(PNG) logging by Malaysian logging giant

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Logging giant damned for 'rights violations' - Malaysiakini.com

Soon Li Tsin

Aug 17, 06 11:54am

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A recent report reveals damning case studies that allegedly support

complaints of human rights abuses and corruption by Malaysian logging giant

Rimbunan Hijau in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The Sarawak-based company has

however denied the claims.

 

Compiled by the Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights (Celcor)

and Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), the report is based on

extensive research to back the claims.

 

The report, entitled 'Bulldozing Progress: Human rights abuses and

corruption in Papua New Guinea's large scale logging industry', was released

in Australia earlier this month.

 

It details *seven case

studies<http://www.acfonline.org.au/uploads/res_ACF-CELCOR_full.pdf>

*, ranging from allegations of bribery and exploitation of workers to

violence against landowners.

 

Rimbunan Hijau was founded in 1976 by Sarawakian logging cum media tycoon

Tiong Hiew King, who also controls Chinese Malaysian newspapers *Sin Chew

Daily* and *Guangming Daily*, as well as *The National* in Papua New Guinea

and *Ming Pao* in Hong Kong.

 

In PNG, Rimbunan operates five of the 12 largest logging projects, the only

veneer mill and the largest sawmill. Its projects directly account for

one-third of the country's raw log exports.

 

It is claimed that the company is so powerful in some remote areas that it

acts " as if it is the government there " .

 

However, Rimbunan has brushed aside the claims, saying the report is biased

with no consideration of the economic contribution the logging industry had

made to PNG, according to *The National* last Wednesday.

 

It quoted a spokesperson as strongly refuting the findings and saying " we

don't have a logging operation in Southern Highland province, our foreign

employees have work permits and visas " .

 

" The landowners said some of the case studies of human rights abuse at

logging sites mentioned in the report were, in fact, not true, " the

spokesperson said.

 

*Excepts from report*

 

Among the complaints were:

 

*Bribery*

 

A former police officer Emmanuel Bani was deployed as private security for

the company. Officers were instructed by Rimbunan managers to use violence

against landowners who caused trouble and were paid for this.

 

" (He) paid us appreciation money, some sort of money which I call ...

bribery-type of money. I've got monies worth about three, four, five hundred

extra to my allowances, " said Bani in the report.

 

*Property damage*

 

In a 1999 incident, Ben Harevela from Paevera village in the country's

southern Gulf Province complained to Frontier Holdings (a subsidiary of

Rimbunan) that logging operations in the Vailala concession had destroyed a

sacred cultural site, and sought compensation for this damage.

 

Local landowners were also unhappy they were not seeing any of the

infrastructure, social projects or community development promised by the

company.

 

Harevela alleged that the company flew police task force members from PNG

capital Port Moresby to deal with the 'troublemakers'. He and two other men

were beaten up and police set fire to five houses owned by local landowners.

 

 

" I was bashed up in my village and they burn my village - five houses… they

came in with force, and the village people, they don't know why the police

come in - they were surprised to see the police… three of us were bashed up

and five houses burnt with all their properties – nothing left… "

 

*Exploitation of workers*

 

According to the Department of Community Development, Rimbunan pays some

workers just 63 toea (about 80 Malaysian sen) an hour, but no overtime

allowance if employees work beyond stated hours.

 

*Corruption*

 

A PNG government report on 'Rimbunan Hijau: Wawoi Guavi & Panakawa (Middle

Fly-Western Province)' recommended that the government urgently establishes

its authority in the Wawoi Guavi area, saying its absence " makes Rimbunan

think and act as if it is the government there " .

 

*Timber theft*

 

The Environmental Investigation Agency and Indonesian NGO Telapak released

an *investigative report <http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/18652>* exposing

the " massive timber theft " of merbau, a highly sought after timber species.

 

It alleged that syndicates of brokers and fixers have organised an illegal

operation to extract the merbau from the Indonesian province of Papua and

have it shipped to China by " a host of Malaysian companies and individuals

who oversee the actual logging " .