Leaders urged to support call to cancel all SABL leases

Local members of parliament have been urged to support the call by customary landowners to cancel all SABL leases in the country.

The call also goes to provincial and district administrations to take up the responsibility of protecting the people in affected SABL areas.

Customary landowner Anna Sipona from Malmal Village in Pomio District, East New Britain Province says every time they seek help and advice from the district administration and provincial government they get turned down.

Sipona said these government agencies and the local leaders are supposed to advise them on the right thing to do and help them get their concerns through to the Government.

“We see that the Lands Department at the provincial and national level does not really care what is happening to us.

“We’ve taken our many concerns and grievances to them however they’ve turned a blind eye and deaf ear to those concerns.

“We continue to raise our concerns and hope that one day someone will hear us.

“We now call on the Government to help us as we do not know who to turn to,” she said.

Sipona also asked Papua New Guineans to stand with the people affected by SABL and their call to cancel all SABL leases.

“Why is it taking too long for the government to help us and why is the Government being silent and not responding to our cry?” she questioned.

“Give back our land and release us from the nightmares and human rights abuse as a result of the introduction of the SABL.”

About 10,000 post cards signed by concerned customary landowners across the country were delivered today to the Lands Department Office calling for action on the SABL land grab.

Author: 
Quintina Naime