By Dr Craig Thorburn*

This full-page advertisement appeared in the daily newspapers in Papua New Guinea today, 21 October 2011, in support of the campaign for the suspension of logging inside Special-purpose Agriculture and Business lease areas. You can send an email in support of the campaign here - ACT NOW!

By Luana Paniu



The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases (SPABL) will be carrying out site visitations commencing next week for substantive hearings into SABL cases [pictured is the Commission Chamber in Port Moresby].

Your help is needed to STOP an environmental and human rights DISASTER.

Two million hectares of forest are being clear-felled within Special-purpose agriculture lease areas in PNG despite gowing evidence the leases and the logging are totally illegal and cause irreversible environmental damage.

By Roderick Kanama

The Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Special-purpose Agriculture and Business Leases (SABL) concluded its preliminary hearings today in Port Moresby [pictured Commissioner Jerawai and his Associate].

By Martyn Namorong*

What is the first question a Papua New Guinean would ask another when they first meet?

“Where are you from?"

This question as innocent as it may sound had major consequences during those days of tribal warfare. For it was forbidden that one should trespass in another’s land or extract resources from it. The penalty was DEATH! That was the Law of the Land.

There have been exciting developments on a number of issues on which ACT NOW! supporters have been making their voices heard; including the SABL land grab, violence against women and children, and the Environment Act amendments. You can find out more here:

SABL Land Grab

By Jo Chandler*

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says the government supports the Commission of Inquiry into Special Agriculture and Business Leases, launched this year, and has extended the timeframe from the Commission to complete its work by 5 months.


The inquiry was established by the former acting Prime Minister Sam Abal in July, for a period of three months and which was due to expire on Oct 25.