The government still has plenty of work to do to redress the injustice of the SABL land grab and illegal logging.
ACT NOW! is cautiously optimistic the government is moving in the right direction by cancelling most SABL leases, if the statements by the Minister for Lands are true, but this is only a first step.
Since the Commission of Inquiry reported in 2013, the government has made numerous promises to cancel the SABL leases, but we still have no confirmation of which leases have been cancelled and which remain.
In the intervening period, large areas of forests within the SABL lease areas have been cleared and logs worth hundreds of millions of dollars shipped overseas by Malaysian logging companies.
The government's empty promises
A Commission of Inquiry was established in July 2011 to look into the legality of the large number of Special Purpose Agriculture Business Leases (SABLs) issued since 2003.
The Commissioners submitted two final reports in June 2013.
Background
No due process and no informed consent
The SABL Commission of Inquiry found a widespread failure by public servants to follow the law and proper process in issuing the SABL leases. Most importantly, bureaucrats did not ensure the informed of consent customary landholders.
Informed consent
Source: Jimmy Kalebe
The current logging operations in Turubu LLG in Wewak District and parts of Sausso LLG in Yangoru Saussia District East Sepik Province are still going despite it being nullified by the national government last year.
During the 6years of massive logging and round log export, millions of Kina damages were done to the environment, affecting livelihoods of local people.
To date, promises of improved infrastructure and other benefits as stated by the landowner company in the beginning were never materialized.