Families evicted

The National Main Stories

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA and CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
AROUND 400 squatters watched helplessly yesterday as excavators demolished their homes and properties to make way for the construction of a K100 million four-lane road outside Port Moresby.
Police were present to ensure that the court-ordered eviction at 14-Mile on the border of the Moresby North East electorate and the Kairuku-Hiri district of Central was carried out by the National Capital District Commission (NCDC).
Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jr, the police commander for Central and NCD, said police would be involved only if evictions were ordered by the court.
“The eviction at 14-Mile instituted by the NCDC and police was only following what is in the court order,” he said.
“Police are not carrying out the eviction.
“I have directed that they provide security and ensure it is done peacefully.
“We understand that over a period of time people have built houses on the land.
“But police have a duty to enforce the court order or be held in contempt otherwise.”
National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop had earlier met with representatives of the settlers.
“The settlers were given a notice in 2018. At that time there were not many settlers.
“We had plans for the initial settlers but instead of cooperating with us they took us to court,” he said.
The families yesterday confronted Moresby North East MP John Kaupa who they claimed had promised them they would not be evicted.
Last month, the settlers sought a stay order on the eviction from the court.
But on Sept 21, the NCDC was allowed by the court to go ahead with the eviction.
It ordered the squatters to vacate the piece of land and not to threaten, interfere, disrupt and harass NCDC officers.
The families accused Kaupa of giving them false hope last week that they will not be evicted.
But Kaupa assured them he had done everything to stop the eviction.
He advised them to go and see Parkop and Moresby South MP Justin Tkatchenko.
Landowner Rachael Keaka said she could not believe that the Government was evicting her from her ancestral land.

 

29 comments

    • Land owners are supposed to be part of such developments. How come these ones are not part to this development? Who is at fault? Minosave???

  • seriously. this eviction of our very own people needs to be looked into and policies have to be in place to help our citizens.
    How in the world when our own people flesh and blood are evicted like refugees?

    This is insane to its core. Government ino baim ground na givim long ol long kam makim haus na stap. They did everything by themselves to settle were they are and now they are been evicted by the very people who were suppose to voice their concern. Who is the mandated MP for North-east and why has he turned a blind eye to his electorate.
    Was this even debated on the floor of parliment by the so called elected current member? Or he has felt over comfortable and forget about such squatter settlers who made him their member.

    This is a sad news.

  • The four lane road has to take place. Do not hinder development. If you have built your house closer to the road then then in good heart you have to evict yourself and that includes the ancestral landowner. When you try to develop your land along the road, please take into account the development of the road for the longer term. I feel for honorable MP Kaupa because he is receiving all the blame for doing nothing wrong.

  • Common Sense should prevail. If you a illegal settler on state land or ancestral land, please use your brain and move, you know you are there illegally… And for settlers to reside close to a road that will obviously be developed in the future, please just move and get out of the way, you don’t need police and bulldozers to move you. Lets not blame the poor local MP, he did not put you lot there in the first place, now he is faced with the big problem of accommodating all your needs (land title, water, power, roads) for something that you settlers brought upon yourself.

    For the ancestral landowners, i believe you don’t need to worry, you can easily move inland and settle, what’s the problem with you, unless you sold all your customary land already and decided to sit right next to the road side.
    Lets not stop development when it needs to happen.

  • If you have build your houses right on the fringes of the roads then you have done that illegally to start off with. Sampla taim yusim het na noken krai olsem longlong.

  • Wok mas go yet. We cant be held hostage by settlers who in most instances are there illegally. Id sure like to see more illegal settlers removed from NCD. They are just holding up land for meaningful development.

  • MP John Kaupa promised them as if he’s the landowner. Pairap popkon MP nambaut. Don’t vote in 2022. To the squatters, it’s not your land so just vacate and go back to your home Province and District…inap nau.

  • I think the eviction is taking place only along the proposed road corridor. If the settlers are living within the road corridor, you must vacate and make way for the road. It is for your good as well. Road kam now bai youpla kisim service like good road, water, Power etc. Demolish your houses and move inland. The land owner will definitely be paid by the government so he can allocate some blocks of land inland so you settlers can rebuild your houses.

  • Warning to all customary landowners….get your land registered through Incorporated Land Group (ILG). Do not sell for a quick buck!

  • Please clarify whether those people are illegal settlers or legitimate landowners. And they also get eviction notice in 2018. But looks like they have been fruitful and multiplied during that period.
    The state sometimes needs to maintain an upper hand. You can’t stop development because of some few houses standing on the way. If they are genuine landowners they can simply move aside and build their homes somewhere near he roads again.

    And MP John Kaupa. Looks like you are 9month pregnant. Plis isi long enjoy life blo ol’ MP. Nogut yu dai long heart attack.

  • John Kaupa at least thought about the people. Parkop and Marape, Are you moving pigs or human? Provide them the shelter they need coz you have failed big time in controlling urban influx

    • I don’t think Marape and Parkop told these people to come and squat in that place or come to the city.

    • This are the result of over population in NCD. they’ll be more issues in the future regarding illegal settlers. Moresby is just over cowered with settlers somehow something has to be done. Registration of settling in Port Moresby, if you have no use to be here in POM, denial of access up on arrival, except for work or schooling.

      Development must continue…! Go back Home at once’s. who’s fault at the first place.

  • Most of those who were evicted were illegal squatters. They knew in advance that the land they settled in was NOT free land but settled ignorantly. It’s time now NCDC and the Government start warning illegal settlers and stop the Urban migration especially to POM

  • Settlers without jobs , please kam back lo ples …..

    Settlers with jobs, please ask your employer to rent a decent house or apartment blo Yopla…..

  • illegal settlers or ancestral landowners..you are all PNGean on PNG soil. noken sutim toktok ko ikam..you dont realize that your land is forcefully and gradually taken away for development which will be of major benefit to few people……tingim gut na toktok.

  • Sorry stret but development must ahead. Just move back inland if you are all LOs. If you are settlers, ask the landlord to provide additional space to build your house again. Simple as that!

  • Is she the real land Lord? If so… than why on earth did she been evicted? This is crazy, maybe she’s not the real land Lord..cause land Lord have authority over their ancestral land but what done to that women is insane, justice must prevail for such harshly behavior on human rights…

  • Two groups of people exist on this planet, the good and the bad. The bad exists because of the good. Now if the good deceases, what would come of bad?

  • We sympathise with our people but development has to progress. If you are not an LO just simply pack up leave. JK is not an LO to get assurance from, he is there only to make his number count. Em tasol. Central LO have persistently and carelessly sold land for short term gain, they are part and parcel of the problem. Organise yourself properly and get the state to assist you in developing your land for a win win. Otherwise yupela yet asua.
    NCDC please proceed with our development plans and start removing illegal settlements that is spiralling out of control. Is there a policy in place or a monatorium on illegal settlements or just a knee jack reaction because development has to take place. Over to you NCDC.

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