A PROMINENT civil society leader says the police’s demolition exercise carried out at Henderson, east Honiara, will have a lot of negative effect on the lives of children, women and families.
“Sadly enough the High Court order was made amidst a mixture of unresolved issues surrounding the landownership of the land in which the victims are currently occupying,” Casper Fa’asala said yesterday.
He said while it is true in some sense that police are acting on a High Court order, it is surprising to note however, that the Commissioner of Lands is silent on the matter as to any land transfers and registrations of the land between the former landowner and the now so-called Malaysian.
“The process of land transfers within the Lunga, Tenaru and Henderson land boundaries is to my knowledge still a national issue for the government to resolve and is continuously a concern of the Guadalcanal Province to ensure that the land returns to the indigenous people,” he said.
Mr Fa’asala said he is also surprised that despite a Notice to Halt Applicants to acquiring of new land within the areas in question by the Office of the Lands Commissioner, officials of the office of the Commissioner of Lands continue to deal with selling of land after the notice was issued.
“Local people are now homeless in their own land and country not only from the flash flood but also through the cause of the processes land is dealt with in the country, and that in this circumstances how the so-called Malaysian owned the land is a concern.
“‘Forced Eviction’ in this case should be the last measure to take as it is an ‘inhuman act’ without taking genuine consultations, considerations of alternative resettlements and compensations if needed.”
Mr Fa’asala said such action can arouse further conflicts between citizens and the state given that police is involved and especially defending outside interests.
He however, called on the Government to quickly reactivate the work of the Lands Inquiry Commission established to look into the landownership of the Lunga, Tenaru and Henderson land areas to find a quick but peaceful resolution to settle the matter amicably in order not to harass lives of innocent women and children which can cause loss of life and confusion amongst the people and the community.
