Landowners give settlers 14 days to move out

THE people of Rainau, Malakuna 5, Tavui 1 and 2 wards in the Bitapaka local level government (LLG) of Kokopo, East New Britain (ENB) will be working closely with the Bitapaka administration to evict illegal settlers living at the Tokua area.
The wards of Rainau, Tavui 1 and 2 and Malakuna 5 were the landowners of the Tokua area where the airport was, gave 14 days to evict illegal settlers on state land.
Bitapaka LLG president and ENB deputy governor Cosmas Bauk, told The National that criminals, mostly teenagers between the ages of 15 to 18 years had been committing offences in the past four months, which included a string of robberies in the Tokua area.
He said the criminals robbed Bells company in Tavui 1, Kabakaul Beach Resort and held up two route nine buses .
There were reports of other holdups they committed.
Bauk said the criminals robbed shops at Ulaveo Estate and broke into a private residence.
Bauk said the number of illegal activities and petty crimes committed by these criminals led to the recent major incident on Sunday morning at the airport which had caused landowners to demand the removal of illegal settlers.
“The people of Bitapaka LLG are fed up and had enough of these crimes committed by these illegal settlers. We are giving them 14 days to move out,” Bauk said.
Bauk explained that, the gang leader of those criminals, one of whom had been killed in the incident, was released two weeks ago by the National Court because he was a juvenile
“The relatives of the deceased security guard from Tavui two, in retaliation got on three trucks and went to the settlement area at Tokua to forcefully remove the settlers.
“I was on time with the police to stop them,” Bauk said.
Bauk said the Tokua landowners were angered by the attack on a group of PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment (PNGUNRE) students on Sunday.
“On behalf of Bitapaka LLG, the locals and communities, I apologise to the students of PNGUNRE and staff of what had happened.”