Pomio MP Elias Kapavore has defended an illegal land grab in his electorate in which four SABL leases have been granted to logging company Rimbunan Hijau. Kapavore claims the company has built roads, provided jobs and made ‘a massive economic investment’ in oil palm. He says the company should remain and local people should stop voicing their complaints and exaggerating the negative impacts.

Source: LUKE KAMA, The National (owned by Rimbunan Hijau)

LANDOWNERS who were deprived under the controversial Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABLs) want to know when the Government will implement a Parliament a decision to cancel all existing leases.

Lands Minister Benny Allan told The National that he would make an announcement soon on the subject.

In November 2015 Manila in the Philippines hosted the APEC Summit. Civil society mobilized to protest against the meeting. Below are they reasons they were so angered by APEC and what it represents. Here is PNG we should be similarly outraged as the same reasoning still applies...

Source: Telesur TV

 A student protest in Port Moresby in June 2016. Human Rights Watch says PNG has failed to respond to corruption and police violence. Photograph: AAP

Author: Helen Davidson     Source: The Guardian

Papua New Guineans took to the streets to protest against government corruption and were met by gunfire, Human Rights Watch has said in a scathing assessment of Australia’s nearest neighbour.

Source: EMTV, 23/12/2016

Many customary landowners in Papua New Guinea are still fighting to reclaim the title to their land leased out under Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs).

The people of Collingwood Bay in Tufi, Oro Province have been battling in court for years to reclaim the title to their land which has been leased under two separate SABLs.

In 2014 the National court declared this SABL as null and void.

Police officers working on behalf of Malaysian logging giant Rimbunan Hijau are continuing to intimidate, attack and detain landholders trying to protect their land against illegal logging in the Pomio District of East New Britain, according to reports from the area.

This is despite an order from Police Commissioner Gari Baki that police should not be permanently deployed to logging camps.

Senator Patrick Leahy is the most senior member of the United States Congress

Two United States Senators, Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Jeff Merkley, have written to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill calling for action to end the SABL land grab and illegal logging.

Commentary by Peter S. Kinjap - PNG Facts

DEVELOPMENT or modernization is no magic potion. There is still unfairness and injustice. Wealth is still limited to a small handful of people. Most continue to be left behind.

This is a global phenomenon. We see it in Papua New Guinea. Those who felt dis-empowered just elected Donald Trump president of the USA. They took Britain out of Europe.

Submitted By:  Jan Kees van Donge, retired ex Professor of Political Science at UPNG

On November 4th, the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, stood in Parliament and told the nation the SABL land grab was at an end, the unlawful leases were being cancelled and the illegal logging stopped.