ABOUT 1,000 settlers seeking refuge at the Kimininga police gymnasium in Mt Hagen city have complained of hunger, lack of water and toilet and overcrowding.
During a meeting yesterday at the police barracks, the settlers whose houses and properties were burnt down by the locals, claimed that soon many of them would die of hunger.
The displaced settlers said that since Sunday, no assistance had been forthcoming from the provincial government or any other elected leaders in the province.
The settlers said that they settled in the city many years ago and helped develop Mt Hagen and they are part and parcel of the province.
The settlers comprise families from four Highlands provinces, Momase and New Guinea Islands region.
Ward 8 councillor Mark Mendai, whose ward was left in complete ruins, said it’s a big problem and needed urgent Government’s intervention.
Mr Mendai said innocent people were killed, some were injured and their properties destroyed.
He thanked other Engans and settlers from other parts of the country living around Tarangau area for donating food and bags of clothing to the displaced settlers now seeking refuge at the gymnasium.
Mr Paul Watai and Mr Peter Kopi, who donated the foodstuff and clothing collected from other settlers, said they tried their best to help because people now living at the gymnasium needed desperate help.
Mr Watai said the gymnasium was really unsafe because of no water and it was crowded with displaced people.
But Chief Superintendent Jeffery Kera of Community Policing Division told the displaced settlers to return to their settlements.
Mr Kera said the longer the stay in the gymnasium, the more the settlers would be open to sicknesses.
He told the people that they should not fear any more because added police personnel were patrolling the streets.
He said those whose houses have not burnt down should return.
However, some women and men said that Mr Kera must be out of his mind to tell them to return to their respective settlements.
They said that many of their houses were burnt down and they can’t build make-shift tents and sleep in a battle field when the situation is still tense.