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Shocking video shows struggle against Mulu oil palm plantation
International petition aims at halting rainforest destruction near the Mulu National Park
(Mulu National Park, SARAWAK / MALAYSIA) An exclusive video released today by the Swiss NGO, the Bruno Manser Fonds, shows shocking footage of rainforest destruction in Malaysian Borneo. The Swiss NGO managed to film destructive logging by Radiant Lagoon, a Malaysian palm oil producer, near the Mulu National Park, Sarawak’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. The company, which is controlled by Malaysian tycoon Yee Ming Seng, is currently clearing a 4400 hectare rainforest plot beween the Tutoh river bank and the Brunei border.
The video features three indigenous leaders who are fighting against the destruction of native lands by oil palm companies. In one of its most dramatic moments, Berawan leader Willie Kajan is seen shouting to a bulldozer “Do not destroy our forest – Stop robbing us!”. Penan leader Osen Tuo calls on the international community to support the natives’ plight as the plantation companies are encroaching on indigenous lands. Another Penan leader shown in the video, Bateu Bungan headman Ukau Lopeng, was last week threatened by Malaysia’s political police, the Special Branch, with arrest.
The Bruno Manser Fonds today launches an international petition in support of the indigenous communities affected by the Mulu oil palm clearings.. It calls on Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari to revoke Radiant Lagoon’s concession and issue a moratorium on new oil palm plantations.
“What is currently happening in Mulu is a disgrace and in contravention of Malaysia’s international promises”, said Lukas Straumann, the executive director of the Bruno Manser Fonds. “We are calling on the Malaysian and Sarawak authorities to immediately address this issue in a meaningful way.”
The video and the petition can be accessed at www.savemulu.org as well as on Youtube, Facebook and Twitter (#savemulu #lovemyforest).
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