SABL

PNG government must act on international criticism over human rights abuses against its indigenous peoples

Civil society organisations are urging the Papua New Guinea government to take immediate action to end pervasive land grabbing and illegal logging after these issues were highlighted by governments around the world in formal recommendations put before the United Nations yesterday (1).

Nations call for action on SABL land grab

 

The government needs to urgently take action on the SABL land grab and increase scrutiny of the logging industry. This was one of the messages from the international community during a review of human rights in PNG by the United Nations in Geneva on Friday.

Countries from Central and South America, Asia and Europe all spoke of the need for the PNG government to do more to protect the rights of customary landowners.

Seven reasons why govt plan to convert SABL leases must be rejected

The government is planning to convert unlawful SABL leases into registered land. Community advocacy group ACT NOW! says there are seven strong reasons why the government’s plan is wrong and should be rejected.

“The Department of Lands is drafting amendments to the Lands Act which will allow the government to endorse the unlawful SABL land grab”, says ACT NOW! Program Manager Effrey Dademo. 

Forest Minister fails to discredit critical analysis

The Forest Minister has taken out full page adverts in the media this month [see below] trying to refute allegations of illegal logging and financial misreporting by the logging industry. But his lengthy explanations fail to answer the central allegations and many of his admissions actually add weight to the arguments he is trying to dispute!

UN report critical of government response on SABL

A new report published by the United Nations Human Rights Council is critical of the SABL land grab and the PNG government’s response. The UN says the land grab has been especially harmful to minorities and indigenous peoples.

The SABL land grab has resulted in over 5 million hectares of land being unlawfully taken from indigenous rural people and given to foreign corporations.

Land grabbing, illegal logging and seabed mining raised in Geneva

The government’s human rights record and its failure to protect the interests of customary landowners is under the spotlight in Switzerland this week.

Community advocacy group ACT NOW! is in Geneva briefing diplomats at the United Nations on the SABL land grab, illegal logging and experimental seabed mining.