Victims of climate change ask for help

A GROUP of islanders forced to relocate because of the effects of climate change are asking for financial assistance to help them rebuild their lives.
The plight of the people on the Carteret islands in Bougainville and on Manam in Madang was highlighted during the Caritas diocesan development secretaries’ forum at the Catholic Bishops Conference Centre in Port Moresby last week.
The discussions were based on the effects of climate change especially the monster waves which had hit the Carteret islands in 2016 and the volcanic activity on Manam.
Carteret islander Peter Sale said they needed help in their rehabilitation.
“Our fish, coconut, taro and land have been taken over by this strong force of nature,” Sale said.
“When we moved to a new land in the east of Bougainville, we felt like strangers.
“From that time till now, we never received any help from the climate change and development authority or the United Nations disaster management team.
“The only help we got was from Catholic Church groups.”
Sale said eight families had to be relocated from the island to East Bougainville.
A representative of the Manam Care Centre Peter Mariambe said food crops had been contaminated after the volcanic eruption and the isladers needed help.
“We are happy to relocate but the place we are currently resettling in is temporary,” he said.
They hope that they would allocated relief rehabilitation funds to build new houses at a permanent location.