered, leading to a dispute between the natives and Samling.

Last week, the Norwegian Government Pension Fund pulled Samling off its list of investments after it made an investigation into the company's involvement in illegal logging.
Image
"Convoy- 10 -4 good buddy"
DrakeS
mach
 
Posts: 1268
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 7:39 am

Re: Alleged rape incidences by loggers in Malay

Postby coldharvest » Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:27 am

All land claimed by indigenous peoples should be reviewed by a World Court and returned if treaties were broken or not signed in the first place.
I know the law. And I have spent my entire life in its flagrant disregard.
User avatar
coldharvest
Abdul Rahman
 
Posts: 25677
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 2:36 am
Location: Island of Misfit Toys

Re: Alleged rape incidences by loggers in Malay

Postby DrakeS » Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:06 pm

Well the key word is alleged. Someone send over the new improved international version of 60 Minutes.
DrakeS
mach
 
Posts: 1268
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 7:39 am

Re: Alleged rape incidences by loggers in Malay

Postby DrakeS » Fri Oct 15, 2010 8:25 am

DrakeS
mach
 
Posts: 1268
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 7:39 am


Return to Black Flag Cafe

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 24 guests