Settlers

Portion 354 was the centre of a Court proceeding that started in 2006 and finally came to a close on the 25^th of March, this year, when Justice Paulus Dowa ruled in favour of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG.

Settlers occupying that area were given four months to vacate the place; a period that lapsed on the 25^th of July, which saw the ELCPNG advise settlers of the deadline.

Disgruntled relatives of two deceased men came out and blocked off the Erima road following the confrontation between police and settlers on September 28^th.

“Last night a couple of innocent travelling public had their vehicles damaged by missiles; one vehicle overturned when the driver tried to do a U-turn when seeing the melee ahead,” said chief superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jnr.

“This brought so much fear to the travelling public.

NCD metropolitan superintendent, Perou N’Dranou, said police were conducting their operation under the Erima flyover settlement, which is known as Taripex, when they were attacked by a group of men who were allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

The police vehicle used that time was stoned by the group of men. The NCD police boss said the unit then retreated and requested for back up, where the law enforcers retaliated soon after.

Youths from Butibam village have set more than 5 houses at Bumbu alight following the death of their wantok, allegedly at the hands of settlers.

According to reports on ground, the young man from Butibam had just returned from a night out and accompanied by his friend, were waiting for a shop at 8^th Street to open so they could get something to eat. This was around 6-7am on Saturday, September 8^th.

To be officially launched by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, the settlers this morning walked from Eight-Mile to the stadium to witness the event.

Andy Waribi, a leader from the Eight-Mile settlement, said this is a special day as they will be given land titles and have decent lives.

"We have many professional people in the settlement and such initiative by NCD Governor Powes Parkop is a blessing to our people."

He also acknowledged the effort of Prime Minister Peter O'Neill for recognising the people at the settlement and giving them land titles.

Apparently Fletcher Morobe had won a 10 year court battle over this piece of land, and the physical removal of permanent to semi-permanent structures, was a result of the non-adherence to a number of eviction notices issued to the community.

A lone bulldozer took down homes belonging to three generations of settlers.

Police were there to supervise; some settlers stood by and watched, others made it there business to take down their houses in an orderly fashion.

This was a spill over from the protest by locals over being bullied in their own land.

The deceased, who was quite sick at that time, tried to escape when he heard police gunshots, but fell down a steep slope and died instantly.

They said on April 9 police came into the settlement, ordering everyone to pack up and get ready to board PMVs that would take them to their province of origin, mostly in the highlands region.

He said not all settlers are involved in creating law and order problems in the province.

Yama made the statement following the decapitation of a teacher from Ialibu, Southern Highlands Province, on April 3, which caused a series of confrontations, including protests against squatters and opportunists.

The Madang Governor is against making rushed decisions that will affect the province in the future.

Filed in the Supreme Court by the Morata New Block Community and Welfare Association on 30 November 2016, the appeal was supposed to be heard in October last year.

The trial did not eventuate but has now been set for February 14, 2018.  

Chairman of the Morata New Block Community and Welfare Association, Romny Tengere, went before the Waigani National Court today with an urgent application.

He was trying to ask the court to vary the blanket stay order that was issued early last year against the eviction of other settlers, who are not parties to the case.

Saraga says he’s standing in the elections for the grassroots and the people living in the settlements.

The 40 year old from a mix parentage of Gaire, Koiari and Kairuku was born and raised in the settlement at Six Mile where he currently resides.

He is self-employed and struggles like other settlers to look after his family.

Saraga said after going through these struggles with no assistance from the Government to provide basic services like water and electricity, he decided to stand for the elections to help the settlers.