Ninety-nine year SABL leases issued to logging and oil palm companies have been condemned as "oppressive" and unfair by the Supreme Court.
The comments came in a decision endorsing the findings of the National Court that the SABL lease over Portion 144C in the East Sepik Province was null and void and all logging and oil palm planting was illegal.
RH Consultant and ex Managing Director of the PNG Forest Authority, Kanawi Pouru, addresses villagers in the Pomio district
SABL Story Project*
PNG’s largest logging company and multi-sector business group is telling rural communities that human rights and sustainable business principles impede rural development and should be ignored if people want to get rich.
The oil palm mill at Dirina in Pomio
SABL Story Project*
Who would think that a responsible government, whose income is dependent on tax revenue would allow one of our major export crop to be smeared with more dirt?
Court upholds SABL ruling
Source: Daphne Wani in The National (owned by logging company Rimbunan Hijau)
THE Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s decision of 2014 despite a judicial review application by Sepik Oil Palm Plantation Ltd over a Special Agricultural and Business Lease (SABL).
The audio from this video clip is being aired as an advert on commercial radio throughout PNG for the month of September.
The court victory for the Baining people of East New Britain in overturning two unlawful SABL leases only highlights the failure of the government to take action to protect landholders rights, says community advocacy group ACT NOW!
Source: Isaac Nicholas, Post Courier
LANDOWNERS in East New Britain Province have won a landmark legal battle to retake their “hijacked” land from the controversial Special Agriculture and Business Lease (SABL).
The people of Baining in Gazelle district had taken the State and developer to court over the SABL deal which has now been declared null and void by the National Court in Kokopo last Thursday.
SABL Story Project*
The Pomio West Special Agriculture Business Leases have failed to bring the promised economic development and financial benefits. Instead, whole villages have been taken over as the property of the lease holder along with everything standing on the land. The people have been left trapped as slaves.
There were some fine words from our Prime Minister in Parliament last week on the vital importance of customary land:
“Land, and its connection [to] our people is at the heart and soul of our country and our communities”.