To : All on Peg in Australia
attn JSender..could you pass this message onto Leigh.
To : RAN attn Pam Wellner- Pam could you send to the Suzuki
Foundation. Are they on Email?
Re : SOS Sarawak
The following is a letter from Anja and media release.
Please note before you start sending letters off to the jail
please wait for clarification from RIC as we have previously been
told the inmates are only alllowed one letter per month. If this
is so this should be saved for important letters from parents
etc.
STOP PRESS: Just rec'd quick fax from Anja
Fax To John Seed 61 66 222 339
5.8.91
Dear John,
1. If letters are sent through the prison, rules can restrict to one
per month; however the real attitude is a little more relaxed and
it seems that our lawyer can bring letters and at least read them
out to them.
Our solicitor's address is PO Box 1395, 98008 Miri, Sarawak.
2. Jake's ticket expired (it was not possible to extend it (Gulf Air
45 days max)) so he will need some assistance to get back to Oz.
There is another possibility that he will be sent back to his country
of citizenship. Either way the immigration dept. have indicated
except in extreme cases, they do not pay the fare for deportations.
For Mother Earth,
Anja.
P.S. Did you receive my fax yesterday - 2 pages re sentencing of 8?
4.8.91
Fax To RIC; 61 66 222 339
Dear Friends,
Hope all is well; did Dean make it back safely? Please give him
a hug! Here is an important report - they are getting heavier on
this issue. It would be good to launch an appeal of support for
these people, write letters to them c/o the prison: Penjara
Pusat, Miri, Lambir, Sarawak. This will not only raise their
spirits but will get the message to many others. I will be
working for the next couple of days on more background
information. Hopefully the guys inside will soon play football
together* - I think it could be very empowering. I think the
others will get a visit tomorrow, its hard to give them
information - Jake will be so happy to hear of D and A's visit to
this far country. Can you raise any support for Jake?
The case as you realise is dragging on; a very confusing
matter,but the longer it goes on like this (the prosecution is
calling witnesses - police officers - who assure the magistrate
that it was a peaceful demonstration, that we always smiled and
that they thought that the only intention we had was to carry out
an anti-logging demonstration,( not to commit criminal tresspass)
it would seem that there is no case to answer. Whatever the
outcome, the impact seems to be much more positive for all
concerned (as you'll see as we send the notes of proceedings).
The case is adjourned till Wednesday and may continue to the
following week. We played the guitar outside the courthouse on
Friday; it's an amazing feeling of liberation to speak and hear
openly the real issue, while the proceedings of the court
continue.
We called our friends in prison as possible witnesses so they
could have a day out (and to eat pizza and chocolate), they are
handling things well, are good friends with the guards, and are
brainstorming ideas for a European Roadshow. Still have no idea
of what to expect, but my outcome will prove the point and air
the real issues; I think that's the most important.
I'll try to keep in touch over the next days - please put the
release on email. For Mother Earth and all Life, Anja.
The people here are great - and have ultimate patience with us -
2 weeks already!
*Note they will be in the same prison!
URGENT; Please post on Email immediately - or fax to Leigh at
MRAG (special reguest from her friend here!) Can you also send to
RAN!
PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS
For immediate release
4.8.91
8 DAYAKS CHARGED AND SENTENCED
***********************************************************************
ATTEMPTS TO PROTECT LAND ENDS IN SEVERE JAIL TERMS
Yesterday 8 Dayaks (native people) of the Iban tribe from the
Tatau area, Sarawak, Malaysia, were sentenced to prison terms of
between six and nine months, after being found guilty of the
charge of criminal intimidation. They had pleaded not guilty to
the charge. A complaint was lodged by the logging company to the
police after their repeated attempts to protect their native
customary land from encroaching logging operations.
Janna ak Gongik was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment, while
Senauan ak Enteri ( the headman of a long house), Maling ak
Sangit, Jingam ak Budak, Anchai ak Jaroh, Juboh ak Bawak and
Jantai ak Janton were all sentenced to 6 months imprisonment.
All of them have dependant families. They will join the six
international activists recently imprisoned for a logging
protest, in the Lambir prison in Miri.
In the ruling the magistrate pointed out that the severity of the
sentences reflected a "deterrent factor" and that this was a
matter of "public policy". He also indicated that these types of
cases (the attempts to protect native customary land against
logging operations) are "rampant" in Sarawak. He stated that they
"cannot take the laws into their own hands. . . there are other
ways to settle disputes".
150 families from 11 longhouses have maintained their struggle to
protect their land by erecting between 20 and 30 peaceful
blockades during the past 2 1/2 years. They have also made
repeated signals to the authorities and the timbers camps to
stop logging operations. The area, along the Sangan River, was
formally logged by Daiya Malaysia ( a subsidiary of Mitsubishi).
At the present time the area is being re-entered by the Shin Yang
timber company.
The logging companies are extracting timber at the fastest rate
in the world for consumer markets including Australia and Japan.
Hundreds of thousands of native people from various tribes suffer
adversely from logging operations which destroy the primary
forests and pollute the water on which they are directly
dependant for survival. Despite continuous local and
international protests and appeals to stop logging operations in
primary forests and on native customary lands in Sarawak, the
rates of logging has increased.
Ends.