Bukapena Landowners Protest on Compensation Payment

The Legitimate Landowners of Bukapena Government Station in Mul District of Western Highlands Province have protested and call the Department of Lands and Physical Planning to put on hold to the process of gazetted compensation payment.

The protest began upon the publication of the gazetted payment for Bukapena Government Station. The landowners representative, Mr.Jacob Hon call on the Department of Lands and Physical Planning to do a proper investigation prior to payment processing. There was no proper valuation done and no landowner consultation.

If the payment is to be made for Bukapena Station then it has to be made through the Nenga Andakel Clan and no any other clan,tribe or individual.

The aggressive landowners have blocked the Bukapena Primary School gate and the Health Center and District office were interrupted by the disgruntled Nenga Andakel Clan who are the legitimate landowners of the Bukapena Government Town. They said if the payment is made to other people who have claimed it then all the Government station is mostly likely be affected.
 

News Article on Post Courier Dated March 28,2018

Disgruntled Landowners of Bukapena Goverment Station, The Nenga Andakel Clan members

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BUKAPENA GOVERNMENT STATION (TOWNSHIP) IN MUL DISTRICT OF WESTERN HIGHLANDS PROVINCE.

 Bukapena Government Station is wholly surrounded by a clan well known amongst other clans/tribes in the Western Highlands called Nenga Andakel. The neighbouring clans are: Nenga Rulgump Clan, Nenga Andakomon Clan, Nenga Kumdimp Clan ,Mele Kememp Clan who are the immediate neighbouring clans for Nenga Andakel. However, the neighbouring Nenga clans including the Mele Tribe do not have any land rights or possess any interest in Bukapena Government Station. Thus, the Bukapena Government Station is situated well within the heart of Nenga Andakel Clan.

The Bukapena Village alone hosts six (6) Government Services and the legitimate landowners are the Nenga Andakel. There was no ILG ever been registered in the name of Bukapena within the Lands Department and if any ILG lodged then it is without proper landowner consultation and no proper land investigation is done.

The only six (6) government services established during colonial era are:

• ·         Bukapena Community School (Currently Known as Bukapena Primary School).
• ·         Mul District Headquarter & Mul LLG Council Chamber
• ·         Bukapena Health Centre
• ·         Bukapena Rural Police Station
• ·         Bukapena DPI
• ·         Bukapena Council Market.

 These Basic Government services serve almost all the people of Mul-Baiyer and part of Hagen Central District of Western Highlands Province and they become integral part of the better living standards of the rural population.

It is also known that during the colonial era, my forefathers were smart enough to bring all the vital  government services to my village without fair market value of land during compulsory customary land acquisition. Only the Nenga Andakel Clan sacrificed their customary land to allow for government services to be constructed and they are the legitimate landowners ever since and they will be for unending generations. If any claims or compensations are to be paid to Bukapena Government Station then it has to be paid to the Nenga Andakel Clan and not any other clan, tribes or individual.

On behalf of the Nenga Andakel Clan members and leaders, Mr.Jacob Hon Derk who is the Former Councillor and Clan Leader expressed the Nenga Andakel Clan’s grievances to the Department of Lands and Physical Planning on Post Courier dated 28^th March 2018.  This issue arose upon a published gazetted compensation payment for the Bukapena Station which was claimed by unknown clan, tribe or individual in the Mul District of Western Highlands Province.

Mr.Hon strongly objected and boldly requested Department of Lands and Physical Planning to stop the payment process of the gazetted land compensation payment for Portions 9,409,391,254 and 1256c or whatever latest updated portion numbers of Bukapena and further request the Department of Lands & Physical Planning to further investigate on the ground the legitimate landowners of Bukapena to avoid entertaining the so called paper landowners of unknown creatures in Port Moresby.

Mr.Hon said that, Failure to stop the payment process will result in legal action(s) against these claims and he is off the view that further disturbances to the Government Services will be minimised at this level if payment process is stopped and allow proper land investigation to proceed thereon.

Mr.Hon said copies of written objections were lodged with the Department of Lands and Physical Planning via the Acting Secretary’s Office the objection was registered for deliberation.

Estimated Clan Boundaries of Nenga Oiyamp

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