land grabbing

Concerns as PNG prepares to return land to traditional owners

On 01 Jul, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Source: Radio Australia

There's concern that logging of forests will continue (Credit: Audience submitted)

Community groups have welcomed the Papua New Guinea Government's announcement it will abolish special agricultural business leases.

The leases paved the way for millions of hectares of customarily-owned land to be taken over by large corporations for so-called agricultural projects.

PM: We will reclaim land lost to illegal SABLS

On 19 Jun, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Source: Post Courier

The O’Neill/Dion Government is cancelling all Special Agriculture and Business Leases (SABLs) obtained illegally, and will abolish provisions of the Land Act which allows for SABLs to be granted.

“We are taking these steps to reclaim our customary land illegally lost to foreigners with the help of corrupt public servants and leaders,” Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said today.

For Our Nations to Live, Capitalism must die

On 12 Jun, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Controversial SABL goes on in remote areas

On 11 Jun, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Source: PNG Loop

Joint Public Statement on SABL

On 04 Jun, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Tomuriesa aims to deliver

On 28 May, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Source: PNG Loop

Forest Minister Douglas Tomuriesa says he is developing a program with an aim to deliver services using funds from the Log Export Development Levy.

He says he has written a letter to every Member of Parliament outlining his plans on how the levies from logging companies should be spent on development.

Land Issue for parliament

On 13 May, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Source: PNG Loop

Parliament sits at 10:00 am today starting off the second week of sessions for the three weeks assigned in the May Sitting, and one important thing is the Land Grabbing Issue that hit the PNG and International news headlines in recent weeks.

Maprik Landowners want the Commission of Inquiry Report into SABLs tabled immediately

On 10 Sep, 2013 By Effrey

By JIMMY KALEBE

The delaying of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report into Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) has angered many landowners in Maprik District in East Sepik.

In a landowner forum held last Friday local landowners in Maprik expressed concerns that this delaying of the report may mean the government is trying to overlook this report and do away with it.

Lands Secretary signature 'all over' SABLs

On 12 Apr, 2011 By rait man With 2 Comments

The signature of the Secretary for Lands, Pepi Kimas, appears on the gazettal notices for leases taking away customary landowner rights to over 3.4 million hectares of land.

This appears to contradict Kimas's claims, Post Courier 5 April, that his Department is not responsible for the huge loss of land through 99-year Special Agricuture Business Leases over the last 5 years.

Pacific being forced to follow the wrong model of development

On 08 Apr, 2011 By Tim With 1 Comments

From Radio Australia

Land alienation is a problem not just in Papua New Guinea but across Melanesia, and it has the potential to have a catastrophic affect on Melanesian society, according to one of the region's most experienced anthropologists.

  Kirk Huffman, a former Director of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre and a Research Associate at the Australian Museum says, when it comes to land, even well-meaning investors and aid donors in Melanesia have the wrong model of development.   

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