More than 50 men, women and children from the Penan community in the remote interior of Baram in northern Sarawak, Malaysia have staged a timber blockade near their settlement to protest logging operations conducted by two private companies here. The blockade is being manned all day and night along a dusty timber track used by the companies to extract timber from the area, said Ajang Kiew, the Penan Chief of Long Sayan. According to him, the blockade is to protest operations in areas claimed by the Penans as traditional native land. Lajong Lumber Sdn Bhd and Interhill Sdn Bhd have timber operations in the disputed areas.