Court issues order to remove roadblocks

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
A court order to remove roadblocks along the Highlands Highway in Kainantu, East Highlands, was issued yesterday – two days after the road was cleared by police.
The Waigani National Court also issued interim orders for police to oversee the removal of the roadblocks that Anku’Aintenu landowners erected on Monday, demanding that K85 million be paid to
| them by the State as compensation for the road built through their
land.
The landowners claimed the road had passed through their land for more than 50 years.
Landowner executives Aaron Afantai, Nason Toro, Beove Ufuo, Mickey Tera  and Keha Puna are representing the villages along the 4.5km section of the highway between Bane Bridge and 4-Mile Bridge .
They include villages from Aganantu, Kainantu One and Two, Kainawas One and  Two, Kelimapara and Omunayo of the Agarabi local level government in the Kainantu district.
The court in Waigani handed down the order after Justice Minister and Attorney-General Steven Davis took out a court order on Monday to prevent the landowners from blocking the national highway to express their grievances.
The matter has been adjourned at 9.30am Nov 7 for inter-party hearing of the plaintiff’s application for the interim orders and or on the continuance or discharge of the ex parte orders.
Stevens said that the National Court  granted urgent orders to help resolve the situation affecting the road yesterday.
“This is the first time we have brought court action using the relatively new law called Protection of Transport Infrastructure Act 2010,” he said.
“We must use the laws and court systems to press our claims
and interests on land or for other issues.
“That is the modern and correct way we must support to build our society – justice according to law and due process not using guns and force
or even brutality to take what we want.
“Land disputes and claims must be registered in the courts of law and determined in the applying of fair and transparent ways.”