UK Rainforest Project highlights Penan plight

UK Rainforest Project highlights Penan plight -Malaysiakini.com Feb 3, 10 Often ignored in Malaysia, the plight of the Penan has been highlighted in the Eden project's oil palm exhibit in Cornwall, England. The famed Eden Project is an educational charity which comprises a number of domes that house plant species from around the world, each dome emulating a natural environment. It is home to the largest rainforest in captivity. The Penan exhibit focuses on the destruction of the forests in Sarawak to pave way for oil palm plantations. According to a statement released by Survival, an international organisation which advocates preservation of tribal communities worldwide, the oil palm companies are taking the Penan's land without their consent and without any consultation, like the logging companies that preceded them. “The Malaysian government must stop sanctioning this theft and instead start ensuring that the land rights of the indigenous people of Sarawak are respected,” said its director, Stephen Corry. The exhibition also includes quotes from the Penan pleading against the destruction of their home and the robbery of their livelihood.