By ANDREW ALPHONSE
POLICE will start evicting all illegal settlers within the Moro oil project site in Lake Kutubu, Southern Highlands province, on Friday, following an increase in crime.
About 2,000 settlers may be affected.
Moro station commander Insp Michael Welly said the increase in crime had also forced the main Moro market to be closed last month.
He said there had been high incidence of armed robberies, thefts, fighting, domestic violence, drug activities and others following the influx of settlers.
During the State of Emergency earlier this year, the authorities evicted most illegal settlers but landowners allowed them to return.
“These settlers are causing a lot of problems,” Insp Welly said, adding that he had already obtained the landowners’ agreement to carry out the eviction.
He said that two mobile squads from Mt Hagen and Mendi would assist in the exercise, which is expected to take a week.