On Tuesday, Malaysia’s Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok announced that the government is committed to maintaining at least 50 percent forest cover nationwide, and will not allow any more expansion of oil palm plantations. This was not announced as part of an official policy platform, but after Kok’s keynote address...
In a warming climate, dams and downpours make for a dangerous mix This week, a dam breach in central Myanmar forced an estimated 50,000 people from their homes and flooded the country’s main highway. The Swar Chaung dam in Bago region overflowed as the result of this year’s particularly generous...
Here are a few updates on what’s been happening this month: Stop the Papar Dam! In Sabah, a controversial dam project that was shelved in 2015 has been resurrected by the newly elected Chief Minister Shafie Apdal despite campaign promises condemning the project. The proposed dam would cover 5.22 sq km, is...
The Borneo Project has been informed that on Monday 27th August, Adrian Banie Lasimbang will be sworn in as a new member of the Malaysian Senate....
In Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, a controversial dam project that was shelved in 2015 has been resurrected by the newly elected Chief Minister Shafie Apdal despite campaign promises condemning the project. The affected communities who have mobilized against the proposal accuse Shafie’s Parti Warisan Sabah of breaking election promises. Diana Sipail...
“On this annual observance, let us commit to fully realizing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the rights to self-determination and to traditional lands, territories and resources.” — UN Secretary-General António Guterres Note: this article is reposted from un.org There are an estimated 370 million indigenous...
Battle for NCR Land Rights in Sarawak Continues On July 5th hundreds of protestors and over 20 native social rights groupsgathered in Miri to express their opposition to a proposed amendment that would significantly dilute indigenous land rights. Following the rally, an amendment was passed that limits the Native Customary Rights (NCR) domain to 1,000...
The Penan speak out against their discrimination as hunters and gatherers: the law should not only acknowledge rights to farmland but also to forest. (MIRI / SARAWAK / MALAYSIA) The Penan from Malaysian Borneo are turning to their government requesting the acknowledgement of their right to land, on which they...
Here is our mid-year wrap up of 2018 Borneo Project news. INDIGENOUS-LED CONSERVATION Our work to promote indigenous-led conservation in Sarawak continues through consultations, workshops, and facilitating meetings with the government. We’re advocating for a socio-ecological study that trains local people to collect data for wide-reaching surveys. In the Amazon,...
Dear Friends of The Borneo Project, To a Western audience, the word “Borneo” has historically conjured images of misty rainforest, densely packed with bird calls, buzzing insects, and maybe a primate or two swinging in the trees. Sadly, these days it more often summons images of palm oil plantations, orphaned...
