Penan Advocate For UNESCO Biosphere Reserve In Borneo

On World Indigenous Peoples' Day, a group of Indigenous Penan launch a campaign for a new Biosphere Reserve in Sarawak, the Magoh Biosphere. The Penan request the protection of their forests from deforestation by logging companies so they can continue to use them sustainably, improve their standard of living and secure their rights as Indigenous people.

(Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia) On the occasion of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, a Penan delegation from Magoh, Sarawak, is travelling to Sarawak's capital, Kuching, to launch the campaign for a UNESCO-protected Magoh Biosphere Reserve. The area is to be managed, utilised and protected by the Penan, an Indigenous people of Sarawak whose culture is closely linked to the Borneo tropical rainforest.

The claimed Magoh Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 870 hectares in Sarawak’s interior and connects Gunung Mulu National Park with Pulong Tau National Park. The region consists of primary and secondary rainforests with a high conservation value and plays an important role as a wildlife corridor. It is home to endangered mammals such as pangolins, the sun bear and the clouded leopard as well as several rare hornbill species.

The Magoh Biosphere Reserve aims at stopping deforestation in the area. Penan leader Peng Megut from Long Tevenga explains: "The logging companies don't consult us, but we are here, we have always been here, and we want to continue to protect the forest."

The Magoh Declaration was signed by 96 Penan from 15 communities and handed over to the office of Sarawak Premier, Abang Johari, today. Penan leader Guman Megut from Long Dau'un hopes "that we can count on the Premier of Sarawak and that he will support our desire to protect the forest for us and future generations."

The Penan request for the protection of the Magoh forest is not new to the Sarawak Premier: In 1987, Abang Johari, at the time Penan Minister, was in charge of a study by Sarawak’s State Planning Department that mentioned the Magoh region as one of seven areas that met the criteria for a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

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