Help Manam, Kadovar islanders

IT is almost 20 years now since the Manam people in Bogia, Madang, have been resettled on the mainland.
Prime Minister James Marape wants a permanent solution to the issue of displaced Manam islanders of Madang and it seems to be little evidence of any significant development to expedite the resettlement efforts.
The plight of the islanders has been allowed to drag on for years.
It is now nearly two decades since the first major eruption that resulted in the evacuation of a large part of the island population in 2004.
The media has written about funds being allocated to help them, but have not seen anything done about a permanent resettlement solution.
The fights between Manam islanders and those on the mainland have erupted because Manam islanders do not have anywhere else to go to get resource, but to steal from mainlanders.
The land allocated to them is overused and cannot produce quality crops anymore.
They have children to feed and school fees to pay.
Life at the care centres has not been easy for the families with most citing food shortage and ethnic clashes with the mainlanders forcing them to move back to the island.
Lives of people are at stake – women and children have been made to suffer because leaders tasked to work together have their own interest.
While considering a permanent resettlement solution, something should be done to cater for the short-term needs for the families.
The leadership in Madang and Bogia district seem to have no clear direction and resolve to tackle the matter in a timely manner.
The Government might not have done enough to find solution to the problem.
The Madang government and the Bogia administration have got to be seen to be seriously working to alleviate the suffering of people from an issue that they have not forced unto themselves.
In March 2020, the Government allocated K13 million for the Manam (Madang) and Kadovar (East Sepik) resettlement work.
Of that amount, K8 million was for the Manam resettlement while K5 million was marked for Kadovar.
Marape announced another K5 million the same year for the Manam Resettlement Authority in which is tasked with facilitating the relocation of displaced islanders into a designated site in inland Bogia.
Another election cycle is approaching.
What are the current political leadership and wannabe politicians going to say to the Manam, Bogia and Sumkar people affected by the volcano that will be different from the rhetoric of the past decade?
How would the people know that at last something would happen this time to end the suffering?
Meanwhile, some distance up north from Bogia, the Kadovar islanders living on a care centre at Dandan are apparently faced with a similar, if not worse situation.
Unlike the Manam islanders on mainland Bogia and Sumgilbar who are able to grow food, Kadovar islanders have no such luxury.
The locals would not allow them to make gardens so they are entirely dependent on outside help.
Both groups of islanders need better, more humane treatment than what they have been given.
Both cases have had their share of leaders’ infighting with allegations of mismanagement of funds.
Relevant authorities should visit the care centres in Bogia to see how the people are living.
Maybe, they will speed things up once they see the challenges faced by the people.
They have waited long enough.