ACTNOW's blog

Forests or the Illegal Logger – Who is Really Under Threat?

A bulldozer flattens the earth after forests have been cleared in West Pomio. Local landowners are protesting against the biggest land grab in PNG history. Under a lease system called SABLs (special agricultural and business leases) forests are being destroyed and customary land is being stolen. Credit: Paul Hilton/Greenpeace.

Winning Silverbacks rugby sevens team to promote ACT NOW! campaigns

The Silverbacks rugby sevens team has been presented with training tops and t-shirts bearing the ACT NOW! name and logo in recognition of their successful run through several Port Moresby tournaments.

The team will be wearing the tops at training and in their pre-game warm ups to promote ACT NOW! and it campaigns to the rugby crazy community in the Nation’s capital.

Population explosion makes protection of customary land vital

By Eddie Tanago

Papua New Guinea’s population is growing at an explosive rate, which makes retaining control of customary land vitally important. Customary land is very valuable. It sustains a huge economy and provides employment for 3 million local farmers. Customary land is also vital for food security and it makes people strong and self-reliant. 

Pomio locals mobilise to stop logging giant

Photo shows an earlier (December 2016) protest by people in Pomata against logging

Malaysian logging giant Rimbunan Hijau (RH) is continuing it's efforts to log in the Pomata SABL area in the Pomio District. Local people say this is despite a court decision ordering all logging operations to stop pending the outcome of a court challenge to the logging permit. 

Will Agriculture Summit Focus on the Right Areas?

Rural Farmers Need Support - Not Foreign Owned Agri-businesses. Photo: Oxfam

Author: Eddie Tanago

Papua New Guinea's first ever National Agriculture Summit should be focused on helping Papua New Guinea’s 3 million rural farmers and not on assisting large foreign owned industries to grab more customary land.  

Resource owners in West Pomio SABL say they have not benefited as claimed by RH

Picture taken at Rali Camp, Pomata, Pomio District

Resource owners in the West Pomio SABL areas have not benefited from logging and oil palm planting on their stolen land as claimed by Rimbunan Hijau.

The resource owners say a statement by RH Group Executive Director Ivan Lu published on 14th September 2017 is false and untrue.

Death of journalist sparks national debate about domestic violence

With the country's outcry to claims of brutal Domestic Violence leading to the death of a prominent PNG Journalist, it is clear that PNG men and women by heart know that 'Our PNG Ways' is not one of domestice violence or any kind of violence for that matter. The 5th National Goal and Directive Principle in our Constitution promotes our 'PNG WAYS'. Stop the violence, that is not 'Our Model of Development'.

Source: The Guardian