Villagers set by-laws to regulate their land

By PISAI GUMAR
YALU villagers in Wampar, Morobe, have set up community customary land occupation by-laws to regulate the use of traditional land and identify genuine settlers.
The by-laws underwent a second reading, headed by Aliwaong Land Trust (ALT) group chairman Kwalam Tangapi and secretary Ezekiel Wallis, at a community forum on Wednesday.
Tangapi said due to increased development pressure between Lae and Nadzab, migrants were flocking there.
These settlers, he said, were dealing with “paper landowners” to illegally acquire land.
“Otherwise, under Customary Land Act, it is the clan that owns the land and not individual paper landowners” Tangapi said.
The ALT was set up as the umbrella entity to oversee and protect local land interest and affairs of the 13 clans of Yalu.
Tangapi said the customary by-laws would help become the vehicle for investors and settlers to acquire traditional land through legal processes “instead of jumping in through windows”.