OVERVIEW & SOURCE
Large scale oil-palm development threatens 121,000 hectares in the
West Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. The lush, virgin
lowland, coastal, forested landscape is to be cleared and then
planted in an oil palm monoculture. The Aitape, West Sepik agro-
forest project continues to move towards commencement.
This despite the significant opposition and numerous
irregularities in the negotiation process. The Catholic Womens
Association in Aitape report little landowner support or
participation. The PNG press has reported the anger of major
landowning families in the area. The Times of PNG reports that
one landowner, Theresa Morupe Haihui, emotional response as she
sees her traditional land wrested from her control in the name of
"development." She states she totally rejects the project, and as
one of the only educated women from this very remote area she
would attempt to take out a court injunction against Damansara
Forests Products, a Malaysian logging company, to stop the project
(additional project specifics later in document).
Please take the time to send out the sample letter attached;
preferably with additional thoughts of your own or additional
detail from the background information following the sample
letter.
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SAMPLE LETTER
The Honourable Bernard Narakobi
Minister for Agriculture
PO Parliament House
Waigani
Papua New Guinea
Dear Honourable Narakobi,
I understand that your Ministry is negotiating with the Indonesian
company DAMANSARA to sell them a major portion (around 100 km
along the coast) of the forest between Suain and Aitape, West
Sepik, for industrial logging and promised oil palm development.
I ask you very urgently to stop this project immediately.
Indications are that the Agro-Forestry deal with DAMANSARA is just
clearcutting the forest in disguise. Many local people of this
area as well as numerous PNG non-governmental organizations do not
see this as true sustainable development; but rather as bad
development, following the economic model of over-development
which has caused suffering in so much of the rest of the world.
Large scale, industrial logging is not development; and oil palms,
if they ever should arrive, can not replace the rain forest.
I would agree with a project that brings good development;
necessarily small scale, community owned, and ecologically
sustainable. It is possible for village people to cut their own
timber, perhaps utilizing wokabaut somils, for local consumption
and export as "ecotimber". There are a number of organizations
within PNG setting up community-based, sustainable forestry
operations.
I encourage you and your government to actively seek out Papua New
Guineans working on "home-grown" development that more accurately
reflects the Melanesian culture. Please, cooperate with and
support through your Ministry a reasonable development strategy
that does not impoverish future generations for a brief boom
period as primary resources are shipped elsewhere for processing.
Please say no to exploitative schemes; starting with DAMANSARA's
moves to cut much of the West Sepik Province. Instead, I
respectfully request that you consider community-based,
sustainable development. Such a course has the potential to
provide income for many generations to come. This is preferable
to the present resource liquidation currently occurring under the
guise of development throughout PNG.
Cordially,
Please, if possible, copies also to:
Honourable Sir Julius Chan
Office of the Prime Minister
Papua New Guinea
PO Box 6055
Boroko, NCD
Papua New Guinea
Fax: 675 27 6696
The Times of PNG
Attn: The Editor
PO Box 1982
Boroko, NCD
Papua New Guinea
Fax: 675 25 4433/2579
The Post Courier
Attn: The Editor
PO Box 85
Port Moresby, NCD
Papua New Guinea
Fax: 675 21 2721
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ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION--
The following information is the synopsis of approximately six
reports in the PNG media over the past 2 years; as well as
interviews with a dozen individuals in local and international
NGOs. Please contact Ecological Enterprises for complete
articles.
Project Details
A West Sepik integrated agro-forest project is a step closer as
Damansara Realty Berhad of Malaysia has signed four separate
joint-venture agreements with landowner companies from the east
coast and central Aitape regions to develop the integrated agro-
forest project.
The signing, which took place in late 1994, is an important step
in the possible development of the multi-million kina project.
The Aitape integrated agro-forest project is expected to cost the
developer in excess of K200 million.
The management of Damansara Realty Berhad, which is incorporated
in PNG as Damansara Forest Products (DFP) Pty Ltd, was able to
conclude the agreements after a delay of almost two years.
