Illegal settlements are popping up everywhere in the city and it is a concern to the police when executing their duties. Most of these illegal settlements are popping up at portions of land where landowners had been identified by the courts and eviction has taken place.
The Acting Metropolitan Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang confirmed that the vacant portion of land at Garden Hills that had the settlers evicted in December 2021 is now occupied by people who are a threat to the genuine people residing there.
Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang had also confirmed that there are makeshift that had been erected in that portion of land and people are now moving in numbers to settle there. He said the settlers while residing there are now doing illegal markets on the roadside which poses a threat to people travelling up to their houses in the Garden Hills area.
“ Since land owners had been identified by the court that assisted the police in evicting the settlers. The landowners must now make sure illegal settlers don’t move in there to settle again. They must try to find ways to either develop the land or make sure people don’t go there. Garden Hills Settlement had been one of the most talked about settlements in the past and when the eviction the it had seen fewer law and order problems around Boroko, Waigani Central and the surrounding communities. Now that the illegal settlers are coming back law and order problems around those areas are also increasing. Residences also had lodged many complaints against the settlers, Supt Rubiang said.
Rubiang added that the other settlements within the city in which police receive complaints every day are Kipo, Two Mile Hills, Morata, and some new settlements that are popping up within the suburbs. He said those landowners who were given the title should by now have the legal documents in place and seek help from the police to have these illegal settlers removed.
“I had noticed most of those who do street vending are those who reside at locations that are not theirs like the Garden Hills 2021 eviction site. Because they do not have permanent residence they can move around and do anything and escape to a new location because they do now have permanent to lose. We should stop them from residing on the land that is owned by other people, Rubiang added.
Rubainag also thanked his police officers who responded to a report at Garden Hills where settlers who were vending on the roadside got drunk and were disturbing the residences there and then made a fire on the road disturbing the genuine residences there.
“ I want the land owner to come forward so we can discuss how best to remove the settlers there because if we don’t do it now, they will grow in number, and we will face many problems in the future,” Supt Rubainag said.
Police officers attending to report at Garden Hills.