From Radio New Zealand

A former governor of Papua New Guinea's East New Britain province, Francis Koimanrea, has urged the government to scrap the controversial Special Agricultural Business Lease system.

Under the SABL concept, over 70 long term land leases around PNG have been issued on behalf of landowners to foreign investors purportedly for agriculture projects but in effect mainly for logging.

“The days of illegal logging and land grabbing are over in Oro Province!”

From PNG Village

This was the warning given by Oro Governor Garry Juffa, to companies and individuals intending to develop natural resources of Oro or engage in agricultural projects.

They have been urged to seek the provincial government’s executive council’s permission first before sneaking in through the back door.

Dr Thomas Webster

I AM EXPRESSING my grave concern over the views expressed by Politicians regarding the comments and views made by researchers and academics, with a view to silencing them.

The announcement below taken from the website of the Malaysian Stock exchange shows how foreign companies are continuing to do deals over land stolen from the people of PNG in the SABL land grab while Prime Minister Peter O'Neill refuses to do anything to implement the Commission of Inquiry recommendation that the unlawful leases be revoked...

From Bursa Malaysia

From Radio Australia

By Melissa Martin in the Post Courier

The delay in executing the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the controversial special agricultural business leases (SABL) has prompted landowners to protest.

Landowners from the areas of Pomata and Ralopal in East New Britain Province expressed their concerns in a peaceful protest last week.

While PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill sits on his hands refusing to cancel unlawful SABL leases and stop illegal logging, the Oro Provincial government is standing with its people against the Malaysian led land grab.

In a statement issued overnight, Oro Governor Gary Juffa has again committed his government to assist landowners:

"That the Oro Government stands by its people in fighting against land grabbing, illegal logging and is willing to support their court cases with its own legal team and attending as a party to all cases of such. 

By PNG Eco-Forestry Forum

Customary landowners across Papua New Guinea (PNG) have lost over 5.2 million hectares of their land to foreign owned companies supposedly for Agro-forestry projects through the controversial Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs) and have long waited for the government to decide on the fate of their land through the implementation of the SABL Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendations.

From EMTV news

Over four-hundred villagers from Pomata and Ralopal Special Agricultural Lease (SABL) areas marched from Palmalmal District Headquarters to the District Chambers with banners and placards. 

The peaceful demonstration was aimed at the landowner company.

From EMTV

Papua New Guineans have been urged not to sell their land freely. This was a topic of concern raised on land mediation in Buka.

It was discussed that “the selling customary land is the selling of birth right, which in turn creates future problems.”