Incorporated Land Groups

A process that the department approves, the registration guarantees their lands will be secured and safeguarded for future investment or cultivation.

After years of waiting, the Kaha-namona Idaro Clan of Pari Village sealed the registration of its incorporated land group with the presentation of its ILG certificate by Lands Minister, Justin Tkatchenko.

With the new certificate, the clan can develop their land knowing that the certificate identifies them as legitimate owners.

CLLF was recently set up by the Communal Land Development Limited (CLDL) aimed to secure the 97 percent of the total land mass of PNG commonly known as the customary land.

Dr Rageau argued that ILG registration strips landowners off their customary land titles.

He explained that through ILG registration, the customary land is registered and the landowners lose that customary land title and will no longer claim that as a customary land.

“It will become State land and Government at its own discretion will do what is best for it.

The two-day forum from February 23-24 is being hosted by the Customary Land Law Foundation (CLLF).

The participants mostly from Central, Gulf, Hela and Milne Bay, have the opportunity to air their voices at the forum and educate themselves about compulsory land registration.

The forum will help landowners understand how Customary Land Law has been available but has never been exposed as our identity to the ownership of customary land.

The whole Woodlark Island is an alienated land which means it is State land.

Woodlark Island has a population of over 6,000 people from eight different clans.

Minister for Lands and Physical Planning Benny Allan said the people have been living on State land and they belong to that island.

In 2014, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill directed the Department through Minister Allan to work on the Woodlark land and solve the issue and try to return the land back to the people.