Locals claim hospital built on traditional land

 A CLAN claiming to own the land on which the Modilon hospital is 

built has warned the Divine Word University to stay away from the 

hospital.

Madib clan chairman Domok Willie, in a letter to Health Minister Michael Malabag, said the hospital was on their traditional land.

He said the Divine Word University’s involvement through its president Fr Jan Czuba, the chairman of the hospital board, was wrong.

He said Czuba should be removed from the board.

Willie said the DWU had taken over Paramedical College which was part of the hospital.

He said the clan had the right to be consulted on such issues affecting the hospital as landowners. 

He said the clan was recognised 

as the landowners by a National 

Supreme Court decision back in 

1932. 

A review of the decision for the clan was heard by Judge David Cannings in Aug 24, 2012.  

“Modilon hospital, was once 

called Gum Hospital during the colonial days, and was shifted to traditional Yakondu Point, now known as PHD compound, to prevent further land grabbing by the new Australian colonial regime after the Second World War. 

“It is traditional land, not state land,” Willie said.

He said the death of two leaders of the clan had provoked them to raise this issue because the hospital had lost control of its management.

No comment could be obtained from the hospital or Malabag.