By Eoin Blackwell, AAP 

Greenpeace has blockaded a Chinese ship carrying what the environmental group says are illegally-acquired logs from the Papua New Guinean island of New Britain.

The Chinese vessel, the Fu Tian, is docked in a lagoon near the village of West Pomio, where as many as 200 landowners have gathered to protest the logging activities of Malaysian owned company Rimbunan Hijau (RH) and its subsidiary, Gilford Limited.

By Roderick Kanama

The Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Special-purpose Agriculture and Business Leases (SABL) concluded its preliminary hearings today in Port Moresby [pictured Commissioner Jerawai and his Associate].

By Jimmy Kalebe


Landowners in East Sepik have called on the national government to do away with special purpose business lease agreement (SPABL).


In a forum conducted by Turubu Eco Forestry yesterday, many landowners said they were not fully informed of the agreement and its implications. 
The landowners said much of their land had been alienated through SPABLs without their full consent for nearly a century. 
They feel this is “totally wrong and must be returned”.

From PMIZ Watcher

Community leaders from the site of the troubled proposed Pacific Marine Industrial Zone have reacted angrily to newspaper stories that their communities have agreed to allow the project to procede, as reported on Monday.

Ebert Kaing who is the Program Manager-Education at Sumkar District living in Rempi village and a landowner said, "there are more issues which needs to be addressed before the PMIZ agreement signing". 

By Luana Paniu

Three key people involved in procedures to issue the controversial Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases (SPABL) are the first to appear before the Commission of Inquiry.

Department of Lands and Physical Planning (DLPP) Acting Secretary Romlly Kila Pat, Acting Deputy Secretary, Customary Lands Adrian Abby and the Registrar of Titles Henry Wasa will appear before the CoI next Monday.

By Martyn Namorong

This piece gets its title from the poem What’s Genocide by Carlos Andrés Gómez. Carlos’ insight into genocide is very profound once one reflects on the reality of today’s world.

The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide defines genocide in Article II:

PMIZ Watcher

In a major boost to their campaign against the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone and Special Economic Zone laws, local communities from Madang have had their complaint to the World Bank accepted by the official Ombudsman in Washington.

The Ombudsman has written to the communities confirming their complaint meets three strict eligibility criteria and an investigation team will be sent to PNG to look into the complaint.

From PMIZ Watcher

By PETER KORUGL*

New Opposition Leader Belden Namah has blasted the Government on its decision to set up a Commission of Inquiry into the Special Agriculture and Business Leases (SABL).

However, he may be in a conflict of interest situation because a company connected to him had such a lease and was logging in his electorate, it emerged yesterday.