Logging giant 'threatens' Penan with retaliation
The Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) has accused Sarawak timber giant Samling Global of continuing to bully the Penan community into submission to silence their claims of sexual abuse of Penan women and girls by the firm's workers.
The Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) has accused Sarawak timber giant Samling Global of continuing to bully the Penan community into submission to silence their claims of sexual abuse of Penan women and girls by the firm's workers.
Seven new claims of sexual exploitation by timber workers, this time in the Upper Baram region, have been highlighted by the Swiss-based pro-Penan organisation, which alleged that the company has threatened to suspend all transport services into the area if the allegations are not retracted. 
Quoting "Penan sources", the BMF said a headman was asked by Samling officials to sign a statement, failing which all transport services for locals would be suspended.
"Jawa Nyipa, headman of Long Ajeng, was asked by Samling officials to sign a statement that the women in the region had retracted their allegations of sexual abuse by timber company staff," said BMF in a statement.
"Jawa Nyipa was told that, unless he signed the document, all transport services for the locals would be suspended.
"The headman refused to sign the statement but the Penan are concerned about the implications of Samling's threat to suspend transport for the impoverished locals in the Upper Baram region."
Samling communications manager Mandy Chen, when contacted, said the company was aware of the many statements made by the BMF, although she had yet to see this latest claim, which was posted in its website on Monday, Aug 30.
The Penan have claimed that a number of their women and girls were sexually abused by loggers who offered them transport in the remote Sarawak jungle.
