The Sarawak high court in Malaysia has set a precedent by favouring indigenous farmers over industrial developers. The court redefined the meaning of indigenous lands and ruled that the Borneo Paper and Pulp Plantation (BPP), a joint venture company, could no longer destroy the rainforest in Rumah Nor village of Malaysia. Two years ago, bpp began cutting down forests in the area of the Iban community of Rumah Nor. The company had a license from Sarawak's land and survey department but not from the villagers. The villagers had sued the company for cutting down trees in a 672-hectare forest area.
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