The National Court in Lae has ruled in favor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG to retain its land, Portion 354, located in Lae’s Malahang area.
According to the court order, ELCPNG is now the rightful owner of the land and residents on the land are now regarded as illegal settlers.
The Court Decision passed on the 25th of March ruled that settlers currently occupying the area are to take down their properties and vacate the area before the 25th of July.
ELCPNG National Church Secretary, Bernard Kaison and the National Church Treasurer, Noreo Keindip, met with settlers yesterday, and presented a letter, notifying them of the court decision and to vacate the area before the 25th of July.
“The reason we are meeting with you personally is so that you hear this from the Church and not from a second party. We have learnt from the Nagada experience in Madang where things got out of hand when settlers found out from other sources other than the Church”, said the Church secretary.
The Church Treasurer, Noreo Keindip explained to settlers that the land, Portion 354 was not on a 99-year lease as claimed by rumors, rather was on freehold to the church.
Some settlers said they were not aware of this when they purchased land in the area.
Keindip responded, saying the Church had taken a restraining order in 2011 stopping any sale to the 99.5 hectares of land.
“I personally walked through the communities and cautioned people; I gave letters.”
“Awareness was done since 2000, there’s no excuse for anyone to say you were not aware, the treasurer said.
The Lutheran Church will retain some hectares of the land while some will be given to the Provincial Government for development purposes; one of which is to revive the old coconut plantation in the area, in support of its plans to revive the copra industry in the province.
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