A documentary revealing the human face of logging in PNG - Bikpela Bagarap
David Fedele
bikpela bagarap from David Fedele on Vimeo.
bikpela bagarap from David Fedele on Vimeo.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the most culturally diverse countries on Earth, with over 900 different languages and cultural groups. It occupies the Eastern half of the island of New Guinea, and is located less than 200 kilometres from the Northern tip of Australia. PNG is home to one of the richest rainforests in the world.
Papua New Guinea today remains one of the few countries in the world that still allows the export of raw logs, and this is greatly exploited by Asian logging companies. The World Bank estimates that 70% of all logging in Papua New Guinea is illegal, although most unofficial sources put the rate even higher than that.
The story of Bikpela Bagarap is told through the voice of regular villagers, without narration. It is a tale of exploitation and broken promises, where local people are treated as second-rate citizens in their own country by Malaysian logging companies and corrupt politicians.
Customary landowners are forced into signing documents they don’t understand, for the promise of “development” - fresh water, health and education, but these essential services are rarely provided. Instead, their traditional hunting ground is destroyed, waterways polluted, and their way of life ruined forever.
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