Two widows and their children were among other Papua New Guinean squatters who had to dismantle their homes as the eviction exercise started at portion 2157 at Nine-Mile’s Bush Wara this week.

Agnes Kamak, 52, from Jiwaka’s South Waghi, and Jen Emeke, from Enga’s Wapenamanda, said they had lived and raised their children in the area for the past 10 years since the death of their husbands.

Kamak, who was employed as a cleaner with the Health Department, said she did not know where her family would go to seek refuge and rebuild their lives after they were evicted on Thursday.

“My two sons, daughter and I slept in the open last night [Wednesday] after we dismantled our home because we did not want the earthmoving machines to destroy our housing materials today [Thursday],” she said.

Kamak said she saved the money while working as a cleaner in various companies and bought a piece of land for K10,000 (NZ$4200) in 2013 from a man claiming to be from Koiari and a customary landowner.

“My late husband and I bought this piece of land with the little savings I earned as a cleaner,” she said.

“My second son is currently doing Grade 12 at Gerehu Secondary School and I do not want this situation to disrupt his studies.”

12 years in Bush Wara
She said she could not bring her family back home to Jiwaka as she had lived and built her life in Bush Wara for almost 12 years.

Emeke, who also worked as a cleaner, said she bought the piece of land for K10,000 and has lived with her two children in the area since 2016.

“After my husband passed away, my two children and I moved here and build our home,” Emeke said.

On March 12, the National Court granted leave to Nambawan Super Limited (NSL) to issue writs of possession to all illegal settlers residing within portions 2156, 2157 and 2159 at 9-Mile’s Bush Wara.

At the same time, it granted a 120-day grace period for the settlers to voluntarily vacate the land portions.

Most squatters had moved out during the 120-day grace period granted by the National Court for the settlers to voluntarily vacate the land.

The National witnessed the remaining squatters voluntarily pulling down the remaining structures of their homes and properties as earthmoving machines started clearing the area yesterday.

5400 squatters
It is understood that a survey conducted two years ago revealed that the total population squatting on the NSL land was about 5400 with 900 houses.

Acting commander of NCD and Central Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Peter Guinness said he was pleased with both the police and squatters who worked together to see that the first day of eviction went smoothly.

He said there was no confrontation and the first day of eviction was carried out peacefully.

Assistant Commissioner Guinness said settlers who were still removing their properties were given time to do so while the machines moved to other locations.

“I want to thank my police officers and also the sheriff officers for a well-coordinated awareness programme that led to a peaceful first day of eviction.

“The public must understand that police presence on-site during the awareness and actual eviction was to execute the court order now in place.

“We have families there, too, but we have no choice but to execute our mandated duties.

“The 120-day grace period was enough time for everyone to move out as per the court order,” Guinness said.

Awareness for the eviction exercise started three years ago.

Kelvin Joe and Gynnie Kero are reporters for PNG’s The National. Republished with permission.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Hundreds of settlers from the controversial Garden Hills settlement along Waigani Drive in Papua New Guinea’s National Capital District (NCD) have been thrown out of their homes after a court order enforced by police.

Their homes on church-owned land were razed by bulldozers yesterday.

Policemen deployed at the eviction site told news media that they were acting on a 30-day eviction notice that had been given to the settlers to move out, but they had stayed on.

“We were given an order from the NCD-Central Command to provide security while the authorities carried out the eviction exercise,” a senior officer at the eviction site said.

Mothers and children sat on the road with their belongings, watching helplessly as their homes for more than 30 years was torn down by machines while armed policemen stood guard.

A few people were sorry to see the settlers kicked out and their homes torn down, but most city residents have been complaining over many years about “general lawlessness” caused by the settlers.

‘Crime hotspot’
Police have identified the settlement as a “crime hotspot”, with NCD Governor Powes Parkop vowing to remove the settlers.

In the most recent law and order situation in the settlement, two people were killed in a drunken brawl that got out of hand, with the settlers running amok in the Garden Hills estate, threatening and attacking residents.

Residents in the estate have lived in fear of being attacked or mugged by youths.

According to deputy commander of NCD-Central Command, Laimo Asi, the land belongs to the Assembly of God (AoG) church.

Laimo said an eviction order was given 30 days ago to the settlers living there.

“But they did not move so the church got an eviction order and police just enforced the order,” he said.

“Units were sent in to enforce the eviction order; there was a bit of resistance in the morning, but the situation is now under control.

“Police will continue to patrol the area.”

The settlement is one of the biggest and most notorious in NCD.

Governor promised squatters
Attempts to get comments from Governor Parkop yesterday were not successful.

Governor Parkop had promised squatters at Garden Hills a year ago that they would be relocated to Fareya behind the air transport squadron (ATS) at Eight Mile.

On December 15, 2020, the Post-Courier published an article quoting Parkop regarding the future of the squatters following mounting pressure by residents who fall victim daily to petty crimes by youths from the settlement.

After 12 months, the squatters were finally evicted in a massive eviction carried out yesterday.

Marjorie Finkeo is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

The Vanuatu Red Cross Society (VRCS) is one of the first humanitarian organisations to intervene and support the volcano internal refugees who were victims of eviction order at MCI on the road to Blacksand last week.

Emma Mesao, senior branch officer of SHEFA Red Cross, said the organisation dealt with the lives of people, and they responded to natural disasters.

While the eviction was not a natural disaster, people’s living and welfare had been affected.

On Thursday, a team was deployed to the area to assess the situation and identified two priority needs, including shelter and water.

The Red Cross distributed two tarpaulins and two jerry cans to each household. More than 60 households received their share of emergency supplies.

Mesao confirmed that when distributing the supplies, they had also encouraged the people to boil water before drinking to avoid other health issues.

Relocated to other settlements
Most of the families have relocated to other settlements.

Many of them went to Blandiniere Stage Three, and Crystal Blue Area.

Others went to other areas within the peri-urban areas of Port Vila, including Blacksand and Erangorango.

The Red Cross team visited all the areas to distribute the water containers and tarpaulins.

Speaking on behalf of the families at MCI, Lai Sakita, thanked the Red Cross for providing the families with the tarpaulins and jerry cans.

These emergency supplies would allow the people to set up temporary shelters while they resettled.

SHEFA Provincial Government Council, through its National Disaster Management Office officer supported VRCS in the logistics, during the distribution rollout.

He said these families were victims of the ash-fall from Tanna’s Yasur volcano.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz