Eighty (80) families of Chimbu and Eastern Highlands communities affected by the current eviction at 2-Mile Hill in Port Moresby yesterday jointly signed a resettlement agreement with NCDC and Moresby South District Development Authority.
This agreement will enable their resettlement of these families at Ragamuga and Saraga but land titles will be issued at a cost, no free handouts as speculated.
The agreement was signed this afternoon during a media conference held at City Hall in Port Moresby.
Port Moresby South MP Hon. Justin Tkatchenko
said the relocation was a long time coming for the people of Two Mile Hill, particularly those living near the YMCA and the Two-Mile Hill Memorial.
He said negotiations with the Simbu and Eastern Highlands communities had been ongoing to ensure the resettlement was well organized and properly carried out and stressed that the relocation was not due to criminal activity by the affected families.
Hon. Tkatchenko said the Simbu and Goroka settlers living at the hill were hardworking and honest people who had always done the right thing in their communities.
He explained that criminal activities in the area over the past 15 years were caused by other groups, leading to an official police operation that was beyond the control of community leaders and authorities.
The MP said most affected families had already been allocated blocks two years ago at resettlement sites around Saraga and Ragamuga, with land titles to be processed through the Lands Department with the support of the National Capital District Commission (NCDC).
He confirmed that the 80 households who signed the agreement would begin relocating immediately and would be given until Sunday to remove their belongings and houses, after which the land at 2-Mile Hill Memorial would be secured to prevent illegal occupation or sale.
Hon. Tkatchenko thanked the Simbu and Goroka communities for their cooperation and understanding, describing the situation as difficult but necessary.
He said the partnership between leaders and government agencies demonstrated that orderly and humane resettlement was possible.
Governor Parkop said the affected families should not be judged by the actions of a few individuals who had committed crimes in the area over many years.
He stressed that the majority of residents from the Simbu and Goroka communities were good, law-abiding people whose lives had been disrupted by the recent eviction.
The Governor said the relocation plan was initially proposed by Hon. Tkatchenko and later supported and implemented through NCDC.
He confirmed that the resettlement site at Saraga was ready, with land already subdivided and prepared for land titles.
Governor Parkop also revealed that K7 million allocated last year for the relocation and resettlement of the Simbu and Goroka communities would now be used to support the urgent resettlement of the families affected by the eviction.