KOTA KINABALU, June 30 — Advocates for the Bajau Laut in Sabah whose houses had been demolished in a latest “evacuation” train have defended the group’s proper to construct houses on the east coast close to Semporna.
Mukmin Nantang of the Sabah-based non-governmental organisation Borneo Komrad advised eNews Malaysia that native customs enable the Bajau Laut, also referred to as the Sulu sea nomads that proper, including that it dates again a long time and undoubtedly earlier than the Tun Sakaran Marine Park was gazetted in 2004.
“I used to be just lately on Pulau Bodgaya on a fact-finding mission and we discovered that the native Suluks had identification and had lived on the island for many years, planting mangoes and coconuts even earlier than the park was gazetted.
“The names of the residents are listed in the formation of Tun Sakaran Marine Park. They have ancestral graves there and have proof of timber planted a long time in the past. This is sturdy cultural proof. They even have full paperwork proving they’ve lengthy inhabited the place,” he mentioned, citing provisions on native customary rights based on the Parks Enactment.
Mukmin’s feedback had been in reply to Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew defence of regulation enforcement following the June 4–6 demolition of 138 buildings built by the Bajau Laut that the state considers unlawful.
“The minister’s assertion makes it sound like this is a brand new large-scale deforestation. In actuality, the forest is very dense, and their gardens are very small. The dimension of a Musang King durian orchard is hundreds of occasions bigger than their tiny gardens at the foot of the hill,” he mentioned.
He additionally rejected Liew’s assertion that the villagers burnt down their very own houses when the authorities left.
“Where is the logic in somebody desirous to burn their very own home? Doesn’t make sense. Look at this video,” Mukmin mentioned, and confirmed a video of plainclothes males with the police pushing down a home on stilts, which then lower away to point out the construction in flames whereas velocity boats, presumably belonging to the authorities, had been anchored close by.
“The home is burning whereas the enforcers are nonetheless there. Their boats are nonetheless there. You may even hear the machines whirring from different houses being demolished,” Mukmin continued.
The video didn’t present who torched the stilt houses.
Under hearth from rights activists, Liew advised reporters on June 7 that the authorities had been appearing inside their rights for safety causes after serving an “evacuation” discover on the Bajau Laut house house owners.
Mukmin Nantang from Borneo Komrad rejected Sabah minister Christina Liew’s assertion that the villagers burnt down their very own houses when the authorities left. — Video screencap
She mentioned that police sources claimed the residents burnt their very own houses to realize public sympathy on social media.
“They have at all times used safety and cross border points as an excuse to deprive this group from earlier than. But they’re a local tribe with native customs who’ve been dwelling this fashion for generations.
“The Parks Enactment has provisions to recognise the present native customary communities and to not disturb it, however this has not been revered,” Mukmin mentioned.
Mukmin, who has been learning Sabah’s Bajau Laut group since 2015, has invited Liew to debate the challenge brazenly with information and knowledge that he mentioned would assist let the public assess the challenge extra pretty.
“The Bajau Laut and Suluk are usually not undocumented migrants. They are natives and indigenous folks in Sabah. There are numerous research and historic proof supporting this. Numerous world and native researchers have studied them. The incontrovertible fact that nobody was arrested when their houses had been demolished and burnt confirmed how they’re disregarded by the authorities,” he mentioned.
“Their method of life has been encroached upon for a very long time. They had been pressured to maneuver to the land. Now, their lives are being destroyed once more, and they aren’t supplied with various shelters. Where are they imagined to go?” he requested.
News of the demolishing of the Bajau Laut settlements final week sparked controversy.
Some activists condemned the state for its inhumane and disrespectful actions in direction of the Bajau Laut whereas others insisted that authorities had acted inside the regulation.
The sea faring and nature-driven Bajau Laut group in Saha is rooted in conventional customs, and is largely sidelined from growth, providing no entry to infrastructure, training or identification.
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