Displaced Manam Islanders

It has been a painstaking process for the Manam Resettlement Authority (MaRA) as they have been under financial constraints.

Currently MaRA’s goal is to resettle the Manam Islanders by 2026 in their proposed site of Andarum. Their development focus work areas cover three Districts and Five LLGs and four main work locations (care centers and host villages, Manam & Boisa, Andarum resettlement site and Daigul state land portions).

Ward councilor for Warisi, Raynold Kauke, said the Islanders had been travelling to Bunabun or Mugil health post to seek medical attention.

However a land dispute between Bunabun land owners and the Manam settlers, has been preventing the settlers from traveling into Bunabun to access health services. The situation has made life difficult for the sick and those needing the services of a health worker.

This is what the displaced Manam Islanders at Mangem Care Centre in Sumkar District are demanding. And they made this clear to the NID officials who went there to give them their NID cards and birth certificates.

Each leader from the four clan’s livings at the care centers came along to meet with the NID officials. They used the opportunity to express their concerns about government neglect of their basic rights to education, and proper health services among others.