Miri: Save
Sarawak’s Rivers (SAVE Rivers) commends a statement by The Senior Minister and
Minister of Social Development, Tan Sri William Mawan published in the Borneo
Post on the 18th August, 2012, admitting to the shortcomings in Sg Asap
resettlement scheme. It is hoped that Tan Sri Mawan would also further clarify
that these issues, including similar issues affecting the Batang Ai
resettlement, have not been resolved many years after the initial resettlement.
Today, promises are also made to the
people of Baram that the government will look after them and will not abandon
them. The promise made to them today is the same as was made to them when the
exploitation of timber first started in the district in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Those promises were on better standard of living, good roads and
infrastructure. They were told that the government always has the interest of
the people at heart. It was just like those made to the people of Bakun/Sungai
Asap and Batang Ai.
Just like those in Sungai Asap and
Batang Ai the promises in Baram are not fulfilled. Over 30 years since the
first promises were made; there are no tarred roads or infrastructure for the
communities who still eke a basic standard of living today. There is a burning
question to how state and federal development funds allocated to the Baram have
been spent or were there any such allocation in the first place.
SAVE Rivers would like to see that
the government settle all unfulfilled promises made to the people of Bakun and
Batang Ai who were forced to make way for these mega-dams, before embarking on
building other mega-dams which would negatively affect the lives of many more
communities. Building new dams would only add more problems for the government
and subject more people to suffer as the consequence. The people affected by
Bakun were 10,000 those affected by the Batan Ai 3,000, Murum 1000. But Baram
will be about 20,000. So if the government cannot be trusted to meet the need
of those in the earlier dams how can they amicably settle those of the 20,000
people?
On the formation of the Baram HEP
Consultative Committee, the view of SAVE Rivers is that is a futile exercise.
Similar committees were formed for Bakun/Sungai Asap years ago but they fail to
meet the real needs of the people.
The phrase, "there is no smoke
without fire", thus aptly applies to Mawan's complaint about the
"spin off these shortcomings in Bakun". If the issues of the mega-dam
resettlements in Sarawak were efficiently resolved after many years, there
should be no spin.
SAVE Rivers urges Mawan to take his own
advice, whereby the current ruling party should act as problem-solvers,
particularly of societal and environmental problems they have created.
Peter Kallang, Chairperson of SAVE
Sarawak, comments, "politicians should not say good things about the Baram
dam just to stay in power. The Baram dam will have a permanent effect on the
life and well-being of the people. It would be most irresponsible to make such
statement for personal or party interest."
Original Signed
…………………………..
Peter Kallang
Chairman SAVE Rivers
H/Phn: 013 833 1104
Note:
NOTE: SAVE Rivers is a Network of individuals and 8 Malaysian
Indigenous Peoples’ Non-Government Organisation NGOs and Community Based
Organisations (CBOs), namely
1) Baram Protection Action
Committee (BPAC)
2) Borneo Resources
Institute, Malaysia (BRIMAS)
3) Indigenous Peoples of Malaysia Network
(JOAS)
4) The Sarawak Native
Customary Land Rights Network (TAHABAS)
5) Sarawak Dayak Iban
Association (SADIA)
6) Sarawak Indigenous
Lawyers Alliance (SILA)
7) Sarawak Conservation Alliance for
Natural Environment (SCANE)
8) Centre for Community
Information and Communications (CICOM)
