Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

NCD governor seeks to stop PNG eviction of Papuan squatters

Posted at 05:22 on 19 September, 2007 UTC

The governor of the National Capital District in Papua New Guinea, Powes Parkop, is calling on the government to step in to stop the eviction of about 500 Papuans who have been squatting on land outside of Port Moresby.

The landowner, former MP Sir Pita Lus, has indicated the Papuans will be evicted today.

Mr Parkop, who was a human rights lawyer before entering Parliament in the last election and who has previously represented the Papuans, says they have nowhere else to go.

He says he will talk with the Lands Minister, Puka Temu, today.

“To see if he can intervene. He can intervene now to stop the eviction because all the land in the city that has been granted to different people is under lease to the State. So the State is the ultimate owner and they can stop the eviction if they want. So I am seeing the Lands Minister today to see if he can intervene to stop it.”

Powes Parkop