Input-Discussion and Workshop Reports
i.Situation of the indigenous peoples
The first two days saw an exchange of situations by the participants,
giving them the chance to hear and see through skits and photographs the
life and social and economic conditions of the indigenous peoples of
Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. Specific problems experienced by
the indigenous communities of the participants were highlighted.
The delegation from Sabah displayed three skits to reflect the
developmental issues confronting the Muruts from Dalit (Keningau), the
Dusuns from Bundu Rantai (Keningau) and the Kadazans/Dusuns from Tampasak
(Penampang).
Logging has invaded ancestral lands of the Muruts in Dalit, causing the
denudation of large tracts of forests and consequently polluting the water
supply of the villagers, amongst others. Aside from logging, the
encroachment of the Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) schemes has also
threatened customary land rights of the indigenous Muruts in Dalit but
opportunities for them to voice out their grievances are rare. For the
Dusuns from Bundu Rantai, encroachment of logging companies into their
native customary land continuously threatened their ancestral heritage
whereas the Tampasak people have to contend with the state government to
retain their rights to their land, identified as a site for building a huge
dam.
Next, the Sarawak participants presented their situation through a skit
with six sub-plots. The first five scenes revealed the lives of the
community peoples before the onslaught of logging companies into their
lands. There was much mutual cooperation in planting and harvesting padi,
according to their adat asal (customary practice). A gawai capped the end
of the harvesting season, as an expression of thanks for abundance food
crop. In the final scene, the peoples sufferings were evident in the face of
uncontrolled logging, large plantation schemes and corrupted longhouse
headmen bought over by the logging companies or government officials. When
the people took up peaceful actions in defence of their ancestral land, the
government sent in uniformed men in order to effectively control the
people.
In contrast to the presentation of the Sabah and Sarawak groups, the
three Orang Asli participants used photographs to illustrate the way of life
of the Semai, largely dependent on forest for their survival and on jungle
products such as petai for cash income.
The photographs also illustrated their traditional lifestyles, homes,
environment and ceremonies such as the sewang, a traditional healing
ceremony. The trio also explained about the problems faced by the Orang
Asli, in particular restrictions imposed by the authorities and arising
religious conflicts (e.g. Islam and Christianity).
ii.Synthesis on the situation of indigenous peoples of Malaysia
The sharing by the participants revealed that there were increasing
problems brought to the indigenous peoples as a result of land development
schemes on their ancestral land, indiscriminate and uncontrolled logging and
the construction of huge dams.
In Sarawak, the participants spoke of indiscriminate logging in Long
Gang, Bintulu, Tinjar, Baram, Tatau, Belaga, Machan and Kg. Opar. Similar
stories were echoed in Rantai Bundu, Dalit (Sabah) and Batu 10, Pahang
(Peninsular Malaysia). In the process, logging companies were killing the
forests and rivers, source of life for people who live offf the land.
Similarly, indigenous peoples were often also the victims of land
development schemes implemented by government land agencies (e.g. SAFODA,
Sabah Forestry Development Authority, SLDB, Sabah Land Development Board,
FELDA, Federal Land Development Agency, LCDA, Land Consolidation Development
Authority, IADP, Integrated Agricultural Development Project, SALCRA,
Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority, FELCRA, Federal
Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority.) and/or private companies.
As a result, many communities have lost control over ancestral lands which
were once under their guardianship. They suffered, first from displacement
from their lands, and then as exploited labour (kuli) in these big
agricultural schemes.
In the same way, under the guise of national development projects such
as dams, highways and airports, to name just a few, indigenous peoples were
often either persuaded or coerced into giving up their lands. The Batang Ai
hydro dam at Lubok Antu (Sarawak), for example, displaced about 4,800
people, most of whom were Iban longhouse communities. The indigenous peoples
in Tampasak, Sabah and Belaga, Sarawak will invariably face the same fate if
the respective Babagon Dam and Bakun hydro-electric dam projects go ahead.
