Yet another logging operation in Oro Province

Dear All,

Note these pictures taken from another full scale logging site in the Oro Province. 

This is happening right under the noses of authorities and yet no one has investigated the legality of this activity. It started off as a restoration exercise after the Cyclone Guba disaster in 2007 which ravaged many coastal villages. A prominent citizen and businessman offered to carry out salvage logging in the area by using portable hand saw mounted on a truck to cut timber to help locals rebuild their houses at Pongani, a village near Oro Bay  that lost 98% of its houses.

Instead, the operation went into selectively logging out Kwila, (merbau or incia). To date no timber has been sawn and given to local villagers but only one single species is being  stock piled and a jetty is being built at Oro Bay to ship out the logs.

The loggers even went into  the Managalas Conservation Area, in the mountainous region behind Oro Bay, which is only months away from being declared. 
Adelbert Gangai

Pontoons with logging equipment at Oro Bay

Pictures by Adelbert Gangai

The pictures were taken last Sunday at Oro Bay. A new mystery pontoon with a tug boat has berthed along side the first one. There is no equipment on the new arrival and Mr Gangai says he is still investigating its origin and purpose and will keep us posted. 

 

Gangai say, "As far as the landowners are concerned the project is a no go! The pontoon and its cargo should be confiscated and the Managing Director (named company) arrested for trying the laws of this country. The land titles are cancelled and the FCA is suspended. This foreigner has no respect for our laws. He should be charged by customs and deported.

Barge sits idle at Oro Bay

By John Pangkatana - Post Courier

The barge, Cathy 15, seized by PNG Customs officials in Oro Bay last week will not move until Customs and National Forestry Service officials have completed their investigations.

Southern police commander Inspector Jerry Frank said the barge in Oro Bay would not move until implications surrounding its alleged link to logging with the customary landowners are resolved.

Loggers turned back on their way to Sinapa, Collingwood Bay

                                              Eye-witness account from Tufi:

 "Last Monday a group of eight Malaysian men landed here at Tufi. They headed down to the wharf where they first bought a load of supplies in Cyril's trade store, and then made arrangements with a small boat to take them down the coast to Airara. A hired little dory, owned by locals who fish for the resort, would have been filled pretty much to the railings with goods and all and would have been quite a sight when it took off.

From what I hear, the Malaysian men had made a deal with a Sinapa landowner to start logging in the area. The land owner, who is a long time Port Moresby resident then turns out to be from Airara, and wouldn't under any circumstances, have rights to make decisions above the chiefs & leaders of the villagers living in the area. To me it sounds like he fooled these Malaysians quite profoundly, and that he had better kept his head down when they returned to Port Moresby. Because that's what happened!

Illegal aliens caught out in Collingwood Bay

Extract from an email from Damien Ase (Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights Inc.)

Six persons of Asian origin went into Wanigela (Tufi) with undeclared machinery, vehicles and firearms and were arrested by Popondetta Police which later released them on the understanding that they would fly to Port Moresby to get their visa and necessary documents and return to Popondetta. To date these Asians have not returned and have gone into hiding.

More on Logging at Collingwood Bay

A letter from John Barker

Dear Colleagues,

In a year when we finally have some good news about a significant decline in illegal logging globally, it is disappointing to report an instance of what appears to be timber piracy in the Collingwood Bay area. 

In May 2002, the Maisin and their neighbours in Wanigela won an important PNG National Court case that overturned illegally obtained timber licenses and set strict conditions for the approval of commercial developments in the area. In June of this year, a group of 10 foreigners (apparently Malaysian citizens) turned up in Wanigela claiming to have papers overturning the court order and the support of local landowner groups.