…as Police begin demolishing squatter houses in Lungga
POLICE have begun taking down houses owned by squatters in the Lungga area following a High Court eviction order issued in September last year.
The land is said to be owned by businessman, George Wu, who had sought and received a High Court eviction order to have the squatters removed from his land.
On Friday police, accompanied by the Sheriff of the High Court arrived at the scene. A number of structures were taken down.
In the crowd on Friday was the MP for West Kwaio, Titus Fiika who told Solomon Star that he and others were simply developing parcels of land which have not been developed for more than 36 years.
“We are Solomon Islanders. We have moved in here to develop the land, which has been left untouched for many, many years,” he said. Hon Fiika owns one of three ‘executive’ houses in the area.
“There are a whole lot of people living together here. We have people from Are’Are, Kwaio, North, Kwara’ae as well as those from other provinces. We have not committed any crime except our desire to develop the land here.
“See all the houses out there? These are the results of our hard work. And now we are being told to uproot our houses and move elsewhere,” he said.
The lawyer representing the people was also present as police and the Sheriff of the High Court explained what the eviction order means.
Police said people living in the area were given ample warning to move out but it appeared no one had heeded the warning.
The people were relying on an initial application to stay the eviction, but the High Court is yet to hear the application.’
“There is very little we can do if the eviction order remains active as it is. The only hope is to get your lawyer to apply for a fresh order to stay the current eviction Order,” the people were told.
“As our people and relatives, we don’t want to do this to you. But we are police officers and our role is to uphold the law. The eviction order represents the law and if we fail to carry out what it says, we can also be held accountable,” one police officer said.
The Sheriff of the High Court also told the people that their only hope to stop police from demolishing their houses would be to apply for a fresh order to stay the execution of the current eviction order.
Lawyers representing the people are working on the fresh order.
Police will return to the area on Monday to continue the enforcement of the eviction order in removing the houses and other structures unless the people who live there have shown their willingness to take down their houses by themselves.
By ALFRED SASAKO
Newsroom, Honiara
