Landowners want Naru to tackle settlement issues

 By ELLEN TIAMU

BUTIBAM landowners have called on Morobe Governor Kelly Naru to work with them to address the issue of settlements on their land following the death of another man from the village last weekend.

Yasec Pudess, who is part Finschhafen and Butibam, was fatally stabbed with a screwdriver last Friday evening as he was walking through the Bukawa block at Bumbu settlement to check on his wife and child after an argument. 

A police reserve constable said yesterday the alleged attacker, a resident at the settlement, was notorious for a string of serious offences including murder and arson.   

He was on the run from police when he was re-arrested on Friday following the death of Pudess. 

The man is now in police custody at the Lae police station. 

Clan and community leaders yesterday presented a petition, addressed to the governor, to Lae district administrator Robin Calistus.

The petition requested Naru’s assistance in addressing the issue of settlers and harassment of villagers.

The petition, bearing the names of 20 signatories, also called for assistance from Lae MP Loujaya Kouza, herself a Butibam villager.

An agreement was reached during a meeting between village and settlement leaders at the weekend for Bumbu settlers to contribute towards funeral expenses of the deceased.

“During the whole process of mediation, we, the landowners of Buko (Bumbu) settlement … publicly voice our concern that this is the third time this particular group of people have taken the lives of three of our innocent people and we do not want them back in the settlement. The issue of them coming back to the settlement is not negotiable,” the petition read.

It also said settlers had been living virtually free on traditional land but there was growing lack of respect for local landowners.

“…we believe after three killings and criminal activities such as harassment, hold-ups, snatching of bags, rapes and other illegal activities along the Butibam road …this is the time for a decision to avoid similar occurrences in the future.”

Two men from the village were previously murdered, one in 2001 and another in 2006, allegedly by settlers but police investigations had not resulted in any convictions.