customary land

CoI must get to the bottom of the SABL issues

On 19 Aug, 2011 By rait man

By MT

THE people in the rural areas want the government to thoroughly investigate the issuance of Special Purpose and Agricultural Business Leases (SABL).  This issue affects more than 90% of the silent majority who live in villagers and remote communities.

 These people do not even know that their customary land has been given to corporations with the backing of foreign-owned multi-national corporations.  I was shocked to learn that over than 300,000ha of customary land in my area was given to a corporate entity.

In defense of customary land in Papua New Guinea

On 15 Aug, 2011 By rait man

By Martyn Namorong

The phrase “landowner issues” is a misnomer and gives the wrong impression that Papua New Guineas traditional land owners are somehow a deterrent to progress. Next week I travel to the Lower Ramu region to see for myself the land of a rainforest tribe of New Guinea being taken from them without proper consent.

Battle of the SABLs intensifies

On 12 Jul, 2011 By rait man With 1 Comments

By Warren Dutton

Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal has established a Commission of Inquiry into the SABLs [special agricultural and business leases], which is a good and I believe well intentioned step.

However there are definitely forces within the system, and perhaps even within the process itself, that will be working hard to maintain the status of the bad SABLs, so the ECPNG [ecumenical council of PNG] really needs to present the strongest possible submission to the Commission of Inquiry.

Confusion over SABL Commission of Inquiry continues

On 07 Jul, 2011 By rait man

The confusion over whether a Commission of Inquiry has been appointed to investigate Special Purpose Business and Agriculture leases, which we first reported on 3 days ago - Confusion over Land Grab Commission of Inquiry - has deepened with the publication of a further newspaper advert, this time in The National.

Land grabbing a global concern

On 05 Jul, 2011 By rait man

NRI hits out at SPBAL land grab

On 05 Jul, 2011 By rait man

SABL Land Grab: An Open Letter to the Prime Minister

On 24 Jun, 2011 By Effrey With 2 Comments

The advert below was published in the Post Courier newspaper today, Friday 24 June.

Post Courier reminds Abal of his commitment to land grab inquiry

On 03 Jun, 2011 By rait man

The Post Courier newspaper has used the occasion of World Environment Day and its Editorial Column to remind Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal of his commitment to set up a Commission of Inquiry into the Special Agriculture and Business Leases. SABLs have been misused as a vehicle to take control of more than 5 million hectares of customary land away from local people. Mr Abal made his commitment to set up an inquiry on May 5 but has not yet signed the instruments to make the Commission a reality.

Portions of Paradise: Vanuatu suffers its own land grab

On 03 Jun, 2011 By rait man With 6 Comments

While local people in Papua New Guinea are beginning to suffer the impacts of a massive land grab orchestrated under the guise of agriculture projects, mining leases and Special Economic Zones, Vanuatu is suffering its own land grab as revealed in this video.

NRI Report highlights need for Commission of Inquiry into Special Agricultural Business Leases

On 26 May, 2011 By Effrey

By Lorraine Jonathan, NRI Media Unit

Papua New Guinea's Land Act 1996, provides an avenue for customary landowners to participate in economic development on their customary land. The process by which this is done is lease their customary land to the state in return for the state granting a special agricultural and business lease (SABL) over the land. This lease lease‐back system was designed to enable customary landowners’ access to credit for agricultural ventures on their customary land.

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