By Todagia Kelola

A Commissioner to the Commission of Inquiry on the Special Agriculture and Business Lease has expressed concern that from preliminary observation the true loss of customary land occurred when the land was sub-leased to a third party.

Commissioner Alois Jerewai made this observation yesterday when highlighting the need for the inquiry and its support staff to co-operate fully in order for the investigations into the SABLs to fully reveal the defects.

By John Pangkakatana

Jacob Samo of Bairaman Village is one of those prominent landowners taking a strong stand against foreign logging company Gilford Investment destroying their land in the hard-hit remote West Pomio, East New Britain Province, reports the Post Courier.

A LAWYER assisting the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in the New Ireland Province was physically assaulted by a group of men who ambushed his vehicle on his way back from visiting an SABL site on Saturday, reports the Post Courier.

It is now reported to be the second assault case to have happened during the Commission of Inquiry in the province, the first assault also occurred earlier that day to a witness from New Hanover Island who gave evidence last Thursday.

The National newspaper has been cautioned not to be biased in its reporting over the Commission of Inquiry into Special Agriculture Business Leases in the Pomio District of East New Britain Province, reports the Post Courier.

Gregory Moses of NBC East Sepik

Landowners in East Sepik are fuming over a report that close to 117, 000 hectares of their land is being taken over by two Malaysians under a Special Agriculture and Business Lease or SABL.

Lawyer representing the landowners Herbert Wally of BS Lai Lawyers says that the agreement was signed in Port Moresby without the landowners consent, and they only learnt of it just three weeks ago after sighting documents.

Fr. Ed Meli, MSC*

It seems to me that New Britain Palm Oil Limited (NBPOL) is highly acclaimed by the World Economic Forum from purely economic point of view. I stand to be corrected but if I am not mistaken, a certain law guarding people's rights to their land and virgin forests in PNG, prohibits Oil Palm Companies to clear virgin forests to plant oil palm.

By John Pangkatana

LOCAL women leaders say their simple way of life is not the same anymore since logging company Gilford Limited set up camp at Drina Village, West Pomio-Mamusi LLG in the East New Britain Province last year.

The situation on the ground has further escalated since Greenpeace environmental ship MV Esperanza supported local landowners to bring their plight to the international audience with their presence in Jacquinot Bay last week.

This is especially so with the commission of inquiry debating on this issue this week in Kokopo. 

THE Commission of Inquiry into the special agriculture and business leases (SABL) in Pomio district, East New Bri­tain, will start today, reports The National.

The inquiry will be held at Vunapope in Kokopo. Interested parties would give evidence on the validity of each SABL to address issues found in the preliminary hearings over the past months.

Landowners in East Sepik are fuming over a report that close to 117, 000 hectares of their land is being taken over and owned by two Malaysians under a Special Agriculture and Business Lease or SABL, reports NBC news.

Lawyer representing the landowners Herbert Wally of BS Lai Lawyers says that the agreement was signed in Port Moresby without the landowners consent, and they only learnt of it just three weeks ago after sighting documents.

By Luana Paniu

At least two locals in New Hanover were seriously wounded when police discharged their firearms and shot them in the ankle, resulting in their hospitalisation. In what can be described as a vicious attack on human rights, the Commission of Inquiry into SABL were given insight into atrocities occurring on the picturesque island.