Sarawak, on the island of Borneo, is home to 37 different tribes, the
largest of which is the Iban. The Iban live in communal longhouses.
They live mostly by growing rice and fruit, but they also hunt and
fish. In recent decades much of the Iban's rainforest has been cleared
by logging and plantation companies. The Iban and other tribes have
frequently blockaded logging roads to
try to protect their forest, but vast swathes have nevertheless been
cut down.
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News from the Iban
Borneo Indigenous leaders arrested
Leaders arrested for possession of ‘seditious materials’
Borneo tribesman arrested in palm oil conflict
Iban denies charge of attempted murder
Iban leader arrested over oil palm dispute
Police in Sarawak, Malaysia, have arrested an Iban Indigenous community leader. Rajang anak Sengalang was arrested from his longhouse on Wednesday.
Iban victory over wrongful arrests
Forty-two Iban tribespeople, who were arrested in 1997 for defending their forest homeland against attempts to clear it for oil palm plantations, have won their case for wrongful arrest.
Court rules against Iban land rights
The Malaysian Court of Appeal has overturned a 2001 High Court decision which recognised the land rights of the Iban people of Sarawak.