papua new guinea: the ‘invisible’
privatization of clan land
The Vailala FMA/TRP area in Papua New
Guinea is under threat of permanent
destruction if the current trend in logging
practices is not stopped. Operated by
Frontier Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of
the Malaysian logging giant Rimbuna Hinjau,
the area covers an estimated 900 000
hectares of forest and is one of the
largest logging operations in the country.
Logging is happening at a rapid rate, with
hardwood and other indigenous species being
harvested both day and night. Since the
harvesting began in 1995, many cases of
environmental damage, river pollution,
human rights abuse, over-logging, failure
to honour agreements as well as labour and
employment breaches have been reported.
the privatization of clan land
The forest belongs to the original
landowners, the local clans. Originally,
logging permits were brokered between the
responsible government department, the
Forest Authority, the directors of the
landowner companies and Frontier Holdings.
The landowner companies were meant to
represent the clans, and act as trustees
over logging royalties. However, the
clanspeople hardly know anything about
their function and the nature of their
operations. These companies have provided
no services or any economic means of
support for the socioeconomic lives of the
people.
In 2002 the logging permit expired, yet
without the consent of the majority of the
clan, Frontier Holdings in collaboration
with the landowner company directors was
granted an extended permit to continue
operating in the area for up to ten years.
The clans were left out of the discussion
and the company assumed full control of the
land. In short the land has been
privatized, and the landowners feel that
they no longer have any rights over their
land. they have lost faith in the
government, the Forest Authority, and the
company.
unfulfilled promises and missing
benefits
Having the logging operation on their
land has brought the locals few benefits.
The monetary benefit in the form of royalty
payments has been meagre, and the predicted
“trickle down” economic benefit from the
company’s investment has not materialized.
No proper economic infrastructure, such as
roads and wharves, which could help locals
transport and sell their goods, has been
built. Promises of new schools,
infirmaries, and other community-related
facilities have never been fulfilled.
Meanwhile, the nearest company facility is
only for its employees and does not serve
the nearby villages, whose inhabitants have
to paddle upstream for several hours for
medical treatment.
environmental degradation, human rights
abuse and death
Breaches of the Logging Code of Practice
happen continuously, with trees being
felled illegitimately, and under-sized
trees harvested without approval. Forest
Officers have not been monitoring company
activities nor performing their
constitutional duty to protect the forest.
Meanwhile, many watersheds are being
destroyed and the main Vailala River is
becoming increasingly siltedup. Of great
concern to the villages along the
riverbanks is escalating soil erosion,
especially during heavy rains when large
quantities are washed away.
Other violations of environmental law
have occurred, with diesel and chemical run
offs contaminating the entire downstream
river system. As late as October 2002, the
company poured DDT into a creek just
upstream from Heava village in the main
Vailala River. The contamination killed all
the marine life in the creek. Reports from
Hepea Aid post revealed that chemical
contamination was responsible for the death
of nine infants in October 2002, who all
died within a one week period. There are
also reports downstream from Vailala of
several infant deaths in the same
period.
The villagers are worried that their
hunting grounds, herbal plants and trees
for building houses and traditional
artefacts are being destroyed, while water
for drinking is being contaminated and
animals and fish are becoming scarce.
human rights abuse
The relationship between the company and
the landowners has deteriorated over the
years since the operation began. The
company has deprived the people of their
right to be heard and has been operating in
isolation from the views of the majority of
the locals. The company has disregarded
existing local laws and taboos and
destroyed ancient traditional and sacred
ceremonial sites in the name of
development.
When landowners question certain company
activities, the Police Task Force are
called in to suppress the locals and most
local people have complained about ill
treatment from both the logging company and
the landowner companies. Currently, the
landowners feel that they do not have
rights under the constitution nor do they
feel that they are any longer the
landowners.
social instability
The situation has resulted in rising
social problems in the local communities.
Many young people lead increasingly violent
lives with crime, drugs and prostitution
prevalent. Healthrelated problems are
increasing and diseases once rare in the
area have become common.
Moreover, conflict is on the rise, both
against the company, illustrated by the
shooting of two company employees during an
occupation of one of the base camps, and
between clans, creating disharmony within
the local communities.
the future?
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Fly
River, Papua New Guinea
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What the people of Vailala want now is
to halt the logging operation and to ask
the logger to abide by the logging code, as
well as environmental and human rights
laws. If the company is not willing to do
so, then a new investor will be asked to
operate in the area. Otherwise, new ways to
bring in investment without harming the
environment will be discussed.
In Papua New Guinea, The Centre for
Environmental Law and Community Rights, a
member group of Friends of the Earth
International, is active in the Vailala
area, advising and giving legal support to
local clans and carrying out surveys of the
logging operations.
more information:
Centre for Environmental Law and
Community Rights
