Malaysia's leading English language newspaper, The Star, is reporting that a Malaysian company, Takaso Resources, is buying the rights to log 40,000 hectares of forest in the Inland Pomio District of New Britain Island. There is no mention of how local people have been consulted about the sale or how they will benefit from the trade in their land rights.

Takaso into timber ops in Papua New Guinea

By Yvonne Tan

By Hannah Brooks, VICE media

Papua New Guinea is currently experiencing what may be the most brazenly illegal land grab since its colonial days. Foreign corporations—specifically, logging companies—are allegedly falsifying signatures, paying off police, and lying to the government about their intentions to cut down every tree in the country.



In a coastal village setting, some two hours away from the main industrial centre in East Sepik, 75 percent of the women have taken up employment at the fish cannery. A quarter of those women have children. After three months they soon discovered that they have been away from home for too long and the husbands were getting fed up of the child caring responsibility. This responsibility eventually rested with the elder children in the family who must miss out on school.

By Martyn Namorong*

If someone asked you what violence is, you’d automatically have images of people fighting, husbands beating wives, dogs chasing cats, etc... What if I told you that if you find this article frustrating, boring, insulting, distasteful, shallow, biased, etc...? Then I’ve been violent towards you.

Jamaica to break links with Queen, says Prime Minister Simpson Miller

Jamaica's new Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, has said she intends to make the island a republic, removing Queen Elizabeth as the head of state.

By Patrick Levo

Serious concerns have been expressed about the ‘modus operandi’ of the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby.

Public anger was raised against the private hospital after yet another avoidable death caused allegedly by the hospital’s uncompromising policy of “cash before treatment”.

By Luana Paniu

A senior Government officer signed SABL approvals without the knowledge of the Minister for Lands and Physical Planning, the Commission of Inquiry in SABLs heard yesterday.

The CoI Commissioners while questioning the officer were frustrated to learn that approvals were granted without due processes being followed.

From LNG Watch Papua New Guinea*

In 2011 Oxfam launched their LNG Impact Listening Project. In the words of Oxfam, the project's aim is to “understand people’s experiences and views of the impacts of the PNG LNG Project, and how they are responding to these impacts” (p.2). The listening project has focused on four villages affected by the LNG operation in Central Province; Lea lea, Papa, Boera and Porebada. A welcomed emphasis is given to the voice of women.

By Luana Paniu

The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Special Agriculture and Business Leases (SABL’s) has revealed that there are hundreds more SABL’s beside the 75 cases now currently before them.

According to Chief Commissioner John Numapo about one million hectares of land under the SABL had suddenly ‘popped up’ throughout the five months that the inquiry had been conducting investigations into these matters.

By Luana Paniu

All necessary requirements for the granting of a Special Agriculture and Business Lease (SABL) to the Baina Agro Forestry project may hold political interest, according to the Commission of Inquiry last week.

During questioning of former Central Provincial Lands Manager, Cliff Boutau, the inquiry discovered the discrepancies with this particular SABL proved that plans had already been underway for Oil Palm development under the SABL on portion 29C Milinch Kase and Fourmil Buna for the term of 45 years.