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By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
AUSTRALIAN volunteers yesterday installed a memorial plaque at Ioribaiwa
village along the Kokoda Track to mark a World War Two event despite
opposition from angry villagers in the Central province.
The Imita villagers tried to prevent the installation of another plaque
for Imita Ridge along the famous rugged 96km Kokoda Track while
Ioribaiwa villagers happily accepted it.
These plaques account for events that occurred in these places which are
about 5km apart during the war along the track.
However, they then allowed the volunteers to install the plaques after
about 20 minutes of arguing with a volunteer Lens Thompson at Owers
Corner near Sogeri station.
They claimed that they were not been consulted for the plaque to be
installed and would remove the plaque by next week.
Mr Thompson then told them that there was an agreement signed in 2003
with the villagers for the plaque to be installed.
“We are a non-profit organisation and had to spend thousands of kinas to
obtain cements, brass plates and other materials to prepare these
plaques. We also had to pay for the designing of these plaques in
Australia and the hiring of helicopters in Port Moresby to work on this
project. And it took us five years to plan and raise money from the
public in Australia.
“We could not have come here for this project if there was no
agreement.”
Mr Thompson also told them that they would have economical benefits from
this project.
“And we are doing this for free. After installing the plaques we will
work on other community projects in Kirinumu and Fesulogo villages near
Owers Corner.”
Mr Thompson is among 12 volunteers from KMF who are based in Sydney and
are installing plaques in Ioribaiwa village and Imita ridge.
They will install a plaque at Imita ridge today after the clearances of
thick trees to enable the helicopter to safely land the plaque.
The volunteers arrived on Monday and will return on Sunday.
 
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