The agro-forest project involves clear-felling of forests in the
four project areas, selective logging within the areas
encompassing the project areas and development of clear-felled
areas as agreed between the joint-venture parties.
Of the total 29,979 hectares to be clearfelled in Pia, Siau, Batai
and Talama areas 21,978 hectares will be alienated under a lease
of 66 years at an annual total rental of K4000, upon which the
company will plant oil palm.
The Malaysian Company, Damansara Realty Bhd, has acquired control
of Aitape Agro-Forest Pty Ltd. Damansara owns Cakara Alam Pty Ltd
which is logging the Arawe area of WNB. Aitape Agro-Forest Pty
Ltd. has reportedly been pursuing developing a 150,000 hectare oil
palm project.
Questionable Process
Former Minister for Forests Tim Neville is on record as expressing
concern over the Malaysian company Damansara Realty Bhd conduct
during the negotiations process. Damansara is a property company
whose parent is Land and General Bhd.
Neville disclosed in public statements that both Aitape Agro-
Forest and Arrow Pacific Timber (PNG) Pty Ltd were actively
engaged in pursuing the project when neither was a registered
forest industry participant nor were they registered with the
Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) as being potential developers
of oil palm plantations.
Mr Neville stated that "any project which involved a large
scale clearfelling operation would be carefully scrutinized and
would have to be the subject of a clearly detailed environmental
plan which would minimize damage to surrounding areas". This
clearly has not been the case. And following Mr Neville's removal
from office as the Wingti government gave way to Prime Minister
Sir Julius Chan and a new forest minister. Nearly the first act
of the new forest minister is to allow this questionable project
to be approved.
One Women's View
Theresa Morupe Haihui, housewife and mother of two, is a landowner
from the area. The Times of PNG reports "she's months pregnant,
angry and anxious. Last week she wept after reading in The Times
that her land in Aitape, Sandaun province, would be logged and
replaced with oil palm and other agricultural projects."
Theresa thinks "It will be terrible news for Christmas if NEC
approved the project. She says her family from Karaite village own
most of Pai, the major project area between Yalingi and the Raihu
rivers almost all of which is covered by virgin forest... ...
These so-called landowners supporting the project who claim they
represent us do not own my land. They do not own or have that
much forest to push for such a project," she said.
"I totally reject the project because believe that my village
people have not been consulted. I still have my landrights. Out of
the women there I'm the only one educated up to Grade 10, most of
my brothers are not aware of this project they are out in other
provinces as teachers. I am very concerned about my people. I
believe they are very ignorant about this project," Theresa said.
She added that her people live remote of services. "They do not
see stores, they do not eat tinned fish or rice, they have no aid
posts or schools. They depend on the forests to get their meat,
streams to fish and beat sago for staple food. They've been living
like this for many years. Once they start logging the area, my
people will lose everything," Theresa said.
She is pessimistic about the proposed oil palm project. "Which
people are going to cultivate oil palm. My people are totally
ignorant about agriculture. Does the agreement include
agricultural expertise to train village people to make their
living out of oil palm once the forests are gone?" she asked.
"I support the Catholic Womens Association in Aitape who are
against this project. I will continue to mobilize my family and
relatives to reject this project until they understand how they
are going to benefit out of it," she said.
Theresa said if the project was approved, she would attempt to
take out a court injunction to stop it from proceeding.
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You are encouraged to utilize this information for personal
campaign use; including writing letters, organizing campaigns and
forwarding. All efforts are made to provide accurate, timely
pieces; though ultimate responsibility for verifying all
information rests with the reader. Networked by:
Ecological Enterprises
2701 University Ave., B-368
Madison, WI 53705
USA
(608) 263-3255 daytime phone & fax
gbarry@macc.wisc.edu or switpi@igc.apc.org
Ikolagikol Enterprais
PO Box 126
Madang, Madang Province
Papua New Guinea