砂勞越原住民的代表律師21日於婆羅洲砂勞越州首府古晉宣布，當地原住民在兩項重要的土地議題案件上贏得勝利。
這兩件案例是由當地原住民，對計劃在原住民領域上建立油棕園的砂勞越政府與油棕公司，提起訴訟。
審案法官王大衛(David Wong)表示，在這兩件案例中，傳統領域權凌駕於砂勞越州政府之上；土地屬於地社群，而非違法宣稱當地為國有地的政府所有。
在其中一個案件，法院宣布，馬來人的習慣法必須被賦予法律效力。這是一個具里程碑意義的決定。
2001伊班族(Iban)對Ladang Sawit Bintulu民都魯棕櫚油公司(Ladang Sawit Bintulu)和包括州政府在內的另4名被告提起告訴，訴求對他們的傳統領域行使權利。
原告聲稱，1996年對民都魯油棕公司發出的臨時租賃令，不應當將它們的傳統領域包含在內。 他們認為，他們的傳統領域權從來沒有消失，因此，那份臨時租約是違法的。
法院最後裁定，由於伊班族賦有土地權，因此臨時租約中，1214公頃的爭議地區是無效的。法庭並下令油棕公司離開爭議地區，將該地區歸還給伊班族人。
就在該裁決出爐的兩天前，馬來西亞警方摧毀了Sungai Sekabai村中，伊班族首領和其他24戶的家舍。這個社區於2001年贏得了一個類似的土地權訴訟案。
雖然法院判決原住民勝訴，但在另一層意義上，當地原住民已失去他們原本文化中宣稱土地所有權的方式，而必須在法庭上保衛家園。
加拿大人類學家戴維斯表示，「當地原住民土地權的原則是體現於傳統法律(或稱阿達特adat)，那是受道德、法律和宗教影響的概念。」
然而，面對婆羅洲越來越多原住民傳統領域計劃被開發，透過法律途徑以保護他們的土地權目前至關重要。
1月11日在吉隆坡，馬來西亞和中國簽署了一項具爭議性能源總體規劃協議，該計畫將使婆羅洲上千名原住民流離失所。據《金融時報》報導，該計劃包含數個大型水壩和大型採煤工程，可能需要遷徙砂勞越雨林中約608,000的原住民。
長期關注砂勞越議題的瑞士布魯諾曼澤基金(Bruno Manser Fund)表示，該計畫疑雲滿布，並將其稱為「砂拉越貪腐之廊」。
該機構在1月13日的聲明中表示，「與馬哈慕德(Mahmud)首相家族利益掛勾的建築公司，將是這項新能源發展計劃的主要獲益者。」
Sarawak's natives have won two important court cases over native land issues, their attorney announced this morning in the Sarawak state capital of Kuching on the island of Borneo.
The cases had been filed by the natives against the government of Sarawak and an oil palm company that planned to establish an oil palm plantation on native lands.
In both cases, Judge Wong declared that the local communities have native customary rights over land unlawfully claimed as state land by the Sarawak State government.
In one of the cases, the Court declared that the customary practice of Malays must be given the force of law, which is a landmark decision.
The Iban plaintiffs had filed a suit in 2001 against the oil palm company Ladang Sawit Bintulu and four other defendants, including the state government, seeking a declaration of native customary rights over their land.
They claimed that the provisional lease issued in 1996 to oil palm company Ladang Sawit Bintulu Sdn Bhd had wrongly included their native customary land.
They argued that their native customary rights over the land had never been extinguished and therefore, the issuance of the provisional lease was illegal.
In granting the Iban plaintiffs their rights to the land, the court ruled that the provisional lease over the 1,214 hectare disputed area was null and void.
The court ordered the oil palm company to leave the disputed area, excise it from the lease and return it to the Ibans.
The ruling comes just two days after the Malaysian police destroyed the house of Iban leader Nor Nyawai and 24 other homes at the native village of Sungai Sekabai. This community had won a similar land rights litigation in 2001.
While the court rulings are victories for the native plaintiffs, in another sense the native peoples have lost their original cultural ways in the process of claiming land ownership and fighting to defend it in court.
"This principle of land stewardship is enshrined in the traditional law or adat, a concept that has moral, legal, and religious implications," Davis wrote.
Nevertheless, use of the courts to protect their land rights is essential now as more development is planned for native lands in Malaysian Borneo.
On January 11 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and China signed an agreement to carry out a controversial energy masterplan that involves the displacement of thousands of Borneo natives. According to the "Financial Times," the plan involves the construction of several mega-dams and mining of large coal deposits and is likely to require the relocation of some 608,000 natives who live in the Sarawak rainforest.
The Bruno Manser Fund says the project is being developed "under a cloud of secrecy" and calls it the "Sarawak Corridor of Corruption."
"Construction companies linked to the Chief Minister Mahmud's family interests will be among the main beneficiaries of the new energy development plans," the Swiss advocacy group said in a January 13 statement.
全文及圖片詳見：ENS
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
