NCDC: We did not approve eviction

The National National

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
THE National Capital District Commission has confirmed that it did not approve any eviction exercise  at  the  Burns Peak settlement in Port Moresby last Friday.
Deputy city manager Simon Vai clarified that to The National following claims by settlers at Burns Peak that NCDC police destroyed their properties and houses following an illegal eviction.
“I have consulted our planning division and they have confirmed that no eviction has been carried out by NCDC on that particular site,” Vai said.
Burns Peak community leader Max Warren Kahio said 10 houses were burned and 20 houses were destroyed by other means in a raid done by NCDC police.
He said more than 300 people were affected.
Kahio said: “Those police that came did not show us a proper eviction notice. They told us that we were sitting on State land so they wanted to evict us.
“If the eviction was approved by a government authority or police they should have notify us in advance.
“There should be some kind of resettlement plans if we are going to be evicted just like that. Leaders should also consider that we are the people that give them the mandate to take offices so they should also help us to resettle before going ahead with their development plans.”
Kahio said the situation had affected most of their children and many of them were not attending school because their school materials and clothes were lost in the fire.
Acting NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Chris Tamari said he was not aware of the eviction and the police role in the destruction of homes and properties at Burns Peak.
He could not confirm if the eviction exercise was sanctioned by a valid court order and police approval.
“Burns Peak is a big area so we got to zero in and find out the actual section and allotment and if that is an allotment we have to find out if the sanction is approved and whether the eviction is sanctioned by the commander down to which station commanders.
“So right now I cannot confirm or deny because I need to verify that first,” Tamari said.