Bornean Sun Bear Conservation

Category: poaching | Date: Apr 29 2009 | By: Siew Te Wong

Press Release: Forestry Department. Sandakan

Armed Men Lay Siege Of The District Forestry Office BaseCamp At Ulu Segama Forest Reserve, Lahad Datu 

On the evening of 2nd April 2009, at about 09:00p.m., a group of some 20 men, armed withmachetes, brass knuckles, hockey sticks, samurai swords, rambo knives, sticks and othercontraptions, laid siege of the Ulu Segama-Malua District Forestry Office Base Camp, atSungai Kawag, Ulu Segama Forest Reserve, Lahad Datu, some 45km from the junction of theLahad Datu-Kunak Highway. 

In the one hour incident, the District Forestry Officer, Indra Sunjoto, was dragged, slashed,beaten up repeatedly and left unconscious. He ended up badly bruised, bloodied with a gushwound on his head which required several stitches and subsequent specialist treatment. Atthe same time, other staff who tried to come to the aide of the District Forestry Officer werethreatened with bodily harm by the intruders, brandishing their weapons and contraptions.

It is believed that the group of men are those who have habitually entered Ulu Segama ForestReserve, including the INFRAPRO Forest Restoration area, to carry out illegal poaching forwild animals. The records show that, not only deer are hunted, but other wildlife, includingprotected species (elephants, clouded leopards etc.) that are shot at random. The siege mayhave been triggered by action taken earlier in the day by the District Forestry Officer toapprehend a suspected illegal hunter, who managed to escape but had his bounty of fresh deermeat and motorcycle confiscated. 

The group of men also damaged Forestry Department vehicles parked in the base camp, theransacking of the labourers quarters, and the carting away of food, the confiscated meat andseveral confiscated motorcycles, including that seized on the same day.During the incident, it was unfortunate that the police could not be contacted in time as the telecommunication system had broken down in Ulu Segama. Furthermore, the intruders broke and forced their way through the guard posts manned by both Forestry Department and Yayasan Sabah staff along the road to the base camp. 

This incident is a culmination of earlier skirmishes with illegal hunters in Ulu Segama thatincluded: intimidation and threatening of Yayasan Sabah, WWF and Forestry Departmentstaff in the field, with weapons to cause bodily harm and physical assault in one case.It would appear that the perpetrators, believed to be substance abusers, were in a highlyintoxicated state during the siege.

The Forestry Department would like to thank the police, in particular, the Commissioner andthe OCPD Lahad Datu, for taking swift action to make arrests of several suspects and it isbelieved, investigations are still ongoing for eventual charging in court. 

As an interim measure to boost security in Ulu Segama, the Forestry Department, despite thehigh costs, has now engaged the services of a security firm with armed personnel, to guardthe base camp and Forestry Department personnel carrying out patrols. The police has alsokindly allocated personnel from the General Operations Force (PGA) on rotation basis, tobeef up security in Ulu Segama Forest Reserve.

As a long-term measure, the Forestry Department is in the process of reviving and applyingfor a gun licence, so that field personnel in critical areas, can at least defend themselves, inthe event of attacks from intruders. 

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the group of men who attacked the base camp, are believedto be local Malaysians, who reside in a settlement, some 2 hours drive from the base camp.Such an incident, whereby, public officers have been assaulted and public propertiesdamaged, has not happened in the department for decades. The last known assault of thisnature, was in 1954, whereby the District Forestry Officer, Lahad Datu, was sadly killed byforeign pirates in Semporna, while carrying out his duties. 

Evidently, based on the words uttered by the perpetrators, the siege was meant to intimidatethe Forestry Department, particularly its field staff, so as to let the illegal hunting to go onwithout hindrance, on the excuse of “cultural harvesting.” 

Evidently also, it was a warning to the District Forestry Officer, not to meddle and to takeaction on illegal activities in the reserve. There is also reason to believe, the assault wasmeant to hurt the District Forestry Officer badly if not to maim and perhaps, to finish him off, altogether. 

This incident cannot be taken as an isolated case as it appears to have been planned formaximum damage. Furthermore, the state’s collaborative programmes with internationalNGOs and other entities in the area, will be badly affected if incidences of illegal hunting andassaults continue. These projects include: the Yayasan Sabah Research Programme with theRoyal Society of the United Kingdom at Danum Valley, the FACE Foundation ForestRestoration Project at Ulu Segama, with the FACE Foundation of The Netherlands, the WWFForest Restoration Programmes at the Northern Ulu Sgama area funded by the AddesiumFoundation of The Netherlands, and Marks & Spencers of the United Kingdom and therecently launched, Malua Bio-Bank Project at Malua Forest Reserve. The eco-tourismfacilities owned by Yayasan Sabah, Borneo Rainforest Lodge, will also eventually be badlyaffected by illegal hunting thus jeopardising tourism. 

The actions of a few irresponsible elements may potentially jeopardise the long-termreputation of Sabah in particular, and the country in general, as a safe haven for eco-tourism,ecological and scientific research projects, coupled with forest restoration, on an internationaleffort. 

The Forestry Department therefore, considers this incident as very serious and have fullconfidence in the Royal Malaysia Police, Sabah Contingent, in apprehending the suspects andhaving them charged in court for appropriate offences, and to prevent further occurrences.This press release appears as a matter of public record and for public information.

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PHOTOS

Photo OneDistrict Forestry Officer attempting to use the phone after being attacked. Notice his bloodiedhead. Photo TwoSmashed up Forestry Department vehicle in the base camp. Photo ThreeWash basin broken in an attempt to smash the District Forestry Officer’s head against it. Photo FourDead female Bornean pygmy elephant. Believed shot at random by illegal hunters in Ulu Segama. District Forestry Officer standing by it. Photo FiveDecapitated and skinned deer meat confiscated in Ulu Segama. Photo SixDead clouded leopard, in the FACE Foundation area, shot by illegal hunters. Photo SevenA male tembadau in Malua. Carcases have been found in the Ulu Segama-Malua SFM Project Area.