Customary Land

UN challenges govt over SABL land grab

On 14 Jan, 2019 By ACTNOW

The United Nations has accused the Papua New Guinea government of racial discrimination against its own people over its failure to stop foreign companies using SABL leases to illegally occupy customary land.

More than 50,000 square kilometres of indigenous land has been seized using the illegal agriculture leases, as exposed in a 2015 Commission of Inquiry.

Civil society petitions China to stop illegal logging in PNG

On 14 Nov, 2018 By ACTNOW

As Papua New Guinea prepares to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping, civil society, landowners and academics have written to the Chinese leader urging his help to reduce illegal logging in PNG.

China is the major importer of tropical logs from PNG most of which are sourced from illegal sources including from SABL lease areas.

New report on human rights abuses caused by SABL land grab

On 15 Oct, 2018 By ACTNOW

The appalling human rights abuses being suffered by the victims of the huge SABL land-grab in Papua New Guinea are the focus of a new report published by ACT NOW! and UK based charity, War on Want.

New report highlights human rights abuses inherent in SABL land grab

On 15 Oct, 2018 By ACTNOW

The appalling human rights abuses being suffered by the victims of the huge SABL land-grab in Papua New Guinea are the focus of a new report published today.

The SABL Land Grab: Papua New Guinea’s Ongoing Human Rights Scandal highlights the devastating impacts on people living in rural communities and gives a voice to those who have suffered the illegal loss of their land to logging and oil-palm plantations.

The SABL Land Grab: Papua New Guinea’s Ongoing Human Rights Scandal

Minister must name cancelled SABL leases

On 11 Oct, 2018 By ACTNOW

ACT NOW! is calling on the Minister for Lands, Justin Tkatchenko to name the Special Agriculture Business Leases he claims have been cancelled.

The Minister has stated on social media that of 53 Special Agriculture Business Leases reviewed, 34% have been cancelled via voluntary surrender, 2% cancelled via consent or court order and 12% have been referred for further verification.

Minister must name cancelled SABL leases

On 10 Oct, 2018 By ACTNOW

Community advocacy group ACT NOW! is calling on Lands Minister Justin Tkatchenko to name the Special Agriculture Business Leases he claims have been cancelled.

“For the last five years we have heard numerous false claims and unfulfilled promises from the government about the cancellation of the leases”, says Campaign Coordinator Eddie Tanago.

“While we welcome the information released by the Minister, the pubic simply cannot trust his numbers and he must reveal the names of the leases and other details".

Landowners petition to stop logging in Turubu and Sausso LLGs

On 28 Sep, 2018 By ACTNOW

More than 230 leaders and other clan members from the Ibab, Tring Wau, Kamasau and Murai villages in the Turubu and Sausso LLG areas of East Sepik say they are opposing any further and logging activities in their forests. They are petitioning all appropriate authorities to completely stop what they say is continuous illegal logging activity on their land.

SPICES: The Forgotten Commodity

On 17 Sep, 2018 By ACTNOW

Originally aired on EMTV's Olsem Wanem program, SPICES: The Forgotten Commodity is a short film on the potential of the spice industry in Papua New Guinea.

Although small now, the industry has the potential to earn the country more than K100 million a year. What it lacks though is any proper government support.

Despite this neglect, spices are a perfect example of how ordinary people can use their customary land for small and medium sized businesses that sustain their families and develop their communities.

SABL Scandal Buried and Forgotten

On 30 Aug, 2018 By ACTNOW

The government has tried to bury and forget the SABL land grab scandal in which more than 5 million hectares of land has been stolen from rural communities.

It is using a well tested formula that we see employed almost every time a new corruption scandal is exposed:

First a long-drawn out official inquiry that is delayed by funding and other logistical problems.
Then a further delay before the inquiry findings are tabled in Parliament.

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