According to the participants, there were numerous causes for the
increasing problems experienced by them, in particular loss of ancestral
lands. First, promises of compensation for those being displaced from their
lands by political parties but these turned out to be empty promises.
Second, much of the communities problems were also caused by their longhouse
or village heads who bowed to offers made by logging companies, who then
gave the peoples land away without their knowledge. Third, intimidation and
harassment by men in uniforms and those in power to create fear in the
people, thereby effectively breaking up the unity of the people.
Finally, shortcomings in the statutory or legal provisions (or
non-provision in some cases) which made it all too easy to have the lands of
the indigenous peoples taken away. Even the native adat asal (customary law)
was no match for the powerful modern laws which swung too far in favour of
the government.
Cases in point: for Sarawak, Section 90(b) of the Forest Ordinance 1953
and Sections 3, 5 and 209(1) of the Sarawak Land Code 1958; for Sabah,
Section 28 of the Land Ordinance 1930, Sections 2 and 4 of the Land
Acquisition Act and the Forest Enactment; and for Peninsular Malaysia, the
Aboriginal People's Act 1954 (revised 1974). In addition, there were laws
that restrict the basic freedom of the people such as the Internal Security
Act and the Police Act.
iii.Workshop reports
Aware of the broad situation of the indigenous peoples of Malaysia, the
participants in this forum then begun to address their common problems in a
more systematic manner, hence workshop groups were generated to allow for
more in-depth sharing of experiences and knowledge. Participants were
divided into four smaller groups with guide questions provided to facilitate
discussion.
Below is a summary of the salient points highlighted by the four
groups:-
Main problems
-loss of ancestral lands -indiscriminate and uncontrolled logging -big
plantation schemes, especially palm oil -large dams -conflict between
"modern" religions and indigenous religion -loss of control over indigenous
education
Effects of problems
On ancestral land:
-displaced from ancestral lands and settlements -restriction to much smaller
resource areas or denied access to the use of their lands -depletion of
their natural resources such as lands, forests and water -native customary
land given to outsiders such as politicians -acquisition of native lands by
the forest department
On indigenous languages, cultures and traditions:
-gradual, but sure, decline of indigenous languages, cultures and
traditions -imposition of education, law and order, values, religion,
amongst other, structured on the system of the dominant society
-inferiority complex towards indigenous cultures and tradition, e.g.
keeping of long earlobes among the Kayans and Kenyahs of Sarawak, berpantun
(poetic chants), or wearing of traditional dress, especially among the
youths -traditional way of healing replaced by modern medicine -traditional
music and dances replaced by `rock' culture -breakdown of communal or
traditional practices such as bergotong-royong (mutual cooperation) and
communal feasting
On indigenous way of life:
-forced to work as kuli (labourers) on plantation schemes as a result of
displacement from ancestral lands -choice of crops and traditional methods
of cultivation influenced by the need for cash rather than for food first
-rituals and observances pertaining to their traditional farming system,
for example, are being lost in the face of external values that conflict
with indigenous traditions -longhouses are being replaced by individual
houses that do not reflect community living
Actions taken to confront problems
-campaigns to solicit support -appeal letters to the relevant authorities
-negotiation with the with the government -peaceful demonstrations and
blockades -agroforestry projects
Some of the actions were successful due to unity among the people,
determination to defend their ancestral lands, clear understanding of their
problems and support from concerned individuals and groups, amongst others.
This has resulted in the temporarily stopping of logging activities in some
areas (e.g. Keningau in Sabah), collective effort of demarcation of their
land according to needs and adat (e.g. Naman, Sarawak) and the formation of
action committees to carry on communal actions (e.g. Long Gang, Sarawak and
Babagon-Tampasak, Sabah), to name just a few of the victories experienced by
the people.
Some actions, however, were not so successful due to the lack of
experience in handling police intimidation or court cases especially at the
earlier stages, disunity among the communities, corrupted members of the
community, fear of authority, unaware of problems, and inadequate access to
correct information.
--- * Origin: Malaysia Hub (90:600/100)--