Crisis deepens for Dayaks

May 20, 1992
Issue 

Crisis deepens for Dayaks

By Survival Urgent Action Bulletin

Government intimidation of tribal peoples in Sarawak is escalating. This year alone more than 50 Dayak people have been arrested for blockading the logging roads into their forest. Trees are cut 24 hours a day. Loggers work by floodlight at night.

The Malaysian government has stepped up its efforts to stamp out all local resistance to logging in Sarawak — home to 220,000 tribal peoples collectively known as Dayaks.

In order to prevent the truth about the scale of logging and oppression from reaching the outside world, the government is arresting key activists who have tried to draw international attention to the situation. It is accusing them of working on behalf of foreign interests to undermine the nation's economic security. Police have raided and closed down the offices of indigenous organisations, making communication with international organisations and with the world press near impossible.

The Kelabit, Penan and Kayan peoples have repeatedly appealed to the government to recognise their right to live on their lands. Since 1987, they have stood across the logging roads, sometimes bringing the industry to a standstill for months on end in some places.

The Malaysian government has responded to these peaceful protests by changing the law to make blockading roads punishable by up to a two-year sentence and heavy fines.

To date 500 tribal people have been arrested. Those arrested have been constantly harassed — called to court time and time again, only for the hearing to be postponed.

Logging forces the Dayaks from their lands and violates their rights, rights which are recognised under Sarawak's laws. In the words of a tribal elder, "We are people with a proud culture and a way of life that is built on our forest and land. Without the forest we are dead."

The Dayaks' forests are being destroyed at the fastest rate in the world. Game upon which they rely for their food has been scared deeper into the remaining forest. The rivers are silted up, and pollution is killing the fish. The constant fight against the authorities and the necessity to spend days travelling to court hearings means that women and children are frequently left alone to farm. Food supplies for the communities are often inadequate.

Nomadic tribes are being forced to "settle down" and give up their own culture. There is a notable increase in government propaganda which attempts to assimilate tribal peoples into mainstream Malaysian culture.

The situation of the Dayak peoples is now critical. Your voice is essential to show that there is international concern for the tribal peoples of Sarawak and for the destruction of their forest

Please write a polite letter to the Prime Minister (Begin: Dear Prime Minister): Dato Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Jalan Dato Onn, 50502 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Make the following points: the Malaysian government should recognise and uphold the Dayak peoples' rights to their land; all logging on tribal land should halt immediately; the government should stop arresting tribal people for defending their own homes.

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