- Solomon Islands: Tribal lands fall prey to loggers

Logging companies are being warned of people presenting documents to them which may appear to have tribal and provincial government approvals.

The warning came from former president of West Big NGela Area Council Ray Mano saying this attitude is widespread among NGela Logging Licence Holders.

He explains that this has surfaced recently when one or two people were conned into signing documents allowing tribal lands to be logged.

Mano explains that tribal lands in Solomon Islands are not owned by individuals but the tribe.

He adds that on many occasions, proper logging application requirements were not met by these licence holders.

Mano adds that the people of NGela strongly oppose logging and encourage sustainable operations.

He says NGela prominent leaders, including their MP and landowners re-iterate the opposition in their meeting last month.

There are no logging operations on NGela after the previous one moved out of the area a year ago.

By: Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, "No Logging on Ngela", 15/4/2003, http://www.sibconline.com.sb , sent by Ian Fry, Pacific BioWeb, e-mail: ianfry@ozemail.com.au

top