This year 2022 is the fourth time the Manam Islanders living on the island and in the three care-centers will cast their votes. Yet their votes have not made a difference in their fight to be resettled at a permanent location in order to rebuild their lives.
Voters in Iabu LLG in Asuramba Care-center in the Bogia District of Madang say they no longer are living in care-centers but in settlements.
Former Iabu LLG President, Nelson Mambote, says the population in the care-centers has increased since the late 2004 to early 2005 evacuation following the major eruption on the island.
Life in the care-centers has not improved thus most of the internally displaced islanders have expressed dissatisfaction with successive governments failure to resettle them.
Mambote says the displaced community are no longer willing to cast their votes as leaders tend to neglect their plight after being elected.
He says despite the government’s neglect on Manam issues the displaced community continue to cast their votes.
Catholic Mama President, Elizabeth Kepata, says all women and young girls in the care-center must cast their votes. She is adamant to have all their names included in the roll update.
Kepata says life in the care-center is a constant struggle especially for women who are struggling to provide food for their families on a daily basis.
Thus most women in there want to cast their votes to elect a leader that will raise the Manam issues on the floor of parliament and fast track the resettlement exercise.
Kepata explains for 18 years the displaced islanders have been living on the care-centers without any government support.
Another displaced islander, Cathy Tola, told InsidePNG, she has three children and it is difficult to look after her family in the care-center.
Tola says she has been living on someone else’s land and as population the grows, it ha not been easy as the struggle put more stress on parents to sustain their homes.
Tola says the internally displaced islanders continue to cast their votes on leaders who continue to neglect their plight.
This year the displaced communities are eager to cast their votes on a leader that will address bring a closure to the 18 years of neglect.
However, Tola says most of their names are not in the roll update depriving them of their right to cast their votes.
Meanwhile, Dominic Kasira, says most of the young men and women in the care-centers do not want to cast their votes.
Kasira says this is because this year marks the fourth time the internally displaced islanders cast their vote since their evacuation from Manam island in 2004.
He said most of the young voting population believe they are wasting their time to vote for leaders who do not care about Manam issues.
Comments are closed.