Customary Land

SABL logger cheating Bewani locals

“What little I get from my royalty payments I give back to the logging company because most business houses in Vanimo town, including the only supermarket are owned by the logging company. Moreover, the company cheats me by claiming money from my royalty payments”

That’s from Emap Itep of Aimbai village in Bewani, West Sepik Province.

National Court rules another two SABLs null & void

Source: PNGi Central

The National Court has ruled a further two Special Agriculture and Business Leases null and void for constructive fraud.

David Mota -V- Albert Camillus and Akami Oil Palm Limited (2014) is the sixth reported National Court decision* in which SABL leases have been quashed for a failure by the State to ensure the informed consent of customary landowners and to strictly comply with the requirements of the Land Act.

Returning to the Land for Sustenance

Source: EMTV Online

The scorching 2pm Port Moresby sun was nothing to worry about as mothers were busy on what they do daily; toiling the land not far from the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea.

EMTV Online spot the gardeners today (Wednesday, August 9, 2017) as they were busy planting, watering and digging at the backyard of Fincorp building near the National Parliament.

Lands claims 'legal issues hindering cancellation of SABLs'

 

The Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, and the Lands Minister, Benny Allen promised in April that all Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABLs) were being cancelled. Their promises came one after another, seemingly coordinated to placate the public on the eve of elections. But now the Lands Department is claiming 'legal issues' have prevented any cancellations - see report below. It looks like the Prime Minister and the Lands Minister's promises were just empty words...

Source: The National Newspaper

Self sufficiency

Eighty-five percent of the population in Papua New Guinea, over 7 million people, live in rural communities on their own ‘customary’ land. 

For these people their land is their supermarket, hardware store, pharmacy and cash machine.

The land provides food to eat from gardens and hunting, water, medicines, fuel for cooking, materials to build houses and make ropes, fences, baskets, tools and weapons. 

The land also binds families, clans and communities together. It provides social cohesion, sustains cultural identity and underlies spiritual beliefs.