Amid this morning’s chaos, three Elevala villagers sat and wept on the graves of their loved ones as other villagers stood up to stop bulldozers moving in to dig up the graves.
Lohia Lahui, whose parents’ graves were metres away from the bulldozers, Vicky Davai who was protecting her dad’s grave and Boio Guba, whose one year old son was buried next to Lohia’s parents sat silently and refused to be moved.
An emotional Lohia told PNG Loop that his parents were buried on their land and he would not move them to some unknown land.
He says that the contractors never met with them and alleges that each of the families were told that they would be compensated, which he says is “not on’’.
Davai says that her son Mahuru Toua needs to be near his family home, the distraught mother says that the K1000 given to each family is a shame to their custom and their loved ones.
The village elders will be meeting tonight to discuss their next course of action.