Source: Sam Koim, PNG's Anti-Corruption Chief Expert & Champion.

Source: Caroline Tiriman, Radio Australia

Heve ol papa graun long Papua New Guinea i wok long stap insait aninit long ol Special Agriculture Business Leases blong gavman oa SABL, ol i autim gen long wol iken harim.

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Papua New Guinea NGO says a large rainforest summit in Australia failed to discuss the urgent threats facing PNG rainforests.

Act Now's comment follows an Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit in Sydney this month, which was hosted by the Australian Government.

A spokesperson for the NGO, Eddie Paine, who attended the summit, says the meeting was a complete disappointment from a Pacific perspective.

He says there were no Pacific Island speakers and the issue of illegal logging in PNG was not discussed.

Forest Minister Douglas Tomuriesa needs to ensure all logging in SABL areas is immediately stopped says community activist group, ACT NOW!

This follows assurances from the Minister that 74 Special Agriculture and Business Lease that were illegally obtained have been revoked and customary landowners would retain their land.

Picture: In India, the state forcibly acquires land from farmers and hands it over to private speculators, real estate corporations, mining companies and leisure industries [EPA]

Source: Al Jazeera

Picture: A view of rainforest covered islands in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands. THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION/Catherine Wilson

Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation

An international summit aimed at stemming rapid deforestation in the Asia Pacific region has fallen short of expectations, according to environmental experts and Pacific Islanders who sought significant actions to combat both climate change and corruption associated with illegal logging.

The National Court has issued a restraining order stopping any forest logging operations by Rimbunan Hijau in two controversial Special Agriculture and Business Lease areas in the Pomio district of East New Britain.

The orders have been obtained by landowners from Portions 196C and 197C who claim the SABLs were obtained by fraud and forgery and without their consent and without following the proper processes under the Lands Act. 

Dept confounding land grab problem

By MELISSA MARTIN, Post Courier

LAND titles continue to be fraudulently issued to businesses and private individuals in the National Capital District, says Governor Powes Parkop.

At a media conference yesterday, he said these titles would not be recognised by the National Capital District Commission, thereby denying the land basic council services like water, sewerage and associated infrastructure services.

Source: AID WATCH