Madang Landowners are calling on the National Government to be faithful to their word by cancelling all illegal SABL leases, stop all illegal logging AND return the land to its customary owners.

Over 5 million hectares of customary land in Papua New Guinea has been stolen from local people over a period of time. Using Special Agriculture and Business Leases (SABLs), foreign companies were unlawfully been given 99 year-rights to own the land mass.

Sepu people question logging activity in their area

Nathan Matbob

The people of the Sepu area along the Ramu River in the Usino-Bundi District of Madang held a meeting with representatives from logging company Madang Timbers and the PNG Forest Authority at the village more than a week ago. Representatives from the Forest Authority however, did not attend on the reason that their forester rep was not available at that time.

By Andrew Pascoe

The state’s controversial Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) project – a USD$235 million proposal to develop a free trade industrial zone in Madang – is officially on hold.

Madang Court today ordered all progress on the PMIZ project to cease until the court makes a decision on whether the proposed development has sufficient legal grounds to proceed.

A Filipino national who is acting as a consultant for a Malaysian logging company operating in the Ramu has told the SABL Commission of inquiry that no site visit was done before a Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) was granted.